Pumping solutions for ultramodern corn ethanol plant
Sulzer explains how its pumps and sealing solutions support reliable and efficient operations in Brazil’s first corn-based ethanol plant.
FS – Fueling Sustainability, located near Lucas do Rio Verde, Mato Grosso, is Brazil’s first corn-only ethanol plant. Phase one production started in 2017 with an initial capacity of 250 million litres per year. The facility utilises the latest process technologies from ICM, a USA-based company that has become a global expert in biorefining technologies and processes. In addition to bioethanol, some high-value coproducts, such as corn oil and high-protein, high-fibre, dried distiller’s grains, are produced. The plant also generates electricity from biomass, partly for internal use, with a surplus for sale.
FS – Fueling Sustainability is recognised as the world’s most modern and efficient corn ethanol plant. The production facility has top-class pumping equipment from Sulzer and value-added, patented technologies from ICM.
The challenge
Each step of ethanol production from corn involves pumps with technically demanding applications. The liquids can be complex, have high solids contents, be viscous, corrosive, hot, erosive, or explosive. The right pump materials and optimal sealing systems must be carefully selected to ensure reliable and long-lasting operation. Furthermore, all pumps must be highly efficient in terms of energy and water savings so that the complete plant is operating to its full potential.
In close cooperation with the customer, AHLSTAR and SNS pumps were chosen for all applications – from initial mash slurry transfer to final ethanol truck loading. In total, more than 80 single-stage pumps were installed for phase one. The AHLSTAR pumps in duplex material handle liquids containing solids and other particles, while the SNS pumps run on clean liquids. Most of the pumps are equipped with double mechanical seals.
In the United States alone, more than 200 corn-based ethanol plants are operating today, and about 70% are equipped with Sulzer pumps. Successful references strengthened the confidence of the client from the very beginning of the project.
After careful commissioning and start-up, all pumps have been working perfectly. For the most demanding applications, the AHLSTAR pumps with adjustable side plates provide high performance continuously. For clean liquids, the new SNS pumps simply have the highest efficiencies on the market – they exceed the benchmark efficiency index MEI 0.7.
The AHLSTAR and the SNS pumps have open impellers with balancing holes that optimise the shaft seal function. For pumps with double mechanical seals, it was decided after a few months of operation to switch from API piping plan 54 (external pressurised source) to API piping plan 53 (external pressurised reservoir). This change helped to reduce the water consumption and operational costs further. The versatility of the pumps and the dedicated Sulzer service technicians made this upgrade easy and fast.
In 2018, a duplicate of the existing plant was built (phase two). This doubled the production capacity of the Lucas do Rio Verde site. Extremely satisfied with the collaboration, FS – Fueling Sustainability ordered new similar Sulzer pumps for this extension. The site was further expanded in 2019 (phase three) with additional Sulzer equipment installed. Today, more than 300 AHLSTAR and SNS pumps are running smoothly in the plants.
The corn ethanol site has a total of 307 Sulzer single-stage process pumps in duplex or stainless steel 316 materials. Most AHLSTAR pumps with double seal have the simple and reliable Sulzer thermosiphon SP8 seal pot system. The AHLSTAR and SNS pump ranges have a wide choice of wet end sizes to cover the required flows (2 to 1,230 m³/hr) and heads (4 to 105m). This allows the pumps to always run at duty points close to the best efficiency points, which means direct and maximised savings in energy costs.
