Analytical Tools For Corn Fractionation

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Analytical Tools For Corn Fractionation

• Roger Ginder
• Darren Jarboe
• Iowa State University

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Project Overview

• Evaluate the economic benefits of corn
  pretreatment for the dry grind ethanol process
  using an ethanol processing plant simulation
  model
• Compare simulated returns from using whole grain
  as a feedstock to returns from using de-germed
  corn as the feedstock
• One project among a group of related projects
  that will evaluate other fractionation issues

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Value of the Project - Near Term

• Potential benefits to ethanol industry
• Potential benefits to biodiesel industry
• Better utilization of value in the corn

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How the Project Fits with Dry Mill Ethanol

• Has potential to improve the quality of DDGS
• Reduced fiber content for some DDGS uses
• Increased protein content
• Makes corn more competitive with alternative
  ethanol feedstocks

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How the Project Fits with Dry Mill Ethanol

• Reduces quantity of a co-product (DDGS) that is
  becoming plentiful and may be in excess supply
  going forward
• Has potential to increase efficiency of ethanol
  plants
• Increased ethanol per gallon of plant capacity
• Better utilization of the primary Iowa feedstock
  (corn)

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Other Related Projects

• Specialty Corn with Trait in Germ Portion
  Approved for Food Uses
• Specialty Corn with Trait in Germ Portion NOT
  Approved for Food Uses
• Recapture of Corn Oil After Fermentation For Feed
  and Industrial Uses

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Flowchart for a Specialty Protein Processing
System
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Deliverables For IGQI Portion

• Provide a working paper that describes and
  evaluates the ethanol value chain and the first
  stage of the value chain for corn products
  located in the germ.
• Develop analytical data and tools to assist
  producers in evaluating the financial viability
  of using de-germing prior to dry milling as part
  of the corn processing value chain.

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Progress On IGQI Portion of the Project

• Developed Basic Ethanol Model
• Currently Building the De-germing Model
• Have Obtained Data Necessary to Evaluate Quick
  Germ Process
• Good Progress on Quick Germ Model Development
• Attempting to Obtain Cost Data on Mechanical
  De-germing (Commercial Scale)
• Not Currently Operational On Plant Scale

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Issues Encountered

• Operating Cost Data From Firms Experimenting With
  De-germing Difficult to Obtain
• Most Efforts Are Experimental
• Few Firms Are Involved
• Data Considered Proprietary
• Confidentiality Agreements Have Frequently Been
  Signed By Plants

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Issues Encountered

• Favorable Ethanol Prices Have Skewed Industry
  Interest Toward Investment in Plant Capacity
  Rather Than Refining Processes
• Plant Expansions
• Additional Plants
• Marketing and Transportation Infrastructure

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Flowchart for a Specialty Protein Processing
System