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Category Archive: Biofuels Distillation

Tag Archive: Biofuels Distillation

  1. How Shell and Tube Heat Exchangers Benefit the Agriculture Industry

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    Current State of the U.S. Agriculture Industry

    Agriculture is a cornerstone of the U.S. economy and lifestyle. As of 2024, this vital sector and its related industries, contributed over $1.5 trillion to the national economy.

    With a population exceeding 342 million, according to recent Census Bureau estimates, American households spend approximately 9% of their monthly budget on food. But agriculture extends beyond just providing produce, meat, and dairy. It also supports sectors like textiles, forestry, food services, and more. Currently, the agriculture and food industries provide over 21 million jobs, accounting for about 10% of total employment.

    Navigating Modern Challenges and Advancements

    Despite its importance, the agricultural sector faces numerous challenges, including:

    • Climate Change: Persistent droughts and extreme weather events, affecting states like California, continue to challenge agricultural productivity.
    • Health and Nutrition: Evolving concerns about nutrition and diet require adaptation and innovation.
    • Pests and Diseases: Emerging diseases and pests threaten livestock, poultry, and crops.
    • Workforce Shortages: A decline in students pursuing agricultural sciences impacts the future workforce.

    The Role of Shell and Tube Heat Exchangers

    Shell and tube heat exchangers are essential in maintaining safety and efficiency in agricultural production. These systems are integral to the dairy industry, as well as the food, beverage, and biodiesel sectors.

    Dairy and Food Safety

    Pasteurization is a critical process for ensuring the safety of dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt. Raw milk poses a higher risk of disease transmission compared to pasteurized milk. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), unpasteurized milk is significantly more likely to cause disease outbreaks.

    Juices and ciders also require pasteurization to eliminate harmful bacteria. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) mandates Juice Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) systems to ensure safe pasteurization practices. Pasteurization temperatures for juices range from 160 to 165 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on the duration of the process.

    Learn more about the vital role of pasteurization.

    Biofuels and Sustainable Energy

    The agriculture sector is instrumental in biofuel production, providing sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels. Biofuels, including biodiesel and ethanol, are derived from agricultural feedstocks. Ethanol production primarily involves fermenting starches and sugars, with ongoing research exploring the use of cellulose and hemicellulose. Biodiesel is produced from fats, such as vegetable oil or cooking grease, and helps reduce vehicle emissions.

    Shell and tube heat exchangers play a vital role in biofuel distillation, which involves removing sulfur content and adjusting product characteristics.

    Looking Ahead

    Research and development continue to drive progress in agriculture, paving the way for innovations that address current challenges and enhance productivity. For more information on how shell and tube heat exchangers can benefit your agricultural operations, contact us or request a quote today.

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  2. Oil and Gas Industry Helping Drive Heat Exchanger Market

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    Editor’s note: This content was last updated 5/13/24.

    The oil and gas industry has been advancing the heat exchanger market in various capacities, according to several reports. MarketsAndMarkets explains that heat exchangers are an integral part of the petrochemical and oil and gas industry. The chemical industry is the most influential driver of heat exchanger business.

    Get cracking

    The global market for oil and gas equipment is expected to be worth USD $134.20 billion in 2024 and $156.18 billion by 2029, according to Mordor Intelligence.

    Oil and gas equipment can be categorized in two parts: rotating and static equipment. Rotating equipment is comprised of valves, pumps and turbines, while static equipment includes valves, furnaces, boilers and heat exchangers.

    Heat exchangers play an important role in processing oil and gas. They are used in the refining process in cracking units as well as in the liquefaction of natural gas. Cracking is the process of breaking the hydrocarbons that compose crude oil into smaller pieces, according to Chemguide.

    Cracking takes place after the first round of distillation. Then, lubrication and heavy gas oils go through a cracking process. After cracking, a second round of distillation separates the pieces into groups. Heat exchangers come into play to separate oil from any water that is produced during the process.

    The BBC explains that cracking is a thermal decomposition reaction, which means heat is used to break apart the hydrocarbons. Once the hydrocarbons are in smaller, more applicable pieces, they can be used to make fuels and polymers.

    Still distilling

    Heat exchangers play a vital role in the diabatic distillation process, facilitating heat transfer both within the reboiler and throughout the distillation column.

    During this process, water is propelled through a sequence of trays to regulate the temperature of the oil, while steam from the reboilers circulates through another set of trays. Each tray incorporates a heat exchanger, which significantly enhances the speed and efficiency of the process. By accelerating the reboiler’s temperature rise, heat exchangers expedite the distillation process. Additionally, they optimize the cooling efficiency of the condensers, contributing to overall process enhancement.

    Heating up

    According to MarketsAndMarkets, the oil and gas industry is also boosting the global waste heat recovery market. It is expected to grow 7.1% CAGR from 2022 to 2027. Waste heat recovery is primarily done through the use of heat exchangers and other equipment such as turbines and industrial heating boilers.

    “Between 20 and 50 percent of industrial energy output is wasted.”

    A report from the World Economic Forum said up to half of industrial energy input is wasted. The way to utilize this wasted energy is through waste heat recovery. A U.S. Department of Industry report stated the converted heat can usually be used for generating electricity, heating and absorption cooling. Heat exchangers in this process are typically most useful for preheating air before it enters a furnace system. This takes some of the stress away from the furnace, allowing it to use less fuel and energy to heat the air itself.

    The World Economic Forum reported governments and industries around the world begin to make environmentally friendly changes, and many have focused on striking a balance between three concepts: energy security, energy affordability and environmental sustainability. Large industries, such as oil and gas, have especially been looking into ways to achieve an ideal energy triangle.

    According to the Department of Industry, low-temperature heat recovery, which is identified as being between 100 and 400 degrees, can use shell and tube heat exchangers to condense water vapor in the discharged gases.

    In a report, Research and Markets explains that government regulations on greenhouse gas emissions have inspired the use of heat exchangers and other heat recovery equipment. Reusing wasted heat not only cuts down on emissions, but also reduces the amount of fuel needed to run oil and gas facilities. The report predicts that continued regulations on how environmentally friendly facilities need to be will keep driving the need for heat exchangers.

    Contact Enerquip to learn more about high-efficiency process equipment for the oil and gas industries. 

     

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