Fulton ethanol plant
Encyclopedia
Sunoco
's Fulton ethanol plant in Fulton, New York
is the first such facility owned by the company. The plant is spread over an area of 115 acres in Riverview Business Park and includes a 250,000 ft² brewhouse. The plant has the capacity to produce 85m gallons of ethanol
annually. Northeast Biofuels opened the plant in 2008; however, design flaws led to growth of bacteria in pipes that were difficult to clean. Northeast Biofuels tried to rectify the problem and fix the pipes but failed. The company filed for bankruptcy in 2009. Sunoco bought the plant from Northeast Biofuels in June 2009 for $8.5m. The company spent $25m, and contracted ICM, to repair the design flaws and start production. The refurbished facility became fully operational with the production of the first batch of ethanol in June 2010.
Facility operations include grain receiving, storage and milling, a mash preparation process, fermentation process, distillation process, dehydration and evaporation processes and a DDGS drying process. Two boilers are used to generate steam for the facility and its process. Furthermore, two regenerative thermal oxidizer
s (RTOs) are used to control VOC
and CO
emissions; and additional control devices are used to keep emissions below applicable major source
thresholds.
Sunoco
Sunoco Inc. is an American petroleum and petrochemical manufacturer headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, formerly known as Sun Company Inc. and Sun Oil Co. ....
's Fulton ethanol plant in Fulton, New York
Fulton, New York
Fulton is the name of some places in the U.S. state of New York:*Fulton, Oswego County, New York*Fulton, Schoharie County, New York*Fulton County, New York...
is the first such facility owned by the company. The plant is spread over an area of 115 acres in Riverview Business Park and includes a 250,000 ft² brewhouse. The plant has the capacity to produce 85m gallons of ethanol
Ethanol
Ethanol, also called ethyl alcohol, pure alcohol, grain alcohol, or drinking alcohol, is a volatile, flammable, colorless liquid. It is a psychoactive drug and one of the oldest recreational drugs. Best known as the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, it is also used in thermometers, as a...
annually. Northeast Biofuels opened the plant in 2008; however, design flaws led to growth of bacteria in pipes that were difficult to clean. Northeast Biofuels tried to rectify the problem and fix the pipes but failed. The company filed for bankruptcy in 2009. Sunoco bought the plant from Northeast Biofuels in June 2009 for $8.5m. The company spent $25m, and contracted ICM, to repair the design flaws and start production. The refurbished facility became fully operational with the production of the first batch of ethanol in June 2010.
Facility operations include grain receiving, storage and milling, a mash preparation process, fermentation process, distillation process, dehydration and evaporation processes and a DDGS drying process. Two boilers are used to generate steam for the facility and its process. Furthermore, two regenerative thermal oxidizer
Regenerative thermal oxidizer
A regenerative thermal oxidizer is an industrial process for the treatment of exhaust air. The system uses a bed of ceramic material to absorb heat from the exhaust gas and use the captured heat to preheat the incoming process gas stream....
s (RTOs) are used to control VOC
Volatile organic compound
Volatile organic compounds are organic chemicals that have a high vapor pressure at ordinary, room-temperature conditions. Their high vapor pressure results from a low boiling point, which causes large numbers of molecules to evaporate or sublimate from the liquid or solid form of the compound and...
and CO
Carbon monoxide
Carbon monoxide , also called carbonous oxide, is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas that is slightly lighter than air. It is highly toxic to humans and animals in higher quantities, although it is also produced in normal animal metabolism in low quantities, and is thought to have some normal...
emissions; and additional control devices are used to keep emissions below applicable major source
Major stationary source
A major stationary source is a source that emits more than a certain amount of a pollutant as defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency...
thresholds.