In the U.S., corn production measures more than any other crop and is the most common raw material used for the manufacture of starch and ethanol.
Dedert Corporation was founded over 40 years ago to provide evaporators to the corn wet milling industry. As the corn wet milling industry grew and developed derivative products from corn, such as lysine, lactic acid, citric acid, maltodextrins and ethanol, Dedert engineers were there to provide the right evaporator.
This extensive experience has been leveraged into other technologies, including dryers. Dedert Ring Dryers are ideal for drying all products produced in a corn plant such as starch, fiber, gluten, gluten feed, germ and distillers grains.
DISTILLERS DRIED GRAINS with SOLUBLES (DDGS)
Distillers grain is an important co-product of grain (first generation) ethanol production. The ethanol production process uses only the starch portion of the grain, which is about 70% of the kernel. All the remaining nutrients - protein, fat, minerals and vitamins - are concentrated into distillers grain, a valuable feed for livestock. In a dry milling plant, a bushel of corn (56 pounds) yields approximately 2.8 gallons of ethanol and 17.4 pounds of distillers grain.
Distillers grain can be fed to livestock wet or dry. Distillers Dried Grain with Solubles (DDGS) is the most common variety and is a high quality feedstuff ration for dairy cattle, beef cattle, swine, poultry and aquaculture.
DDGS is created when the liquid that is separated from the mash during the distilling process is concentrated in an evaporator, then added back onto the dried distillers grain.
Drying the distillers grain increases its shelf life and improves its ability to be transported over longer distances. Dedert Ring Dryers are ideal for drying DDGS. Our Ring Dryers provide co-current drying which gives gentle treatment of distillers grain, resulting in higher product quality. A plant can take advantage of the waste heat available in the dryer exhaust by coupling the Dedert Ring Dryer to a Dedert Evaporator (see Integration).
STEEPWATER EVAPORATION
Corn, after removal from the cob, is steeped in tanks in a water based solution to release the starch. Steepwater is drawn off and concentrated in an evaporator. The final steepwater solution at 48 to 50% solids is then used as an adjunct for animal feeds and/or as a valuable nutrient used in the fermentation industry.
For more detail on Dedert Dryers and Evaporators for the corn industry, please see our Technologies pages.
