How to Register

Course Registration - visit our registration page
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Ethanol Short Course Agenda - download pdf version

Agenda ::
Schaumburg, IL July 21-25, 2008

Ethanol Primer - Overview
The Ethanol Primer was developed for those who are new to the ethanol industry, or work in related industries and are looking to gain a "basic" understanding of the ethanol process, as well as an introduction to the terminology and technical aspects of ethanol production. This beginners pre-course will have an initial 3 hour session on Monday, and continue for forty five minutes each morning before the main course, outlining the days topics.

Ethanol Primer - Agenda

• Introductory overview of the ethanol production process
• Starch conversion
• Fermentation
• Distillation, centrifugation & drying
• Chemicals used in the ethanol production process
• Overview and explanation of course agenda & topics

Monday, July 21

3:00 pm - 9:00 pm :: Registration

5:00 pm - 7:00 pm :: Ethanol Primer (pre-course)

7:00 pm - 10:00 pm :: Reception
Appetizers and refreshments will be provided.
 

Tuesday, July 22

7:00 am - 9:00 am :: Registration

7:30 am :: Ethanol Primer

8:30 am :: Introduction and Course Overview

9:00 am :: Grain Handling and Introduction to Starch Conversion
Jennifer Forbes, NABC

• Flow diagram of grain handling and conversion
• Purpose of conversion: liquefaction and saccharification
• The Function of: mix tank, jet cooker and enzymes
• Composition of starch
• Temperature and pH control

10:00 am :: Refreshment Break

10:40 am :: Introduction to Fermentation
Scott Kohl, Ph.D., ICM

• Definition and comparison of batch and continuous fermentation
• Basic equation of ethanol production by yeast
• Respecting the yeast growth curve
• Optimizing yeast propagation and fermentation
• Managing bacteria and other stress factors

12:10 pm :: Lunch

1:20 pm :: Industry Advocacy Address
Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), Kristy Moore

1:50 pm :: Distillation/Dehydration/Molecular Sieves
Sid Mundkur, Ph.D., Delta-T Corp.

• Principles, purpose and theory of distillation and dehydration with molecular sieves
• Graphic illustration of a distillation column, and a molecular sieve
• Process optimization and problems to prevent
• Distillation process monitoring
• What an operator needs to know

3:00 pm :: Refreshment Break

3:30 pm :: Centrifugation/Evaporation/Drying
TBD

• Flow diagram of Centrifugation/Evaporation/Drying
• Purpose and principles of centrifugation, whole stillage, and thin stillage
• Purpose and principles of evaporation
• Purpose and principles of the dryer
• Effect of centrifugation and evaporation on the energy and water balances of an ethanol plant

4:50 pm :: Open Panel

Wednesday, July 23

7:00 am - 5pm :: Registration

7:30 am :: Ethanol Primer

8:30 am :: Bio-Methanation
Scott Kohl, Ph.D., ICM

• Flow diagram of a Bio-Methanation system
• Purpose, theory and principles of operation
• Benefits to ethanol plants and the environment
• Microorganisms utilized
• What an operator needs to know

9:30 am :: Thermal-Oxidizer/Energy Center
Ken Ulrich, ICM

• Flow diagram of a typical thermal oxidizer/energy center
• Purpose and principles of a thermal oxidizer
• Minimization of energy waste
• Energy sources used
• What an operator needs to know

10:30 am :: Refreshment Break

11:00 am :: Hands-on Workshop 1
Kevin Kauers, NABC

• Mash streaking for bacterial analysis
• Lab scale fermentation set-up for Yeast Counting Procedure

11:30 am :: Enzyme Biochemistry for Ethanol Production
Malcolm Johal, Novozymes

• Explanation, theory & optimization of starch converting enzymes
• How enzymes are produced/selection of enzyme producing organisms/recombination
• Properties: endo vs. exo activity, inactivation/temperature/pH
• Recent advancement in amylase and cellulosic technology
• Ancillary enzymes (i.e. protease, pectinase, hemicellulase)

12:30 pm :: Lunch

1:40 pm :: Fundamentals of Yeast - Propagation/Stress/Nutrition
Scott Kohl, Ph.D., ICM

• Understanding Saccharomyces cerevisiae
• Function of yeast cell wall and organelles
• Yeast nutrition
• Yeast stress factors and ethanol tolerance
• Glycerol and fusel oil production

3:10 pm :: Refreshment Break

3:40 pm :: Interpretation of HPLC and Lab Data
Jenny Forbes, NABC

• What is an HPLC & how does it work?
• What data is generated in a basic ethanol lab?
• How can this data be applied to optimize fermentation and distillation?

4:40 pm :: Open Panel

Thursday, July 24

7:30 am :: Ethanol Primer

8:30 am :: Current Trends of Bacterial Contamination
Kevin Kauers, NABC

• Explanation/overview on why bacteria are harmful
• Sources of contamination
• Types of bacteria found and recent trends in antibiotic susceptibility patterns
• How to responsibly control contaminating bacteria (CIP, proper dosing etc.)

9:30 am :: Antimicrobial Modes of Action
Joy Doran Peterson, Ph.D., University of Georgia

• Principals of selective toxicity
• Modes of action of commonly used antibiotics
• Mechanisms of resistance in bacteria

10:30 am :: Refreshment Break

11:00 am :: Final Ethanol Quality Assurance
Kelly Davis, Hawkeye

• How do you control ethanol quality?
• Why does ethanol production need to be monitored?
• Benefits of controlled ethanol quality and assurance

11:30 am :: Distillers Grain
Bobbi Geisert, Ph.D., Cornhusker Energy

• Current State of DDGs - supply/demand and future outlook
• Current usage of DDGs in animal diets - Beef, Swine and Poultry
• Storage & transportation issues
• Residual antimicrobials in DDGs

12:40 pm :: Lunch

1:50 pm :: Industry Advocacy Address
American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE), Lacey Dixon

2:20 pm :: Water Treatment
Kent Herbst, US Water Services

• What is water treatment and what are the benefits?
• Flow diagram of how cooling water travels through an ethanol plant
• How heat exchangers work - schematic/photos
• What a water balance is at an ethanol plant
• General water treatment chemicals and what they do
• Water chemistry tests and how to understand the results

3:20 pm :: Refreshment Break

10:00 am :: Ethanol Plant Safety
Lars Dunn, Jr, Lincolnway Energy

• Hazardous communications - Anhydrous Ammonia/Caustic/Acids and MSDS and their importance
• Process Safety Management (PSM) Overview

4:50 pm :: Open Panel

Friday, July 25

7:30 am :: Ethanol Primer

8:30 am Hands-on Workshops

Bacterial Analysis
Kevin Kauers, NABC

• Mash streaking done during Hands-on Workshop 1
• Principles/procedures of bacterial analysis and isolation
• How to determine if bacteria are Gram Positive or Gram Negative
• Observation of bacterial growth on media

Yeast Counting Procedure
Jennifer Forbes, NABC

• Lab scale fermentation set up in Hands-on Workshop 1
• Principle and procedure of yeast counting and why we do it
• Explanation of Hemacytometers
• Value of consistent counting methods
• What operators need to know

9:15 am :: Current Status of Cellulosic Research and Development
Joy Doran Peterson, Ph.D., University of Georgia

• Overview of the purpose and significance of this research
• Obstacles to overcome and significant recent advancements
• Substrates being researched and their sources
• Conversion and fermentation of 5 carbon sugars
• Description and outcomes of any past or current research
• The future outlook on cellulose

10:15 am :: Refreshment Break

10:40 am :: Effective Cleaning - 3 T’s
Kevin Kauers, NABC

• Why clean?
• The 3 T’s (Time, Turbulance and Temperature)
• The 4th T - Titration

11:10 am :: Alternative Energy Sources
Raul Gamboa, Corn Plus

• Fluid Bed Boiler
• Flow Diagram
• Purpose and principles
• Cost and cost savings

11:40 am :: Near Infra-Red (NIR) Technology
Gavin O'Reilly, Perten Instruments

• Overview of NIR technology
• Ethanol plant applications
• Inline real-time testing
• Lab testing capabilities
• What operators and lab personnel need to know

12:00 pm :: Conference Concluded