Patent ID: 11890798
Assignee: PIONEER PET PRODUCTS, LLC
Field: Other special machines (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B  A | IPC A  B

Claim 0:
1. A method of making granular extrudate comprising the following steps:
(a) providing an extruder having an extruder die, a starch-containing admixture for being extruded from the extruder by being discharged from the extruder die as granular extrudate, an extrudate discharge chamber in communication with the extruder die that receives the granular extrudate discharged from the extruder die, and an elongate discharge conduit in gas flow communication with the extrudate discharge chamber for transporting the granular extrudate away from the extruder and the extrudate discharge chamber;
(b) extruding the starch-containing admixture from the extruder by gelatinizing the starch-containing admixture to produce a gelatinized starch-containing admixture, and by discharging the gelatinized starch-containing admixture from the extruder die into the extrudate discharge chamber; and
(c) transporting the granular extrudate from the extrudate discharge chamber into the discharge conduit by a gas flowing through (i) the extrudate discharge chamber and (ii) the discharge conduit, the flowing gas quenching the granular extrudate during transport of the granular extrudate from the extrudate discharge chamber into and through the discharge conduit without heating the granular extrudate during transport therethrough.