Pilot‐plant fractionation of cottonseed. I. Disintegration of cottonseed meats

Abstract

Abstract Disintegration of cottonseed meats is an important unit operation in the cottonseed fractionation process. The results of tests utilizing a high‐speed, “dissolver‐type” impeller for disintegration by liquid shear are presented including curves to show the effect of moisture, hulls, solvents, peripheral speed, etc. Over 90% of through‐80‐mesh material can be obtained. Moisture content over 5% appreciably reduced the efficiency and increased power consumption and the viscosity of the slurry. Whole flakes resulted in a finer end product than flakes pre‐pulverized in the dry state. It was found that the presence of hulls slightly increased disintegration, power consumption, and viscosity; that higher speeds (up to 6,000 FPM peripheral speed) were more efficient; and that the effect of solvents was small.