SUSANOPOLIS, BRAZIL, March 1, 2011—New Logic Research (NLR) has deployed Vibratory Sheer Enhanced Processing (VSEP) to revolutionize the Brazilian ethanol industry. Offered as an enabling technology for vinasse-surfeit management, extensive full-scale pilot testing of VSEP has yielded successful results in wastewater reduction. In the past twelve months, several pilot tests have been conducted and a full-scale 84” VSEP system has been installed at a state-of-the-art ethanol plant in Susanopolis, in the state of Sao Paulo. This full-scale system will be used as the flagship demonstration and will later be expanded to process the entire flow of this plant.
An energy-consuming aspect of sugarcane ethanol production is treatment and disposal of vinasse, the wastewater by-product. For every liter of ethanol produced, sixteen liters of vinasse is created. By a 16:1 ratio, efficient processing of this wastewater can have a dramatic impact on the overall energy balance tipping the scales towards ethanol viability. This collaboration between NLR and ethanol producers enables research of the most efficient way to reduce energy use in vinasse treatment.
New Logic Research CEO Greg Johnson recently met with plant executives to discuss the role NLR will play in plant expansion and development. Johnson toured the facility and inspected the site where VSEP was installed. Commissioning is slated for the April post-harvest. The NLR engineering team will go to Brazil for system start-up and will monitor performance during the commissioning. After start-up, training for onsite staff will commence as well as continued system expansion. For more information, visit the ethanol application note located here.
About New Logic Research
Headquartered in Emeryville, California, New Logic Research is the leading provider of high-performance membrane separation systems used in a wide variety of applications from pure water and wastewater treatment to chemical process clarifications. Now in its 24th year, New Logic has grown to meet the needs of its ever-expanding customer base, which includes major corporations from around the world. Today, New Logic provides a breadth of products and services for pure water and wastewater treatment, industrial and chemical processing, energy, and other industries.