A high-production ethanol plant client of ours asked for a system that would let them add new lab tests to an existing system for gathering historical data. This way, they could better record how well the fermentation process was going. The goal was to learn more about how to keep fermentation under control and avoid making mistakes during operations. The ethanol business is highly competitive, requiring tight control over fermentation to minimize wastage; since margins are narrow, any method a plant can use to increase production by including other products is viable.
Quality Control Solution
To make this work, we built a database system inside the Dataparc historical collection server that takes data from instruments and turns it into the right tag data. This information is then used for complex, dynamic automation calculations that give accurate reports on ethanol volumes and additives almost in real time, along with suggestions for process monitoring and changes.
Technologies:
- We set up a service on the instrument(s) to check for new test reports and scrape the test data.
- While keeping an eye on how the ethanol plant works, services check for additives, state conditions, and make sure that test results are correct.
- Services Monitor grain processing and determine mash and uptime rates.
- Reporting systems keep an eye on both the work done in the lab and the whole site.
- Graphics for the operator can show extra information, like how the water is treated, extra tests for mash and products that can be sold, tracking of tests while they are being shipped, and even third-party tests that confirm the hygrometer and water values.
Resolution:
Visualization tools like ParcView have helped the clients keep track of the data, and standard interfaces have helped them handle operational tasks. In order to focus on tighter production control, the clients have also been able to get rid of errors that could happen and set data limits. Through analysis and faster troubleshooting, the site is now trying to find a “golden batch.”
Reference: Ethanol Producers Magazine