VACUUM INFUSION OF LIQUID INGREDIENT INTO FEED PELLETS

摘要

An experimental vacuum infusion system was developed. The liquid vitamin was sprayed into the pellets with different diameters under vacuum. A special mixing paddle was developed and incorporated into the coaler chamber to improve the mixing uniformity. The effects of mixing time, vacuum pressure, and spray pressure on the mixing uniformity were studied using the element tracing method. The specially designed mixing paddle achieved a coefficient of variation (CV) for mixing uniformity less than 3% after 6 minutes of mixing. The effects of liquid dosing, vacuum pressure, vacuum release time, and pellet size on the gradient of liquid concentration between the central and me outer region of pellet were studied. Decreasing of the vacuum pressure or thevacuum releasing time reduced the gradient of liquid concentration. Increasing of liquid dosing caused a decrease of the gradient of liquid concentration. The smaller the pellet sizes the smaller the gradient of liquid concentration.