Corn-Fermented Proteins
There’s protein and profits in fermented corn stillage…but they’re not easy to get to. Proteins are delicate and maintaining quality specs is tough. Bepex equipment protects protein quality while dramatically reducing utility requirements and emissions from processing.
A Compact, Profitable Solution for Corn-Fermented High-Protein Production
Ethanol plants have become biorefineries, capable of producing value-added products from the stillage left after fermentation. One product – proteins for shelf-stable, high-protein animal feed – can be especially profitable. But traditional drying technologies struggle to handle highly cohesive, high-protein feeds. The Bepex PCX Dispersion Dryer delivers better control over product quality while utilizing far less utilities and floor space.
Innovative Equipment. Better Product.
High-protein feeds are easily damaged in the drying process. Traditional dryers are prone to build-up and burning, which degrades protein. Our proprietary PCX dispersion drying technology dries non-pumpable, water-laden solids without build-up or excessive heat input. Pair it with upstream mechanical separation and filtration equipment to reduce the thermal energy required and drastically lower emissions.
Less Space. Better Cap Ex.
Space is at premium in many fermentation processing plants. But traditional dryers take up massive amounts of floor space – especially compared to the production capacity actually needed. The PCX takes up far less space, and operates with far lower expenses, to produce the same or more product than old-school technologies. And that means a better cap ex return.
Improved Sustainability and Carbon Intensity Score
The Bepex process uses less space, less utilities and has the potential to lower the overall carbon intensity of the production processes. This is cutting edge protein processing technology. That’s why major producers work with our Process Development Center to create continuous production systems to improve production and processing sustainability.
Better Protein Processing from Bepex
Drying
Drying proteins without damage is a challenge in producing corn-derived protein ingredients. Led by the innovative PCX flash dispersion dryer, Bepex offers the industry’s broadest range of drying technologies. Bepex focuses on providing superior control over drying, lower operating costs, and high capacity in a compact footprint. The result is a better product, improved sustainability and better cap ex return than spray, rotary, ring, or other traditional drying technologies.
Delumping
As the protein content increases, so do the cohesive tendencies in the resulting solids. Traditional dryers often leave clumps in solids after extraction. Our RP Disintegrator delumps high-protein solids prior to product collection and transportation. It eliminates lumps of product without further reducing the actual particle size, protecting your already on-size material.
Vacuum Drying
Drying under a vacuum lowers the evaporation temperature of fluids. That allows dying at lower temperatures, protecting protein quality during processing. It’s an innovative drying technology, especially suitable where there is a volatile organic compound in the material.
RD Disintegrator
The RD Disintegrator is built for tough jobs like wet and dry grinding, shredding, pulping, and pulverizing. It excels in processing tough-to-grind feeds and features internal tramp material separation to remove unwanted materials, protecting the product and downstream equipment.
PCX
The PCX dispersion flash dryer processes high-moisture materials including non-pumpable wet cakes, pastes and slurries into a fine powder or small granules. No extra dilution is required for processing, meaning faster drying, less energy use, and lower emissions.
Solidaire
The Solidaire thin layer paddle dryer offers the highest heat transfer coefficient available. Process dry or wet solids, liquids, slurries, cakes or pastes more efficiently, with more control, at lower cost. Solidaire applications include drying, devolatilizing, reacting, cooling, and crystallizing.
Committed to Sustainable Processes
Join our Dedication to Sustainability and Innovation
At Bepex, we’re committed to help develop a more sustainable future.
That means creating technologies that help turn waste into valuable products, while lowering the energy requirements and emissions from processing.
Our Process Development Center is here to help you design the best fermented-corn protein processing system to meet your needs – including your organization’s commitment to sustainability and reduced environmental impact.
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Process Development
Feasibility
All new inquiries begin with a feasibility study. These studies aim to provide preliminary insights into the viability of a commercial process. Using as little as 100 grams of material, we can begin early process design, develop plans for pilot-testing and/or confirmation, and begin providing early economic estimates. Our experience across our wide range of technologies gives us a unique ability to provide quick feedback on the feasibility of your process.
Development
From our learnings, we’ll begin the process development work. The primary work in this phase takes place in the form of pilot-scale testing in our Process Development Center. Our pilot tests look a bit different than what you may have experienced in the past. Each test is designed to measure the system performance and feasibility rather than that of any single machine.
Each system is custom assembled for each test. Our goal is to provide as much of a pilot-scale simulation as possible while gathering scale-up data to deliver on commercial capacities. When a certain technology proves ineffective, we’ll draw from our range of options to determine if there is a better fit. The Process Development Center is our sandbox to build, test, and revise to ensure we get every detail right.
Budget Evaluation
With a successful pilot simulation completed, we now have everything we need to scale up and provide proposals for capital equipment with included performance guarantees.
System Design And Build
After receipt of the purchase order, we begin with both equipment and system engineering. Each proprietary technology we sell is custom-designed and built per application. We do not have any off-the-shelf units. At this stage, your exact system begins to take shape, including auxiliary equipment, process flow diagrams, process and instrumentation diagrams, safety provisions, and more.
Commissioning
After delivery and installation of your new system, Bepex will provide a mechanical check to ensure everything is placed according to plan. This is followed shortly thereafter by system commissioning. This is where our pilot-scale simulations become invaluable, as our team of application engineers, controls technicians, and sales engineers begin working with your team to successfully bring your system online.
Support
At this point, you’re up and running at rate, producing a quality product, but our work doesn’t stop there.
Following commissioning, Bepex remains a reliable partner, providing quality OEM parts, immediate field service, process optimization, training, system troubleshooting, and more. We have consistently had high customer retention rates, and we believe it is due in large part to our comprehensive approach to serving our customers long after the original sale.
Improving Protein Production and Profitability
Learn more about improving corn-fermented protein processing and profits while enhancing production sustainability. Reach out to a Bepex processing expert.
