Patent ID: 6884884

Claim:
A method for depolymerizing galactomannan or derivatized galactomannan comprising the steps of: (a) spraying substantially dry galactomannan or derivatized galactomannan with a liquid cleaving agent, wherein said substantially dry galactomannan or derivatized galactomannan has less than 15% water content by weight; and (b) mixing the galactomannan or derivatized galactomannan and the cleaving agent, wherein the galactomannan or derivatized galactomannan is the major solid component by weight in the mixing step and the moisture content of the mixture during the mixing step is not more than 15% of the weight of the dry galactomannan or derivatized galactomannan, wherein said derivatized galactomannan is selected from the group consisting of hydroxypropylguar (HPG), carboxymethylguar (CMG) hydroxyethyl guar (HEG), carboxymethylhydroxypropyl guar (CMHPG), hydroxybutyl guar (HBG), cationic guar, hydrophobically modified guar (HMG), hydrophobically modified carboxymethylguar (HMCMG), hydrophobically modified hydroxyethylguar (HMHEG), hydrophobically modified hydroxypropylguar (HMHPG), hydrophobically modified carboxymethylhydroxypropylguar (HMCMHPG), hydrophobically modified hydroxybutyl guar (HMHBG), and hydrophobically modified cationic guar (HMCG).