Data
From Reactive to Proactive Data analysis for process improvements can range from simple to complex, low cost to high. In many plants, the keys to optimize maintenance, cleaning and overall performance remain unused. By Lisa Gibson
The data necessary for process control, predictive maintenance and even predictive cleaning is already being captured at ethanol plants. The next step is to figure out how to use it to boost efficiency.
Producers are starting to come around to digitalization of existing data to improve overall performance, says Don Mack, industry and automation alliance manager with Siemens. “We can come in and look at the overall situation and see where we see potential for improvement at a high level and identify low-hanging fruit.” Producers can “dip their toes” in digitalization with no large investments, he says. “The sensors are already there, and they see an opportunity to improve the overall performance of their plants and produce as much ethanol as possible.” Some do make investments in bettering their datadriven operations, including in automation and real-time analysis, says Ryan Magner, chemical engineer with Black & Veatch. Automation creates a data funnel, he says, reducing 1,500 data points into 15 or 20 anomalies to analyze. DATA-DRIVEN OPERATION: The collection, proper analysis and application of data in an ethanol plant can boost efficiency, enhancing production and competitiveness in a tough market. PHOTO: BLACK & VEATCH
26 | ETHANOL PRODUCER MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2021
