Progress 05/01/05 to 12/31/06
Outputs
AD-421 Termination Report SBIR Phase I Shivvers Manufacturing, Inc. Contact Information: 614 W. English Corydon, Iowa 50060 Email: stevesh@grm.net Phone: (641)872-1005 Executive Summary: It was anticipated that the success of the Phase I project would provide 'information necessary to design a superior grain drying system that incorporates energy efficiency advantages of an air-to-grain preheater subsystem.' Three heat exchanger types were to be evaluated: 1 Air-Liquid-Grain 2 Air-Solid-Grain 3 Direct Counterflow Condensing Wet-Boot Elevator Two of these have been found to be commercially viable. A Rotary Drum physical configuration of the Air-Liquid-Grain type has been theoretically studied and analyzed in detail by Dr. Michael Pate, PhD, Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Iowa State University. Dr. Pate's analysis has verified the thermodynamic principles involved and has conducted extensive calculations concerning its energy consumption. Dr. Pate has written a
letter of support. An excerpt from his letter: 'I have been involved in analyzing the theory and practical application of the heat recovery process proposed by Shivvers Inc. I understand the thermodynamic processes involved and I believe that a large-scale dryer using this process may require as little as 500 BTU/lb of water evaporated.' A combination of Shivvers' in-house personnel and Dr. Carl Bern, PhD., Professor of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering at Iowa State University have physically tested the two major system components of the Air-Solid-Grain system. Dr. Bern has written a letter of support. An excerpt from this letter: 'I have been involved in laboratory testing of elements of the heat recovery process proposed by Shivvers, Inc. I understand the thermodynamic processes involved and I believe that a large-scale dryer using this process may require as little as 500 BTU/lb of water evaporated.' The Shivvers Heat Recovery Process may be applied to the drying of grain,
distiller's grain, and of sawdust and woodchips to mention a few applications in agriculture. This process may also be adapted to fit a wide variety of established industrial drying configurations, such as: Rotary Drum dryers, Fluidized Bed dryers, Disc, Screw, Plough dryers, Paddle dryers, Column Dryers, Tray dryers, and Conveyor, Belt, and Tunnel dryers. The various physical configurations will allow the processing of a wide variety of granular materials, particulates, powders, flakes, pastes, mixes, slurries, and solids. The applicant's process will allow an approximate 75% energy consumption reduction and CO2 emissions reduction over a very wide range of agricultural, chemical, and industrial drying processes throughout the developed world. The commercialization prospect for this technology is very large, with significant potential reductions in national energy consumption as industrial drying processes inevitably convert to the new, higher efficient technology.
Impacts
Significance of the Opportunity: This process may be adapted to fit a wide variety of established industrial drying configurations, such as: Rotary Drum dryers, Fluidized Bed dryers, Disc, Screw, Plough dryers, Paddle dryers, Column Dryers, Tray dryers, and Conveyor, Belt, and Tunnel dryers. The various physical configurations will allow the processing of a wide variety of granular materials, particulates, powders, flakes, pastes, mixes, slurries, and solids. The DOE reports that USA industrial energy consumption in 2004 was 22.1 quadrillion BTU. At 10% of industrial use, 2.2 quadrillion BTU is used for drying. It is unclear to what percentage of the drying processes this new dryer technology may be applied, but Shivvers estimates the range to be between 25% and 75%. At 25%, the impact would be a direct energy savings of 3/4 of 25% of 2.2 quadrillion BTU, or 0.41 quadrillion BTU. At 50%, the energy savings would be 0.825 quadrillion BTU. At 75%, the energy savings
would be 1.24 quadrillion BTU. At a NYMEX Jan 22, 2007, price of $7.319 per Million BTU for Natural Gas, this project, if implemented in 50% of the industrial drying processes (0.825 quadrillion BTU's saved), would save $6.0 Billion dollars of energy use per year in the U.S. This correlates to eliminating 48 Million tons of CO2 if one assumes the fuel being used is natural gas.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
|