More Renewable Renewable Fuels

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More Renewable Renewable Fuels
Kent K. HerbstEthanol Team Leader
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OUTLINE

• What is the Ethanol Industry Doing to Reduce
  Water Usage?

What is the Ethanol Industry Doing to Reduce
Plant Fuel Usage?
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Why Do Ethanol Plants Use So Much Water?
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Water Use In Ethanol Put It In Perspective
DID YOU KNOW?

• Approximately 3 gal. H2O / Gallon of EtOH
• 9.3 gal. H2O / Can of Vegetables1
• 11.6 gal. H2O / Processed Chicken1
• 16.6 gal. H2O / Pound of Processed Beet
  Sugar1
• 24 gal. H2O / Pound Plastic1
• 44 gal. H2O to Refine 1 Gallon of Crude Oil1
• 1 USGS, 2007

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Distribution of Earths Water
Earths Water
Freshwater
Fresh Surface Water (Liquid)
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Water Discharge Typical EtOH Plant
Blowdown
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Cooling Tower
45
Evaporation
Water In
Boiler
Pretreatment
Blowdown
Steam Loss
Discharge
Process
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Vapor
Co-Products
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What Is The Ethanol Industry Doing to Conserve on
Water?
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Conserving Our Water Resources - 1

• Ethanol Plant in Madera, CA
• Advanced Water Recycle
• Zero-Liquid Discharge
• Dependent on Incoming Water Quality
• Resulted in 150 gpm Water Conservation

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Conserving Our Water Resources - 2

• Ethanol Plant in Galva, IL
• Mechanical Evaporation
• Zero-Liquid Discharge
• Not Limited By Incoming Water Quality
• Will Result in 560 gpm Water Conservation

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Conserving Our Water Resources - 3

• Ethanol Plant in Shenandoah, IA
• Municipal Grey Water Reuse
• Microfiltration Followed By RO
• Resulted in 200 gpm Fresh Water Conservation

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Conserving Our Water Resources - Future

• Strategic Plant Location For Coproducts (wet
  cake)
• Surface Water Sources
• Dewatering Well Reuse
• Heat Reduction Methods in Plant Design
• Fractionation (Higher Yield per Gallon)
• Dryer Vapor Recovery

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What Is Fuel Used For In Ethanol Plants?
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Fuel Usage In Ethanol Plants
Photo Courtesy of USDA
PRIMARY USES OF FUEL IN ETHANOL PLANTS

• Sterilization (Bacteria Control)
• Ethanol-Water Separation
• Drying (Coproduct Preparation)

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Conserving Our Fuel Resources - Future

• Fractionation
• Energy Recovery
• Alternate Sterilization Methods
• Solids Concentration
• Solids Removal
• Plant Locations Near Feed Lots
• Biomass Cofiring
• Alternate Ethanol-Water Separation Techniques

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Thank You!
Kent Herbst U.S. Water Services 330 S. Cleveland
St. Cambridge, MN 55008 kherbst_at_uswaterservices.c
om P [phone] C [phone]