Bioethanol plants

Bioethanol plant of Usina Alto Alegre Group, Santa Inacio, Brasilia.

From the field to the filling station through fermentation

Whether in the form of pure bioethanol or as a gasoline additive, fuels from biomass help reduce greenhouse gases. We support you in efficient and safe utilization of first and second generation biomass in your bioethanol plant. Our tailor-made solutions are as flexible as your plant (IEC or NEMA standard) and processes. As an operator or installer, you benefit from reduced costs (TCO).

Let our experts show you how the potential of bioethanol plants can be fully exploited.

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Portfolio for bioethanol production

Perfectly tailored for fermentation and distillation

Glucose (such as in sugar cane) or starch from plants such as corn can be converted into ethanol and other alcohols of any desired concentration by means of fermentation and distillation. Nowadays, more and more non-food biomass is being used for this type of production. Our integrated portfolio for automation, digitalization, and energy management is ideal for maximizing safety, flexibility, and efficiency. It is perfectly tailored to all areas of bioalcohol production.
Hills of brown fibrous biomass for bioethanol production laying outdoors under a metal roof.

Precise and safe from input to output

Even in the first process step of raw materials handling, we use precise processes to support delivery, weighing, analysis, and storage of feedstocks such as corn, sugar cane, vegetable waste, wood, or straw. This of course also applies to residual materials and by-products, which can be further marketed as, for example, animal feed or fertilizer,. In the entire field, even in hazardous zones, you can rely on our robust process instrumentation as well as safe drive and switching technology. Within the framework of energy management, we support combustion of distillation residues for energy recovery and steam generation. These electrical or thermal energies increase the overall efficiency of your bioethanol plant. 

Reliable and with a great deal of experience for your bioethanol plant

As one of the leading suppliers of environmentally friendly processing technology, we offer an integrated range of solutions perfectly tailored to all areas of bioethanol production worldwide for more and more first and second generation bioethanol plants.
Process graphic of bioethanol production using process-technical symbols to delivery, storage, grinding, liquefaction, saccharification, fermentation, distillation, and storage of end products.

Processes in bioethanol plants

Our integrated portfolio for automation, digitization and energy management towards to process instrumentation help to macke your bio-alcohol production processes flexible, efficient and safe.

Product picture of siemens drive system comprising SINAMICS converter and SIMOTICS reluctance motor.

The complete range of drive technology for bioethanol production

Rely on safety in drive technology with our motors and frequency converters for compression refrigeration systems or vacuum pump controllers for evaporators and condensers. No unwanted ignitions – and just what you need for the efficiency of your system. 

Process industry plant with pipelines, overlayed by a blue layer of process graphics and components symbolizes space for new perspectives with the SIMATIC PCS 7 V9.0 process control system.

Process control: consistant and flexible

You can achieve efficient and continuous automation of individual process steps by integrating them within the SIMATIC PCS7 process control system. With a flexible system, you can decide to produce either bioethanol or sugar cost-efficiently – depending on current market demand and what is fetching the best price.

Man looks at metering device at plant part. Plant is overlayed by blue layer of measurement graphs.

Optimal monitoring of bioalcohol production and quality

Whether in the fermenter, in distillation, or in tank storage: the right choice of process instrumentation for measuring pressure, temperature, flow, filling levels, and limit levels forms the basis of a seamless production process. Our wide range of diagnostic process instruments supports the cost-efficient production of bioethanol, sugar, or energy.

Five cylindrical filling nozzles of a plant in the process industry.

The optimum product weighing system

With our weighing and dosing measurement technology, not only can weighing tasks such as level measurements in silos or feedstock dosing be carried out precisely, they can also be calibrated and fully integrated into the automation system.

Switchgear Sivacon, equipped with various switching components, overlaid with blue layer of further components.

A wide range of medium- and low-voltage components

With our SIVACON switchboard, you not only have appropriate low-voltage distribution but also a functioning motor control center (MCC) at the same time. Large-scale compressors can be operated using medium-voltage switchgear. For bioethanol plants that use sugar cane as renewable feedstock, we offer our gas or steam turbines for co-generation in a connected biopower plant. For faster and more cost-effective installation and commissioning of your new bioethanol plant, we develop modular systems ranging from compact control cabinets to sub-plants in containers.

Two men in workwear on mobile tablet PC. The layer shows a typical process flow in virtual form.

An all-inclusive service portfolio

From plant design and engineering to process optimization and asset management: Our service portfolio includes all tools needed for bioethanol production.

 

Our experts support you over the entire lifecycle with a comprehensive range of services. This includes Lifecycle Services as well as Digital Services and Consulting Services.

References

Successful projects in the bioethanol industry

More and more bioethanol plants are being built worldwide – as the No. 1 supplier of environmental technologies, we offer an integrated range of solutions that are being successfully used in numerous references.
Bioethanol plant in three levels of pipes and railings with column in the middle, on which a man checks out or sets something out of a sickbay.
Inbicon A/S
Kalundborg, Denmark
biomass refinery of the second generation

Fuel from straw

  • Approx. 30,000 tons of straw are processed annually into 4,300 tons of bioethanol fuel as well as C5 molasses and lignin pellets

  • Thousands of measuring points, control valves, analysis devices, drives, and frequency inverters are connected to automation via PROFIBUS

  • The SIMATIC PCS 7 process control system ensures that operators stay in control of events and keep the plant running efficiently

Read the success story (PDF)
Upper part of a big tank with bridge from the left.
Kawartha Ethanol
Havelock, Canada
Ethanol production

From corn kernel to gasoline in the tank

  • Since 2010, Kawartha Ethanol has been producing up to 80 million liters of ethanol fuels annually            

  • Hundreds of Siemens devices measure flow rate, filling level, pressure, and temperature with the measured values collected by the central SIMATIC PCS 7 process-control system

  • High efficiency due to accuracy and reliability of the overall system

Learn more (Youtube)
Man in white overalls, with hair and mouth mask looks at measurement devices on a steel fermentation tank.
Donau Chemie AG
Industrial park Pischelsdorf, Austria

Precisely metering of additives in bioalcohol

  • Bioethanol is denatured for use as cleaning and antifreeze products 

  • Precise measurings of mass flow, density, temperature during the denaturing process by use of SITRANS FC430Coriolis flowmeter

  • High measurement accuracy with simple operation and the easy integration into the control system of the plant guarantee ongoing process optimization

Read the success story

Contact

Your experts for bioethanol production

An environmentally friendly alternative to petroleum is the use of renewable raw materials in biofuel production. Today, bioethanol is considered an attractive and economical solution. We would be happy to advise you.

Let our experts show you how the potential of bioethanol plants can be fully exploited.

Your personal contact

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