From the receipt of delivery materials to shipping of the final product, a substantial number of measuring tasks are carried out continuously at any ethanol manufacturing plant. Choosing the right process instrumentation is essential for the efficiency of operations at the plant. Additionally, any process instrumentation tools added should meet the technical specifications and safety requirements of the setup.
Here’s how process instrumentation works in every
1. Weighing
The weights of incoming and outgoing goods need to be determined when raw materials are accepted at the initial stage and when the final ethanol is transported for delivery. The weighing stations are directly connected to load cells with a simple weighing solution. Since the need for complex integration systems has decreased, the engineering costs are also reduced.
2. Level measurement
Finding out the exact amount of raw materials can be a challenge with materials such as corn and wheat. When transferred to a silo, massive amounts of dust are created, which make it difficult to determine exact amounts as they produce interfering signals.
Radar level transmitters are designed for this specific application as they accurately determine heights of bulk materials even in extremely dusty situations.
3. Temperature measurement
Before the mash can be passed on to the fermentation process, it’s essential to cool the material using a specialized cooling unit. The temperature can be monitored by integrating temperature measurement at the mash cooler.
4. Valve control
The saccharified mash is fermented for several days and yeast is added in several reactor tanks in varying quantities. Valves are filled and emptied using specific valves that control the movement of material and prevent air consumption that can contaminate the components.
5. Pressure measurement
When the sour mash is obtained and heated in the distillation plant, the end product is largely composed of an alcohol/water mixture. At high pressures, this can cause explosive gases to develop, which are highly hazardous in nature, To prevent pressure levels from crossing safe limits, pressure valves are placed in the distillation plant.
Contact Instruments is a reliable supplier of high-quality process instrumentation in Canada and the United States. Our wide selection of products includes electronic gauges, custom overmolded cables, pump stands, and clipper weight indicator systems.
Call us today to find out which process instrumentation equipment best suits your custom needs.