By deploying the ABVRS Process, International Protein is empowering partners with the ability to efficiently process raw materials into high-quality protein meals and oils in a clean, odor-free and eco-friendly manner.  

The ABVRS Process takes less than 90 seconds, from start to finish.

The A.B.V.R.S. Process

The process for the Agricultural Byproduct Value Recovery System is comprised of essentially three main steps:  grinding, mixing and processing.  Grinding and mixing are two preparatory steps that take place prior to the raw material entering the ABVRS system for processing.  In some situations, depending upon the raw material, grinding and/or mixing may not be required.

Grinding is usually required for most sources of raw material, including sources such as whole fishes, as well as cattle and poultry offal.  Raw material sources that do not necessarily require grinding include materials such as hatchery waste, manure and shrimp waste.  Generally, mixing is required when there is a substantial amount of fat or moisture in the raw material.  ABVRS utilizes a proprietary method of mixing the raw material with an appropriate back mix, usually consisting of finished meal derived from a source similar to that of the original raw material and an AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) approved reagent.  The back mix makeup is determined by the raw material source, and its moisture and fat content.  The purpose of the back mix is to provide a consistent feedstock and, more importantly, to suspend the fat content (preventing the fat from liquifying) in the raw material as the ABVRS process removes the desired amount of moisture using high heat.

The Agricultural Byproduct Value Recovery System can process a wide variety of agricultural byproduct materials with varying moisture and fat contents.  While the typical makeup of offal based raw material contains 50-75% moisture, compositions containing well below, and above, that range can be handled by the ABVRS technology.  Additionally, while the fat content of offal-based raw material is typically between 10-25%, ABVRS can easily process material with significantly higher, and lower, fat compositions as well.

Once the raw material is properly ground and mixed, the resulting feedstock is ready to be processed.  The feedstock is loaded into the ABVRS feed hopper where a variable-speed auger is used to move the material through a system of mixing paddles for further blending and controlled flow rate.  The material is fed into the ABVRS central processing unit where the inlet temperature ranges from 600 - 840 degrees F (315 - 448 degrees C).  At this point, up to 95% of the moisture is flash evaporated and exits through a ventilation stack as water vapor.  As a result of the moisture content being removed, the specific gravity of the material has been lowered.  This allows the meal, now subjected to a temperature of approximately 240 degrees F (115 degrees C), to be moved upward through piping by means of forced air, then downward through a cyclone and deposited as the finished product into a collection bin.  The temperature of the finished product exits from the cyclone at approximately 130-160 degrees F (54 - 71 degrees C).  The total elapsed time from when the material is introduced to the ABVRS system, until it is processed into the final collection bin is typically between 40 - 60 seconds.

Finished product moisture content is generally around 10%.  However, depending on the application of the finished product, higher or lower moisture content can be attained.  For example, if the application for the finished meal requires that it then be pelletized, the ABVRS process can be simply adjusted to provide the typically required 15% moisture content.

The technology utilized by the ABVRS differs from conventional rendering in several critical aspects:

1. The most compelling and obvious advantage of the ABVRS is that it creates essentially no waste water as a result of the processing and the emissions created are virtually harmless and have no offensive odor. There is no boiling or dehydration to separate the offal into solids and water-borne fats. ABVRS uses high heat to remove up to 95% of the water content of the offal. The remaining balance of water becomes a component of the finished product. When the water is removed as steam and vented through a stack, the resulting emissions are virtually odorless and inert. The only waste water created when using the ABVRS is the minimal wash down water required for post-run maintenance cleaning. From an environmental impact perspective, the absence of any appreciable waste water, significant stack emissions or offensive odors during processing differentiates the ABVRS technology from traditional rendering in a clearly positive manner.

2. Another clear major advantage of ABVRS is the cost of building an installation. While it is difficult to obtain data detailing exact figures, it's widely understood that a fully-equipped and stationary conventional rendering plant, with all of the required pollution control and waste-water treatment equipment necessary, would cost considerably more and require a significantly larger workspace footprint than an ABVRS installation. The footprint for the smallest ABVRS, able to process 0,9 tons per hour, is approximately 500 square meters. The required footprint is important when considering the flexibility of geographic location. It is more practical to consider building ABVRS facilities close to processing facilities that produce the offal or byproduct, resulting in reduced costs for transporting the raw materials. Proximity is also an important consideration when accounting for the reduced travel time of the offal, which keeps the protein in a fresher state prior to processing.

3. ABVRS technology can be equipped with different types of heat sources, resulting in a more flexible installation. Both direct and indirect heat sources can be used with ABVRS. For example, in a direct heating system, the unit can be powered by LP gas, natural gas, diesel or electricity. However, depending upon the application, using one of these fuel sources may require an indirect heating method to eliminate cross-contamination of the remnants from the spent-fuel source and the finished product.