ENGlobal's alternative energy experience includes fuel ethanol production, key facilities design and consulting projects for biodiesel processes, gas-to-liquids process design, gasification of biomass and gasification of coal and coke.
Ethanol Production
Within the area of ethanol production, ENGlobal has provided services ranging from conceptual engineering and permitting support to detailed engineering for the process of producing fuel-grade ethanol from corn.
Processing steps include grain grinding, grain cooking to create mash, yeast fermentation, distillation and dehydration. Dried Distiller’s Grain with Solubles (DDGS) is produced as a by-product in the ethanol production process and can be utilized as a rich protein source for animal feed. A corn oil stream can be recovered from the grain or DDGS and utilized as biodiesel plant feed. Additionally, the CO2 by-product from the fermentation process can be captured and utilized in other markets. Combined Heat and Power (CHP) generation can be incorporated into the ethanol plant design for the purpose of providing steam and electricity to the ethanol production facility.
Biodiesel
An example of a specific type of biodiesel project ENGlobal has performed is the development of the Front End Engineering Design (FEED) package for the production of biodiesel fuel from vegetable oil. The FEED package included PFDs, P&IDs and equipment datasheets for this process.
Fuel biodiesel consists of the methyl esters of long-chain fatty acids in the C12-C18 carbon family. (When based on vegetable oils, the fatty acids exist mainly as glycerol esters of the fatty acids.) The methyl esters are produced by catalytic trans-esterification of the glycerides using methanol as a catalyst. This reaction also generates glycerin as a by-product. The operating parameters of diesel engines require the virtually complete removal of the glycerin, as well as any traces of moisture, excess methanol required by the reaction and the catalyst residue. This requires physical separation, stripping, and filtration unit operations to the relatively basic chemistry, generating the biodiesel molecules. The glycerin by-product can be used to make soap by a soap manufacturer, as a fuel source for combustion, as a feed to digesters or as a compost activator.
Gas-to-Liquids
Gas-to-liquids is another emerging source for alternative fuel production. ENGlobal has completed a feasibility study for the use of Fischer-Tropsch (F-T) reactors to convert natural gas into liquid transportation fuels, specifically ultra-low sulfur diesel. In this process, the natural gas is put through a steam-methane reformer to create SYNGAS (which is a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen). The SYNGAS then reacts with a catalyst in the F-T reactor to form F-T wax. The wax is then hydrocracked and used in traditional refining technology to produce transportation fuels.
Gasification
Within the area of gasification of biomass, ENGlobal has developed a study report determining the feasibility of designing, purchasing and constructing a Biomass to Energy (BTE) project in the United States. The design of the BTE plant was based on Choren’s biomass conversion technology. The study included analysis of the design, procurement and construction of the BTE plant and a preliminary heat and material balance to determine how much power could be generated from the syngas produced from the Choren gasifier.
ENGlobal has developed a process design package for a coal based gasification facility based on the GE Gasification Process to manufacture synthesis gas by partial oxidation of carbonaceous substances for the production of refined products diesel and naphtha. The design package included a process description keyed to material and heat balances including major control instrumentation, PFDs, P&IDs, equipment datasheets, process specifications for coal slurry, oxygen feed systems, SYNGAS gas clean up, gas conditioning, estimated utilities, chemicals and catalyst consumption and estimated effluent streams for this process.
