Pilot-scale Twin-screw Extruder Research Articles

Twin-screw extrusion of vitamin D3/iron-blend granules in corn and lentil composite flours: Stability, microstructure, and interaction of vitamin D3 with human osteoblast cells.

Vitamin D3 (VD3) and iron-blend granules were blended with corn and lentil composite flour (75/25, w/w) and fed into a pilot-scale twin-screw extruder to produce ready-to-eat snacks. The morphology and microstructure of extruded snacks were examined using scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX), X-ray powder diffraction, and FT-IR. Differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis measured the melting temperature and thermal stability of the extrudates. SEM and FT-IR analysis demonstrate that micronutrients are mixed well in formulations used in extrudates at high shear and high temperatures. The SEM-EDX exhibited the presence of iron, whereas high performance liquid chromatography measurements confirmed the significant retention of VD3 in the extruded snacks. The interaction between VD3 and human osteoblast cells was studied using live imaging and the MMT assay. Overall, for the first time, VD3 and Fe2+ blend granules have been used in an extrusion platform, which has significant potential for the intervention of VD3 and iron deficiencies. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: For the first time, we reported the use of VD3/iron-blend granules in extruded products. The findings of this work demonstrated the thermal stability and capability of providing adequate quantities of VD3 and iron in corn flour/lentil flour/VD3-iron blend extruded snacks. Furthermore, the interaction of VD3 with osteoblast cells highlights the potential health benefits of the extrudates.

Dry Extrusion Process for Manufacturing of High-Energy Cathodes for Lithium-Ion Batteries

For a sustainable production of lithium ion batteries, more environmentally friendly, energy saving and faster strategies are required. For cathode production NCM/NCA layered oxides are commonly used as active materials. Nevertheless, application of the very toxic and teratogenic solvent N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP) is still common for the industrial production of these cathodes. Besides the high toxicity, the NMP recovery after coating is very energy-, time- and cost-intensive.As an alternative, to conventional NMP-based cathode production, we developed a dry extrusion process coupled with slot-die coating, to manufacture high-energy cathodes. The extrusion process offers continuous production, alongside a very good scalability to industrial demands and a significant reduction of mixing time. Since the process is NMP-free and the drying step is saved, it overcomes typical shortcomings of the wet coating as crack formation or binder migration occurring during solvent evaporation. In addition, producing high-energy electrodes leads to lower material costs and space savings, since less layers of Al/Cu foil and separator are required on cell level, compared to a battery of the same capacity and lower electrode mass loading.Herein, we present the development of a dry cathode manufacturing process, a suitable recipe for dry processing, consisting of NCM622, PVdF, carbon black and a superplasticizer, as well as the optimization of the formulation in terms of processability and active material content. We also discuss the influence of process parameters such as temperature or rotation speed on the viscosity of the cathode paste. As a proof of concept, we processed powder mixtures, corresponding to our optimized formulation with about 90 % of NCM, in a pilot scale twin-screw extruder. By melt extrusion through a slot die, we create a thin film from the cathode composite that we directly apply on an Al current collector. We show a schematic representation of the process in the attracted graphic. By repositioning of the electrode coil, we also produce double-sided coatings. After calendaring, we characterize the dry processed electrodes electrochemically in half-cells. The electrochemical performance data is comparable to state of the art cathodes and results are promising that even higher active material contents can be reached. Therefore, the solvent free extrusion of cathodes is highly relevant for industrial applications.AcknowledgementThe presented work was financially supported by BMBF within the project Tropex under the reference number 03XP0235C. Figure 1

Extraction of Essential Oil from Waste Grapefruit Peel Using a Pilot-Scale Twin-Screw Extruder

Extraction of Essential Oil from Waste Grapefruit Peel Using a Pilot-Scale Twin-Screw Extruder

Effect of moisture and temperature on the extrudate properties of milkfish (Chanos chanos) feed

The present study evaluated the effect of varying levels of moisture and temperature on the extrudate properties of the milkfish (Chanos chanos) feed containing 31.49% protein and 4.71% lipid. Two trials were conducted in a pilot scale twin screw extruder using 3 mm die. In the first trial, the effect of temperature on extrudate properties was studied at five different temperatures viz., 80-90, 90-100, 100-110, 110-120 and 120-130°C. The results revealed that the temperature levels of 100-110, 110-120 and 120-130°C resulted in significantly (p<0.05) lower bulk density (BD) of the extrudate than at 80-90 and 90-100°C. Significantly (p<0.05) lower water solubility index (WSI) was recorded at 100-110°C, while further increase in temperature failed to show further reduction in water solubility. The pellet durability index (PDI) and expansion ratio (ER) showed a non-significant difference among the extrudates at 100-110, 110-120 and 120-130°C. In the second trial, the effect of additional moisture on the extrudate was evaluated by including water at 20, 25, 30 and 35% and the results revealed that 30% moisture addition resulted in significantly (p<0.05) lower BD, WSI and PDI of the extrudate than the other levels. The highest moisture level of 35% led to difficulty in operation while the lower levels from 25% failed to produce floating pellets. Results of this study infers that 30% moisture addition and a temperature of 100-110°C is optimalfor production of water stable floating milk fish feeds.

Effects of extrusion process conditions on system parameters; physicochemical properties and cooking characteristics of extruded fortified rice kernels

Fortified rice kernels (FRK) have emerged as innovative fortified product containing essential minerals and vitamins. Broken rice flour and micronutrient premix containing iron, folic acid and vitamin B12 were used to prepare FRK using a pilot scale twin screw extruder (TSE). Effect of extrusion parameters such as die head temperature (70–110 °C), extruder screw speed (40–80 rpm), feeder screw speed (20–60 rpm) and feed moisture content (26–34% wb) on the system parameters (torque, die head pressure and mass temperature), physicochemical properties (true density, water absorption index and water solubility index) and cooking characteristics (cooking time, cooking losses and water absorption ratio) of FRK were evaluated. Torque, mass temperature and die pressure varied from 12.77 to 15.23 Nm, 79.54–116.87 °C, and 25.98–41.46 bar, respectively, while the true density, water absorption index and water solubility index of FRK varied from 1.423 to 1.493 g/cc, 3.05–4.34 and 3.34–3.79%, respectively. Cooking time, cooking losses and water absorption ratio of FRK varied from 12.91 to 16.75min, 21.83–58.51%, 0.38–2.64, respectively. The results of response surface methodology (RSM) were compared with artificial neural network (ANN). ANN models were found to be best suitable for prediction of the responses than RSM.

Suitability assessment of a continuous process combining thermo-mechano-chemical and bio-catalytic action in a single pilot-scale twin-screw extruder for six different biomass sources

A process has been validated for the deconstruction of lignocellulose on a pilot scale installation using six types of biomass selected for their sustainability, accessibility, worldwide availability, and differences of chemical composition and physical structure. The process combines thermo-mechano-chemical and bio-catalytic action in a single twin-screw extruder. Three treatment phases were sequentially performed: an alkaline pretreatment, a neutralization step coupled with an extraction–separation phase and a bioextrusion treatment. Alkaline pretreatment destructured the wall polymers after just a few minutes and allowed the initial extraction of 18–54% of the hemicelluloses and 9–41% of the lignin. The bioextrusion step induced the start of enzymatic hydrolysis and increased the proportion of soluble organic matter. Extension of saccharification for 24h at high consistency (20%) and without the addition of new enzyme resulted in the production of 39–84% of the potential glucose.

Sensory and Nutritional Properties of a Novel Cooked Extruded Lentils Analog

The main objective of this research was to utilize extrusion processing for developing a wheat- and soy-based “lentil analog” product. The sensory properties and the nutrient content of this product were studied. Lentil analog products using six formulations were produced using a pilot-scale twin screw extruder. Descriptive sensory analysis of prepared products showed that all extruded treatments were similar to each other, but different from the natural lentil control. Treatments with soy: wheat ratios of 50:50 in the presence of lecithin, 60:40 and 70:30 are higher in descriptive attributes of beany flavor, particles/residuals and firmness compared with the control. Consumer acceptability testing (9-point hedonic scale) indicated that there were no significant differences (P < 0.05) in acceptability among the selected treatments and the lentil control sample. Lentil analog can be used as a substitute for regular lentils that is increasingly a costly commodity. Practical Applications A novel extruded lentil analog product with high consumer acceptability was produced, which can provide a low-cost, high-protein diet and rich in essential vitamin and minerals. This product can be supplied to the general population in countries of South Asia and the Middle-East, as a substitute for regular lentils.

Rice-Shaped Extruded Kernels: Physical, Sensory, and Nutritional Properties

Rice-shaped kernels were produced from micronutrient-fortified blends of corn and wheat flours, sorghum and wheat flours, or rice flour alone using a pilot-scale twin screw extruder. The color of extruded kernels from rice flour was similar to that of natural rice grain, but other treatments had significant color differences. Sorghum/wheat kernels had the highest cooking loss (13.4%) and water uptake (137.8%), and were also significantly different from other treatments with regard to instrumental texture profile and descriptive analysis. Vitamin C retention in extruded kernels was the lowest, ranging from 4.3 to 27.6%, whereas iron and folic acid had high stability.

Development of protein-Rich Sorghum-Based Expanded Snacks Using Extrusion Technology

Sorghum is an important staple crop in semi-arid regions of Africa and India because of its drought tolerance. But low protein content and quality limit its widespread use. This project focused on developing sorghum-based extruded snacks. Results from preliminary lab-scale extrusion experiments were used to design a 2×5 factorial pilot-scale study. Two blends of sorghum flour and corn flour were prepared (6:1 and 5:2 w/w ratios) as the controls. Three different sources of protein—whey protein isolate, defatted soy flour, and mixed legume flour—were added to the sorghum/corn flour blends at 30%. A 50:50 blend of defatted soy flour and whey protein isolate was also added at 30% to the sorghum/corn flour blends. The resultant ten formulations were extruded on a pilot-scale twin-screw extruder to investigate the effects of sorghum/corn flour ratio and protein addition on product expansion, microstructure, mechanical properties, and sensory attributes. Expansion ratio of extruded product increased at the higher level of corn flour, and decreased with the incorporation of protein sources. Extrudates with defatted soy flour had a lower expansion ratio (5.3–5.4) than those with whey protein isolate (7.7–7.9), legume flour (7.1–9.9), or whey protein isolate-defatted soy flour (6.1–6.9). Extrudate microstructure, obtained by X-ray microtomography, corresponded well with expansion characteristics. Extrudates with defatted soy flour had the lowest cell diameter. Average crushing force (ranging from 40.9 to 154.87 N) was lower for extrudates with a higher level of corn flour. However, contrary to expectations, crushing force and crispness work both decreased with incorporation of protein sources. Consumer acceptability results showed that the addition of protein sources enhanced taste and overall acceptability of the extruded snacks, with the treatment sorghum/corn flour 5:2 and whey protein isolate-defatted soy flour as the protein source having significantly higher ratings than the other treatments.

Twin-screw Extrusion Processing of Vegetable-based Protein Feeds for Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens) Containing Distillers Dried Grains, Soy Protein Concentrate, and Fermented High Protein Soybean Meal

&lt;span style="color: #800000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 4pt; line-height: 12pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;"&gt;Changing to alternative protein sources supports production of more economic aquafeeds. Two isocaloric (3.06 kcal/g) and isonitrogenous (40% db) experimental feeds for juvenile yellow perch were formulated with incorporation of fermented soybean meal (FSBM) and soy protein concentrate (SPC), each of which were at two levels (0 and 20% db), along with constant amounts of high protein distillers dried grains (DDG) (~30% db), and appropriate amounts of other ingredients. Using a pilot scale twin-screw extruder, feed production was performed in two replications for each diet at conditioner steam levels of 0.11 to 0.16 kg/min, extruder water of 0.11 to 0.19 kg/min, and screw speeds of 230 to 300 rpm. The effects of SPC and FSBM&lt;ins datetime="2012-07-09T13:59" cite="mailto:k"&gt; &lt;/ins&gt;inclusion on extrudate physical properties were compared with those of a control diet (which contained 20% fishmeal and ~30% DDG). Inclusion of 20% FSBM and 20%SPC resulted in a substantial decrease in unit density by 9.2 and 24%, but an increase in lightness, greenness, yellowness, and expansion ratio of the extrudates by 7, 27, 14, 7, 17, 34, 15, and 16.5%, respectively. SPC inclusion led to a considerable increase in water absorption, thermal resistivity, and thermal diffusivity by 17.5, 6.3, and 17.6%, respectively, whereas no significant change was observed for these properties with incorporation of 20% FSBM. Additionally, all extruded products had high durability. Taken together, using ~30% DDG with20% FSBM or20% SPC as alternative protein sources resulted in viable extrudates with properties appropriate for yellow perch production. A future study investigating the effect of extrusion processing conditions on the production of complete vegetable-based protein feeds for yellow perch species would be appropriate.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;span style="color: #800000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;

Characterization of water state and distribution in textured soybean protein using DSC and NMR

To explore the role of water during extrusion cooking and the scientific basis for demarcating low-intermediate moisture and high-moisture extrusion technique, soybean protein isolate (SPI) was processed using a pilot-scale twin-screw extruder under 28–60% moisture content and 140–160 °C cooking temperature. The state of water in textured soybean protein (TSP) with different treatments were analyzed by using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and low field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) together. The distribution of water in TSP was characterized by using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The results showed that there were at least two categories of water with different states or mobility in TSP, and the results of water state and critical water content in TSP measured by DSC and NMR were consistent. The distribution of water in TSP was homogeneous, and the intensity of distribution increased markedly with total water content increasing.

System parameters and product properties response of soybean protein extruded at wide moisture range

In order to explore the effect of water during extrusion process, soybean protein isolate (SPI) was extruded using a pilot-scale twin-screw extruder at 28%, 36%, 44%, 52% and 60% moisture content and 140, 150 and 160 °C cooking temperature. The extrusion system parameters like in-line viscosity at die, mean residence time and specific mechanical energy (SME), product textural properties including tensile strength, hardness, chewiness and degree of texturization, and the molecular weight distribution characterized by SDS–PAGE were investigated. And the interrelationship between system parameters and product properties were analyzed. The results showed that moisture content was a more important factor on system parameters and product properties than cooking temperature. Higher moisture content resulted in lower viscosity of dough in the extruder, shorter residence time and lower conversion ratio of extruder mechanical energy into heat energy, finally reducing significantly the tensile strength, hardness, chewiness and the degree of aggregation. The data from extrusion system parameters and product properties correlate well and could be used to explain and control the characteristics of extrudate.

Use of a dual orifice die for on-line extruder measurement of flow behavior index in starchy foods

A new method for the measurement of flow behavior index was tested using low density polyethylene (LDPE), corn meal, and waxy and dent corn starches. A specially designed dual orifice capillary die was attached to a pilot scale twin screw extruder, enabling two flow rates to be collected at one extruder condition. The power law index was determined using a ratio of these flow rates and the known lengths and radii of the capillaries. This method provides a more accurate and time efficient determination of the power law index of extruded food materials than is currently available. Values obtained for the LDPE ( n=0.47–0.67) were similar to those obtained with a capillary rheometer ( n=0.49). Likewise, values measured for corn meal ( n=0.34–0.58) and for waxy and dent corn starches ( n=0.62–0.72 and 0.40–0.43, respectively) compared well to literature values and followed expected trends.

Evaluation of the effect of extrusion cooking of jackbean ( Canavalia ensiformis L.) seed on short-term feed intake in chicks

Experiments were conducted to investigate the relationship between various extrusion cooking conditions, the chemical composition of jackbean samples and the short-term control of food intake in chicks. All data were analysed using a principal component analysis computerized program. Ground jackbean was extruded on a pilot-scale twin-screw extruder. Water addition at the feed inlet, filling rate of the screws, barrel temperature in the last section of the extruder and reverse-screw element position were tested as operating variables. Three sets of experiments (A, B and C) and a total of 20 trials were performed. Process variables were specific mechanical energy, product temperature measured at the die and resulting pressure exerted on the shafts. Also, colour values were determined on all jackbean samples. Experimental diets containing 300 g kg −1 extruded jackbean were fed to 7-day-old chicks to measure the short-term variations in food intake. Inactivation of the lectin (concanavalin A) was monitored using a haemagglutination assay. In addition, starch solubility, and reactive lysine and canavanine contents were determined on samples from Experiment A. Pilot-scale extrusion cooking of Canavalia appears to be feasible: water addition decreased energy consumption ( r = −0.76), filling rate and position of the reverse-screw element are correlated to product temperature ( r = +0.61 and −0.66, respectively). Food intake inhibition index, used as an expression of toxicity for chicks, was reduced in proportion to a decrease in the amount of water added and to the filling rate ( r = +0.8 and +0.6, respectively). The minimum food intake inhibition index was 70% in Experiment A, 61% in Experiment B and 35% in Experiment C according to our experimental conditions. The lower the food intake inhibition index, the more delayed the inhibition effect on food intake. Lightness and specific mechanical energy appeared to be accurate indicators of the detoxification level ( r = +0.85 and +0.72). No significant relationship was apparent between toxicity and haemagglutination activity of the meal. Additional research is needed to understand the high correlation found among canavanine, reactive lysine content and the reduced feed intake shown by the chicks.