Fluid Engineering has been designing, manufacturing and selling strainers and filters to the corn ethanol market since early 2001. These strainers and filters are utilized in many different processes within an ethanol plant. One specific example is the Model 107/108 simplex strainer, which is used for the protection of the jet cooker in the fermentation line. These simplex strainers are piped into a duplex arrangement. These strainers do not require a large upfront investment, but do require manual labor to maintain the strainer. Typically, once a shift, plant personnel are required to maintain the strainers by switching the valve flow direction, opening the dirty strainer and cleaning the basket.
In early 2006, Fluid Engineering was approached by a large engineering firm to design and manufacture a slurry strainer that was fully automated. Installing an automated strainer into the process line would allow the manual strainers to be piped for by-pass purposes only. Automating the slurry strainer would reduce the labor costs associated with maintaining the process line.
The Model 763 Automatic Slurry Mixer Strainer (Patent No. 7,981,282) was designed and marketed as a labor saving device. The strainer was designed to operate with an OUT-TO-IN FLOW. A rotary screen and a specially designed cutter blade are used to break up clumps and remove particles larger than the screen opening by way of the blow off process.
After a year of field research and testing at a customer site in 2007, it was determined that the unique design of the screen created a slow-motion tumbling effect. Originally, the screen was designed to simply strain the slurry. However, this unique screen design had an additional benefit. The straining element, which is rotating continuously, now performs as a natural tumbler/mixer giving the Model 763 the ability to create a more uniform blend of corn mash. The mixing action occurs as the mash on the lower section of the screen is picked up and tumbled repeatedly as it exits the straining area. As a result, the mixing action creates an improved homogenous consistency flowing out of the strainer.
After installing the Model 763 at the test site, our customer has experienced the homogenous mixture and has been afforded the opportunity to adjust their dwell time. Additional savings were realized when they determined that they could adjust their enzyme rates. The reduction in labor and enzyme usage creates a short payback period that ranges from several months to two years depending upon the size of the plant.
After another year of research, in 2008 changes were made to improve the flow pattern and to reduce turbulence in the flow. To improve and assist in flow movement out of the Model 763, an auger was developed and incorporated into this design as depicted in the picture below.
By witnessing firsthand the cleaning procedures that our ethanol client incorporated into their maintenance process, our team began to analyze and design a spray nozzle assembly (see photo below) and develop semi-automatic and fully-automatic wash down manifold designs. Illustrations of these designs are shown here. The past two years spent in field research and design has enabled us to apply for multiple patents covering the Model 763.
Over the past year, Fluid Engineering has performed a pilot study on the Model 763 at anethanol plant. The original data set was based on using Fluid Engineering’s Model 107/108 simplex strainers. After the Model 763 was installed, the process flow was increased while enzymes usage decreased.
Process data is dependent upon the size of the plant, the quality of the process (corn, etc.), the amount of equipment and the experience of the plant manager. As the alternative fuel markets and processes continue to develop, a second generation of ethanol and biofuels has evolved. Fluid Engineering is a major supplier and designer of products that are easily adaptable to various second generation concepts, such as concentrated acid hydrolysis, gasification, bio-chemical conversion and thermo-chemical conversion processes.
Please contact our sales department for proven process data and any other questions.. Our standard horizontal automatic self-cleaning strainer model is listed on the right sub-navigation menu for more details.
FE can design and manufacture custom products. FE's Engineering department can work with your specifications to create the custom product you need. FE can manufacture vessels in accordance to ASME Section VIII Division 1 (U stamp available).
