Oil and protein bearing naturally occurring seeds, beans, such as cottonseeds, rapeseeds, soybeans, high in moisture content and not suitable for storage, are subjected to a process which involves the reduction in the surface moisture and absorbed water content of the solids material to the desired moisture content at an accelerated drying rate, utilizing flash drying, which is suit-able, and safe, for storage and for future processing of the afore-mentioned Earth produced materials. The method and means involves specially designed equipment employing heated gases, at very minimal retention time, cocurrent contact gasesoilseeds, to effect the efficient vaporization and removal of the moisture to the desired level, dependent on the particular material. The process is conducted on a continuous basis, utilizing the naturally occurring material without denaturation of the protein content.

A consequential advantage and benefit of this drying process is the cleaning of the oil and protein bearing naturally occurring seeds, beans, as mentioned heretofore, prior to the drying method, to separate undesirable materials, such as stems, sticks, leaves, dirt, dust, dockage, from the whole seeds, beans, as received, in specially designed attendant equipment as an integral portion of the process.

This invention relates generally to the accelerated drying, flash drying, of naturally occurring oilseeds, such as cottonseeds, rapeseeds, soybeans, as received basis, to the desired water moisture level suitable for storage of the materials and to minimize denaturation of the protein content of the oilseeds. More particularly it relates to an improved procedure for the accelerated moisture reduction without denaturation of the protein content and the cleaning of the as received materials from undesireable and foreign materials, such as stems, sticks, leaves, dirt, dust, etc., from the whole seeds, beans, by proper aspiration.

It is the general object of the invention to provide an improved method for effecting efficient water moisture reduction and minimize protein denaturation on a continuous basis which is unique, novel, practical, requires minimal investment and is characterized by low operational and maintenance expenditures.