Ethanol Production Equipment
Ethanol production has significantly increased over the years with the demand for renewable sources of energy. Corn is used to produce ethanol by the dry grind process or the wet milling process. The dry grind process is commonly used for ethanol production by grinding the whole corn kernel. Less equipment is required for the dry grind process than the wet milling process. Wet milling is advantageous in that it produces valuable byproducts during ethanol production.
Components of Ethanol Production Equipment
The major components of an ethanol production plant are:
- Storage tanks for receiving and storing corn
- Tank for mash processing and saccharification
- Fermentation tank
- Distillation equipment
- Process and plant support systems
Some ethanol production manufacturers have become innovative and installed molecular sieves in the mills that can produce anhydrous ethanol. Other manufacturers have installed a grinding chamber that has staged size reduction zones and can save 15 to 20 percent in energy costs. Compactors are capable of improve flow, solubility, dust control and recovery of waste byproducts and controlling particle size. Rotary sifters offer increased throughput capacity per screen area when compared to the conventional screening equipment. Screen replacement is quick and maintenance friendly.
Key Factors to Consider When Investing in Equipment
Due to the increase in ethanol production during the past few years, the demand for ethanol process equipment has also increased significantly. Before your company invests in ethanol process equipment, some important factors to consider are given below.
You must ensure that all of your ethanol process equipment and centrifuge is sturdy and withstand the wear and tear in the long term. Investing in high-quality equipment would be a wise decision because the equipment will have a long life and not need replacement in the short term. You must also ensure that the equipment is advanced and efficient to yield the best results. Although you spend a large amount of money in the early investment stage, the expense will pay itself off over the life of the equipment.
