Centrifuge
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.
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).
GEA Varipond C
Let’s get connected – digital solutions for GEA centrifuges
Let’s get connected – digital solutions for GEA separators and decanters
La riduzione degli sprechi è importante per GEA e, sfruttando le potenzialità della tecnologia di liofilizzazione, possiamo trasformare le eccedenze alimentari in prodotti di valore e di lunga durata, contribuendo a ridurre gli sprechi, a prolungare la durata di conservazione e a creare maggiore resilienza nel sistema di approvvigionamento alimentare per le generazioni a venire.
Quando il produttore alimentare sudcoreano Pulmuone, attento alle tematiche ambientali, ha proposto a GEA di sviluppare una versione moderna dei tradizionali noodle freddi (naengmyeon), gli esperti di R&S di GEA si sono dimostrati pronti a cogliere la sfida. Hanno contribuito a sviluppare quello che oggi è un successo commerciale, prodotto con meno acqua ed elettricità rispetto ai metodi precedenti. Il risultato è anche fedele alle origini tradizionali del piatto e ai principi salutistici, di benessere e di sostenibilità di Pulmuone.