Applications part 3: Low cost alternative to a centrifuge for processing ethanol byproducts
Ethanol can be made from a variety of agricultural crops, including corn and sugar cane. Therefore, particularly in America, corn farms and co-operatives are increasingly producing ethanol from their excess crops as a source of additional revenue. In line with the expansion of ethanol production, there has been a rapid increase in the quantity of ethanol byproducts being produced. As a result, extra revenue can also be derived from further processing the byproducts to create animal feed.
After the ethanol has been extracted, the remaining residue, known as stillage, consists of water and coarse grain. In order to convert the stillage byproduct into animal feed, the water needs to be extracted. Although a centrifuge has traditionally been used for high volumes, this is a very expensive investment that is usually too prohibitive for small operations. Therefore, one simple alternative for small-scale producers is to use a Liquid Solid Separator™ from Russell Finex. This allows farms and co-operatives to earn incremental income without committing to a substantial capital outlay for a centrifuge.
5 reasons for choosing the Russell Liquid Solid Separator™ for processing ethanol byproducts:
- Minimal investment required compared to a centrifuge
- Recover up to 95% of water
- Small footprint with high flow rates (up to 400 US gallons/minute)
- Simple to operate
- Low maintenance costs
This unique machine is able to remove fine solids from liquids using the centrifugal separator of its impeller. It can provide high capacity separation down to 10 micron and with its variable speed drive and angle adjustment, provides complete control over moisture content of solids while maintaining constant solids removal. It can deal with soft and fibrous oversizes, making it extremely versatile.
One company using the Liquid Solid Separator™ for this purpose is able to achieve throughputs of 60 US gallons per minute. In addition, not only are they able to convert the byproducts into animal feed, but they are also able to recover about 90% of their water, which was mostly re-introduced into their ethanol production processes.
For more information on this and many more separation solutions please contact us.
