Introduction
With the increased interest in green energy and renewable fuel sources, Biodiesel has emerged as a viable alternative to standard petroleum based diesel and home heating oil. It has zero CO2 emissions and can be created from waste vegetable
oil or rendered animal fat. The number of Biodiesel processing plants has grown to over 2500 in the US alone.
Because of the relatively simple process to create Biodiesel, processing plants, whether they are an upstart company working in a basement or a garage producing a couple of hundred gallons a year or a multi conglomerate corporation that can produce several thousand gallons a month. The process is generally same, typically it consists of heating the oil, filtering, chemical injections, moving the oil around to various vessels, allowing the solids to settle, a final filtration and storage,
Application
A start up production plant was looking for an accurate, cost competitive, multiplication flow meter that
could be used at several points of their the Biodiesel manufacture process.
- Monitor the flow of fuel gas and air to heaters used to heat the oil.
- Monitor oil flow through the filter process
- Monitor the flow and correctly meter chemical additives that are needed for the refinement process.
Solution
Because of their versatility and price competiveness Yokogawa's Rotameters were chosen to be the solution to this customer's needs.
Biodiesel Plant Locator
To assist you in locating these Biodiesel opportunities in your area, below are links that list all the Biodiesel plants in the United States.
http://www.biodieselmagazine.com/plants/listplants/USA/
http://www.biodiesel.org/production/plants/plants-listing
Related Products & Solutions
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RAGK and RAGL
RAGK and RAGL are specifically designed for the measurement of low flows of liquids and gases. Their main application field is in purging, analyzer and gas sampling systems, laboratories and machinery equipment.
Measureable Flow Rates:
Water = 0.002 l/h to 630 l/h
Air = 0.1 l/h to 6300 l/h -
RAKD
The RAKD Rotameter is used for measurement of liquids and gases and is highly accurate, particularly for low flows and high pressure applications.
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RAMC
316L Stainless Steel Construction
1.6 % accuracy (qG = 50 %)
4 to 20 mA signal output
HART protocol available
Adjustable Limit Switches
0.95 to 550 GPM
0.42 to 1050 SCFM -
Rotameter - Variable Area Flowmeter
The Variable Area Flowmeter is one of the oldest and mature principles in flow measurement with its simple design: a float rises inside a conically shaped glass tube as the flow increases and its position on a scale can be read off as the flow rate. Since this measuring method is purely mechanic, it as simple as it is reliable.