Centrifuge
Clarifying decanters for bioethanol
Bioethanol, which depends on the fermentation of plant-based sugars and starches, is a gasoline substitute. The most commonly used feedstocks are corn and sugar cane.
Ethanol production from starch-based feedstocks like corn and wheat, creates tons of stillage which can be used in animal feed, preferably as dried distiller’s grain with solubles (DDGS). Decanter centrifuges separate the stillage into a centrate called "thin stillage" which contains proteins and microfibers, and a solids phase called wet cake that contains the coarse constituents of the grain's fiber.
The centrate (thin stillage) with proteins, yeast and microfibers, is evaporated to produce a syrup, also known as "thick stillage". If corn is used as feedstock the thick stillage also contains corn oil that can be obtained with centrifugal separators to get the most out of your raw material and process. After deoiling the thick stillage is mixed with the wet cake from the decanter and dried to form DDGS.
In ethanol production from sugar-based feedstocks like sugar cane or molasses vinasse is produced in the distillation stage. After further concentration by evaporation the vinasse concentrate is treated by decanters. The finally obtained vinasse products are used as additives in animal feed and as fertilizer.
Features & Benefits
- Highest separation efficiency and drier cake due to deep pond design with high g-volume, automatic differential speed adjustment and always full torque
- Energy efficient design: small solids discharge diameter and energy jets for less energy demand
- Robust and reliable operation: external gears for less exposure to high temperatures, oil + air lubrication for all main bearings
- Advanced wear protection: Tiles and tungsten carbide protection for longer uptime
- VFD drive for high flexibility because of bowl speed changing during production
- Compact Design: small footprint, easy access to all service relevant parts
The smaller the diameter of the discharged solids or liquids in a decanter centrifuge, the less the energy consumption. GEA decanters for bioethanol are in deep-pond design. Deep-pond designs come with smaller solids and liquid discharge diameters (DS2 and DL2) than shallow-pond designs (DS1 and DL1) which makes them very energy efficient. The difference in energy consumption can be up to 30 percent.
The discharge diameter is one feature to reduce energy consumption, energy jets is another. GEA Energy Jets deflect the discharged liquid in such a way that it supports the bowl's rotation (right). This results in energy savings of up to 10 percent, compared with a decanter bowl without energy jets (left).
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持続可能な冷凍で将来を見据えたコールドチェーンを
質の高いコールドチェーン管理の重要性を過小評価することはできません。傷みやすい生鮮食品が消費地で安全かつ高品質であることを保証することは、コールドチェーン施設を運営する人々にとって非常に大きな責任です。GEAは、低温貯蔵や配送センター向けに安全で持続可能な冷凍技術を提供する最前線に立ち、お客様の施設のエネルギー消費量と二酸化炭素排出量の削減を支援しています。
バッチ搾乳が現代の酪農を支える理由
自動搾乳における最新の進化は、バッチ搾乳を導入することです。バッチ搾乳とは、通常1日に2～3回、決まった搾乳時間に乳牛をグループ分けして搾乳する酪農方法です。自動化技術は、酪農場における乳牛の福祉、柔軟性、そして持続可能性のバランスを取りつつ、それと同時にコスト構造を継続的に最適化し、より効率的になるという、酪農家の最近の課題を克服するのに役立っています。
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