A Better Way to Process DDGS

A Thompson DDGS Dryer can dry temperature-sensitive, Distiller’s Grains with Solubles safely at a high capacity with thermal efficiency around 85%; it does so with minimal air pollution, little material degradation and low fire risk.  A Thompson DDGS Dryer is the most cost effective and energy efficient DDGS dryer available today. With Thompson’s proprietary internal flighting package, the dryer is able to dry your product feed uniformly, inside and out, to the desired dryness.  

Feature: Thompson’s proprietary design of rotary dryer internals (flights/lifters)

Benefits:
The rotary material handling internals allows for the largest variance of product sizes
Even drying across particle sizes

Results:
You have a wider source of feedstock to choose from without having to invest in sizing equipment
Consistent product quality you and your customers can count on

Feature: No refractory (except on biomass fired systems)

Benefit:
Quicker cool-down and start-up time for system
No stored energy in the refractory

Result:
Less downtime and less maintenance expense
Reduced risk of fires and explosions in shutdowns and upset conditions

Feature: Low oxygen drying environment

Benefit:
Fires need oxygen to burn, so low oxygen content means less risk of fires or high pressure events

Result:
Personnel and equipment are safer because fires and high pressure events are less likely.

Feature: Modulating exhaust gas recycle (also called flue gas recycle) – which reuses (recycles) hot gas from the system back into the front end of the drying process

Benefit:
Eliminates the need for make up air
Creates a consistent gas flow throughout the drying process
Allow drying process to use steam as the heat transfer medium
Use less fuel because there is no need to heat make up air
Reduces total gas volume entering and exiting the system (no make up air)
Either eliminates the need for, or reduces the size of secondary cleanup equipment (lower emissions)
Reduces the amount of oxygen entering the system (no make up air)
Increases consistency of final product quality
Allows for lower temperature drying which protects the quality of the end product

Result:
Lower fuel usage means lower operational costs
Lower emissions mean lower capital investment
Lower emissions mean happier neighbors
Consistent high quality products mean happy customers
Personnel and equipment are safer because fires and high pressure events are less likely

Feature: VFD controlled with no dampers

Benefit:
No dampers mean less maintenance
Less pressure drop across system
Use only the horsepower needed

Result:
Lower operational costs
Lower maintenance costs
More reliable process controls

Feature: Inlet and outlet screws double as airlocks

Benefit:
Fewer pieces of equipment
Less complicated
Eliminates point for air (oxygen) to enter system
Lowers emissions

Result:
Lower operational costs
Fewer parts to break, which means lower maintenance costs
Lower capital investment, no airlock here
Lower emissions mean lower capital investment in secondary cleanup equipment
Lower emissions mean happier neighbors
Personnel and equipment are safer because fires and high pressure events are less likely

Feature: Airlocks under each cyclone

Benefit:
Increased product separation from gas stream i.e. higher product retention
Eliminates point for air (oxygen) to enter system
Lower emissions

Result:
Higher revenues from having more product to sell
Lower emissions mean lower capital investment in secondary cleanup equipment
Lower emission means happier neighbors
Personnel and equipment are safer because fires and high pressure events are less likely

Feature: Negative pressure air system

Benefit:
Less dust (product) exiting the system at connection points, i.e. higher product retention
Drying gases stay in the dryer system or exit through the vent stack

Result:
Higher revenues from having more product to sell
Dangerous drying gases are not around plant personnel
Cleaner plant and surrounding area

Feature: Product doesn’t go through a fan

Benefit:
Less wear and tear on fan
Less cleaning

Result:
Lower maintenance costs
More uptime

Feature: Thompson’s patented steam purge and steam snuff (where steam is available)

Benefit:
Ability to know what gas is inside the system at startup
Ability to snuff out fires with hot steam instead of cold water

Result:
Reduced risks of fires or explosions on start up from build up of unexpected gasses
Ability to fight fires with less damage to equipment

Feature: Thompson’s over pressure venting system

Benefit:
Reusable over pressure doors release to reduce pressure in over pressure events

Result:
Protects personnel by giving the system the chance to discharge at a lower pressure level

Feature: Carbon Steel, stainless Steel, or special alloy construction depending on feedstock

Benefit:
The proper materials of construction can handle the harmful natures of the feedstock such as corrosion or abrasion
Less wear and tear on the system

Result:
Lower maintenance cost
Longer life for system

Feature:  Automated Control System with Human Machine Interface (HMI)

Benefit:
Provides data from instruments at key points of the system for information and control purposes to run safer and more efficient
Handles startups and shutdowns automatically to remove human error
Alarms or controls upset conditions automatically
Automated fire suppression system (on some systems)

Result:
Protects personnel and equipment
Consistent product quality, which means happy customers
Lowers cost of operation