Patent ID: 7017277

Claim:
A method for detaching apart the membrane and mineral fractions of empty broken egg shells comprising the steps of: supplying empty broken egg shells, inclusive of a water content, inherently some of which is presumptively contained in the gas-exchange pores of the egg shells that extend through both the membrane and mineral layers thereof; providing a main processor that operates at a level of vacuum with a configuration being elongated between an introduction end and a horizontally-spaced discharge end, which discharge end comprises a syphon port for syphoning out a pneumatic stream and a vertically-lower drain for outputting a non-suspended residual stream; at a relatively elevated pressure, pre-heating the empty broken egg shells in order to elevate the bulk temperature to above what corresponds to the boiling temperature for water within the main processor's vacuum level; introducing the pre-heated empty broken egg shells into the main processor's introduction end whereby a small percentage of the water content flashes into steam, this presumptively promoting the membrane fraction to eject or detach from attached or adhered shards or powder of the mineral fraction; and providing the main processor with a throughput of a hot pneumatic carrier introduced at the introduction end and syphoned out the syphon port for syphoning up and suspending suspension particles from out of the detaching membrane and mineral fractions; as well as providing the main processor with a mechanical conveyor for conveying non-suspending material from the introduction end to the discharge end for draining out the drain.