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Abstract

A method and apparatus for decorticating or peeling seeds is disclosed. Theeed kernels are separated from their hulls by feeding the seeds into a turbulent flow compressed air stream in a flow passage of sufficient length to accelerate the seeds to high velocity in the air stream and then flowing the compressed air stream into a passage of much larger cross-sectional area. This causes a sudden and large reduction in the compressed air stream velocity and decrease in pressure exerted on the seeds which in turn produces a reversal of stresses which were exerted in the kernel and the hull during acceleration, separating the kernel from the hull. The turbulent flow and mechanical forces created by collisions with the flow passage and between individual seeds increases the efficiency of the process. The process is repeated to produce a complete decortication by staging a series of flow passages of the type described, each successive stage receiving the output of the previous stage.

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First Claim