Author
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Rosentrater, Kurt |
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Submitted to: Distillers Grains Quarterly
Publication Type: Trade Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 8/11/2006 Publication Date: 9/12/2006 Citation: Rosentrater, K.A. 2006. Understanding Flowability – Part 3: Some Physical Properties of DDGS. Distillers Grains Quarterly. Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: As the fuel ethanol industry continues its rapid expansion, and as the generated quantities of distillers grains grow, challenges and opportunities will invariably arise. As we are all aware, the sale of distillers grains contributes substantially to the economic viability of ethanol manufacturing, and is thus a vital component to each plant’s operations. With more plants coming online each year, in order to continue to effectively utilize DDGS as livestock feed, these coproduct materials must increasingly be shipped greater distances and then stored in various structures until use. With the need for coproduct transportation growing, flowability has become a focal point. As discussed in previous segments of this series, this has arisen because discharge flow of DDGS from storage bins and railcars can often be problematic, due to caking and bridging between particles. It is clear that flowability involves synergistic relationships between several chemical composition and physical properties, in addition to the surrounding physical environment itself. Knowledge of flow and physical properties of DDGS is not only important for the design of reliable storage systems and equipment for transporting and handling these materials, but it is also fundamental for ascertaining specific DDGS streams that may be prone to problematic flow. To date, however, very few studies have examined the physical properties of distillers grains. Because this industry continues to grow, it is imperative to establish fundamental information from which engineers, scientists, and others involved in the industry can work. Toward this end, it is the goal of this paper to provide such information by presenting initial data for some physical properties of DDGS that were measured in our laboratory. These include moisture content, water activity, bulk density, angle of repose, thermal properties, and color. |
