Fuel Ethanol Plant Improves Profitability With Scale Inhibitor Program

GoalReduce evaporator fouling and clean-in-place treatments.

<h6>Customer Challenge</h6> <p>A fuel ethanol plant in the Midwestern United States was experiencing significant evaporator fouling due to calcium oxalate scale. In an effort to reduce scale formation, clean-in-place (CIP) treatments were run every two weeks and hydroblastings were performed twice a year during cleaning outages. Plant management recognized the lost profit potential caused by cleaning outages and the potential to reduce its steam usage if evaporator efficiency could be improved.</p> <h6>Recommended Solution</h6> <p>Following a thorough audit of the plant&rsquo;s evaporators, Solenis recommend that the plant evaluate Polystabil&trade; AS4535 scale inhibitor, a proprietary liquid product that effectively controls the formation of mineral scales and inorganic hard scales within evaporators, heat exchangers and associated piping, pumps and tanks.</p> <h6>Results Achieved</h6> <p>Shortly after startup of the Polystabil trial, plant management noted significantly reduced scaling rates. Since permanently converting to the scale inhibitor program, the efficiency of the plant&rsquo;s evaporators has significantly improved with a reduction in steam usage of 6,000 pounds per hour. Additionally, the frequency of CIP treatments was reduced by 12 cleanings per year and hydroblastings were completely eliminated. Notably, the plant&rsquo;s return on investment for the program is over 900%.</p> <p><img style="max-width: 100%; width: auto; height: auto; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="/link/72f700d9ed3e439093ed44937e528d6a.aspx" alt="" width="850" height="614" /></p>