Ethanol as a biofuel is becoming increasingly popular in the USA
Drying Maize Efficiently for Higher Bioethanol Outputs
Ethanol as a biofuel is becoming increasingly popular in the USA. The share of bioethanol among fuels is expected to rise from approximately three to ten percent over the next ten years. By then, the production of regenerative fuels such as biodiesel and bioethanol is anticipated to amount to 110 million tons. Voith Turbo delivers 23 TurboSyn couplings for the fan drives in an American bioethanol plant. Compared to conventional fluid couplings, TurboSyn couplings ensure higher drive economy. Due to slip-free nominal operation, the output of the fans is increased by eight to ten percent.
The largest ethanol producer in the USA is currently expanding its production capacities. For this purpose, new plants are being built and existing ones are upgraded. The retrofit measures also include the modernization of the maize drying systems, which represent the first stage of the ethanol production process. In recent years, the company has installed larger fans, in order to achieve higher capacities. This has, however, resulted in technical problems during the start-up of the fans. The existing electronic starting devices create overloads in the motors, leading to expensive downtimes.
Against this background, Voith Turbo received an order for 23 TurboSyn 750 TV-L-C couplings for the fan drives in November 2007. “The combination of hydrodynamic starts and slip-free nominal operation convinced the customer,” says Gene Kritzberger, Voith Turbo USA. TurboSyn was thus given preference over frequency inverters. These usually have negative effects on the electric grid and often cause failures in control and EDP systems. The highly sensitive frequency inverters only act on the motor and not directly on the driven machine. As this can change the motor characteristics, stronger torsional vibrations are sometimes introduced to the driveline, leading to mechanical damage. “With the Voith fluid coupling, the start-up behavior of the driven machine is controlled directly. The coupling type TurboSyn with its slip-free nominal operation increases the output of the fans by eight to ten percent,” explains Gene Kritzberger. The input power of the fan system is 600 kW at 1 180 rpm.
Thanks to its hydrodynamic operation, the coupling ensures particularly smooth start-ups. In nominal operation, the coupling transmits torque mechanically and slip-free – without any external influence. This is made possible by individual segments attached to the hub in a rotary fashion, which radially swivel to the outside after the start-up process. The mechanical synchronization between inner wheel and coupling shell sets in only once a certain speed has been reached, in most cases at 70 to 80 percent acceleration of the driven machine. Torque is therefore directly transmitted to the driven machine by a friction connection, ensuring smooth, hydrodynamically controlled start-ups with slip-free nominal operation. TurboSyn is the first hydrodynamic coupling with an integrated lock-up device that does not require extra installation space. The coupling provides higher drive economy; without coupling slip, energy savings of up to three percent are possible.
The production of bioethanol is similar to that of conventional alcohol. The basic raw materials are sugar or starch-containing plants such as maize, wheat, and sugar beet. In the USA, bioethanol is primarily won from maize. Mixed with petrol, it is increasingly used as fuel. The first eleven of the 23 TurboSyn couplings for the fan drives of the maize drying system were already delivered.
Voith Turbo, the specialist in hydrodynamic drive, coupling and brake systems for use in road, rail, industrial and marine applications, is a division of Voith AG.
Voith sets standards in the paper, energy, mobility and service markets. Formed on
January 1, 1867, it has a current workforce of 40,000, sales of EUR 4,2 billion and over 270 locations worldwide, and is one of the largest family-owned enterprises in Europe.
Voith is the official partner to the initiative "Germany - The Land of Ideas".
Drying Maize Efficiently
November 19, 2008
Voith Turbo:
Ethanol as a biofuel is becoming increasingly popular in the USA
Drying Maize Efficiently for Higher Bioethanol Outputs
Ethanol as a biofuel is becoming increasingly popular in the USA. The share of bioethanol among fuels is expected to rise from approximately three to ten percent over the next ten years. By then, the production of regenerative fuels such as biodiesel and bioethanol is anticipated to amount to 110 million tons. Voith Turbo delivers 23 TurboSyn couplings for the fan drives in an American bioethanol plant. Compared to conventional fluid couplings, TurboSyn couplings ensure higher drive economy. Due to slip-free nominal operation, the output of the fans is increased by eight to ten percent.
The largest ethanol producer in the USA is currently expanding its production capacities. For this purpose, new plants are being built and existing ones are upgraded. The retrofit measures also include the modernization of the maize drying systems, which represent the first stage of the ethanol production process. In recent years, the company has installed larger fans, in order to achieve higher capacities. This has, however, resulted in technical problems during the start-up of the fans. The existing electronic starting devices create overloads in the motors, leading to expensive downtimes.
Against this background, Voith Turbo received an order for 23 TurboSyn 750 TV-L-C couplings for the fan drives in November 2007. “The combination of hydrodynamic starts and slip-free nominal operation convinced the customer,” says Gene Kritzberger, Voith Turbo USA. TurboSyn was thus given preference over frequency inverters. These usually have negative effects on the electric grid and often cause failures in control and EDP systems. The highly sensitive frequency inverters only act on the motor and not directly on the driven machine. As this can change the motor characteristics, stronger torsional vibrations are sometimes introduced to the driveline, leading to mechanical damage. “With the Voith fluid coupling, the start-up behavior of the driven machine is controlled directly. The coupling type TurboSyn with its slip-free nominal operation increases the output of the fans by eight to ten percent,” explains Gene Kritzberger. The input power of the fan system is 600 kW at 1 180 rpm.
Thanks to its hydrodynamic operation, the coupling ensures particularly smooth start-ups. In nominal operation, the coupling transmits torque mechanically and slip-free – without any external influence. This is made possible by individual segments attached to the hub in a rotary fashion, which radially swivel to the outside after the start-up process. The mechanical synchronization between inner wheel and coupling shell sets in only once a certain speed has been reached, in most cases at 70 to 80 percent acceleration of the driven machine. Torque is therefore directly transmitted to the driven machine by a friction connection, ensuring smooth, hydrodynamically controlled start-ups with slip-free nominal operation. TurboSyn is the first hydrodynamic coupling with an integrated lock-up device that does not require extra installation space. The coupling provides higher drive economy; without coupling slip, energy savings of up to three percent are possible.
The production of bioethanol is similar to that of conventional alcohol. The basic raw materials are sugar or starch-containing plants such as maize, wheat, and sugar beet. In the USA, bioethanol is primarily won from maize. Mixed with petrol, it is increasingly used as fuel. The first eleven of the 23 TurboSyn couplings for the fan drives of the maize drying system were already delivered.
Voith Turbo, the specialist in hydrodynamic drive, coupling and brake systems for use in road, rail, industrial and marine applications, is a division of Voith AG.
Voith sets standards in the paper, energy, mobility and service markets. Formed on
January 1, 1867, it has a current workforce of 40,000, sales of EUR 4,2 billion and over 270 locations worldwide, and is one of the largest family-owned enterprises in Europe.
Voith is the official partner to the initiative "Germany - The Land of Ideas".
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Photo 1: Hydrodynamic coupling with lock-up device
Photo 2: Test run of a TurboSyn – the coupling is, for example, used for driving fans.
Attachments
voith_1_turbosyn (JPG)
voith_2_turbosyn (JPG)
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