Energy Use Cases
Explore use cases tailored for the Energy industry
7 use cases
Biogas
Buffer silo for raw materials in the ethanol plant
Energy
In order to always have enough material available for downstream processes in the ethanol plant, the crushed raw materials are held ready to use in buffer silos. The ground-up grain ‘flour’ for the production of ethanol is transported directly from the mill into a silo, where it is temporarily stored. The vast material throughput can lead to extreme mechanical loading of the silos and the associated equipment and high levels of dust are generated in the process. Level sensors are deployed to optimise the throughput, reduce overloading and ensure continuous, economical production and operation of the plant.
Compact slurry tanks in biogas plants
Energy
Biogas plants convert a mixture of organic waste and renewable raw materials into valuable energy through fermentation using a largely CO2 neutral process. Optimal consumption of the resources and maintenance-free operation require the use of highly reliable measurement technology. In all production steps – from the delivery of raw materials and waste to the removal of residues – the levels must be closely and accurately monitored.
Fermentation in the ethanol plant
Energy
The heart of the ethanol plant is the fermentation process. This is where the sugars in the mash are converted into alcohol, which, in the subsequent distillation process, is then concentrated to a strength of 99.9 %. The CO2 gas given off by the fermentation is captured and used for carbonation in the beverage industry. To keep the fermenter vessel operating in its optimal range, reliable monitoring of the process parameters including the vessel level and overall pressure is required.
Process vessels in the ethanol plant
Energy
To ensure the best possible fermentation of the ingeredients, optimal process conditions must prevail, control of pH value and temperature of the medium play important roles. The pH is adjusted by adding acids or alkalis, and sodium hydroxide is used to clean the vessel under absolute sanitary conditions. The levels of the process vessels have to be monitored at all times, to ensure continuous operation of the system. The measured media place very high demands on the chemical resistance of the sensors. To be totally reliable, the instruments need to be equally resistant to both acids and alkalis.
Raw material silo in the ethanol plant
Energy
Ethanol is an additive used in gasoline. Through the use of renewable resources, the CO2 emission of fuels is significantly improved and the consumption of crude oil reduced. In modern ethanol plants, raw materials such as grain, sugar cane or sugar beet are processed into alcohol and ethanol. The resulting by-products and residues are also completely utilized. The different types of grain used for ethanol production are stored in silos more than 20 m high. Reliable silo level measurement is essential to ensure continuous production supply is maintained.
Slurry tanks in biogas plants
Energy
Semi-liquid manure, or slurry, in biogas plants is often stored in closed, large-volume slurry tanks. Through fermentation, a valuable energy carrier is extracted from the mixture of organic waste and renewable raw materials. Level and pressure are monitored in the tank, as well as in the delivery and removal systems handling the raw materials and waste.
Storage tank in an ethanol plant
Energy
After going through all process steps, the bioethanol is stored in a tank ready for delivery to the consumer. Accurate measurement of the tank contents is an important prerequisite for fiscal inventory, reliable logistics planning and ensures a sufficient supply for customers. Since the tanks can often not be emptied after an initial filling, maintenance-free operation and setup without product are crucial considerations for the measurement technology.
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