Most Recent Episode
FQTalks #1 10+ Ways to cut OPEX
The show that began it all. Looking to cut direct cost in your biofuels facility begins with input cost controls. The FQT team walk you though the areas and techniques you can implement to gain more control over these OPEX costs.
FQTalks #2 Distillation and Dehydration
The complete distillation system is covered in this in depth walk through on how distillation works, and areas for improvements. A great overall lesson on the functional properties of alcohol production as well as analytics.
FQTalks #3 Evaporation – Part 1
The good, the bad, and the ugly. This first lesson walks through the operating principles of evaporation in a biofuel plant, including how other plant areas can impact the evaporator function.
FQTalks #4 Evaporation – Part 2
We continue on from part 1 of evaporators, expanding on operations around the evaps. How the different evaporator designs function in the respective plants.
FQTalks #5 Oil Recovery
Corn, oil, what it is , where is found, and how can we ensure we get all of it recovered in the biofuels plant. From grind to heat and hold, we cover the basics of oil recovery.
FQTalks #6 Industrial Alcohol
Bridging the gap; from fuel grade to industrial grade alcohol. The First Lady of Ethanol, Kristi Moore, (Kmoore Consulting) joins the team to walk you through the pitfalls, regulations, and various aspects of producing higher grades of alcohols. We also look at the plant operations and what changes need to occur for a facility to move to these different grades of alcohol production.
FQTalks #7 Fermentation – Part 1
Optimizing your fermentation strategy begins with a in depth study of the rules and interactions of the components in the fermentation process.
FQTalks #8 Fermentation – Part 2
Many efficiencies can be realized through effective and thoughtful fermentation design. This show covers the best practices and how to adapt existing plants to achieve better fermentation strategies through better design.
FQTalks #9 Cooling Tower
Cooling towers 101, a primer on cooling water in your plant. Design basics, Trouble shooting, and the operation of are covered, including a neat little engineering trick to help summer time cooling blues.
FQTalks #10 Fermentation – Part 3
This one wraps up all the lingering questions you have on fermentation. Venting, Scrubber, Propagation are all covered.
FQTalks #11 Grind Optimization
There is more to grinding corn at an biofuels facility than hammermills. We cover all the aspects of grind through liquefaction.
FQTalks #12 Electrical
Lowing electrical usage and a good basic understanding of the electrical needs in a plant.
FQTalks #13 Heat Exchangers
Alfa Laval joins FQT in discussions on exchanger design, apllications and general principles.
FQTalks #14 Tough Questions
Ever wondered why… We do to, that is why we put together the A Team of talent and gave them lots of questions to answer about ethanol production.
FQTalks #15 Higher Grade Alcohol Operations
The second installment in understanding higher grade alcohol production. We dig deep into the production of commercial, USP, VHQ, and other industrial alcohols from the fuel grade plant.
FQTalks #16 Thin Stillage Clarification
Issues, benefits, the how’s and why’s of Thin stillage clean up. Technology overview as well as the benefits of clean backset.
FQTalks #17 Energy Saving Projects – Part 1
We get down and dirty in Pinch Analysis understanding, including how to conduct one in your plant and what should be included. We also look at finding energy saving across the plant, in cook, dehydration, evaporation, Drying, Steam generation.
FQTalks #18 Energy Saving Projects – Part 2
Continuation of part one, with a deep dive into dryer ops, and mole sieves. Focus on CI lowering strategies and project payback timelines, are examined.
FQTalks #20 Distillation
Over view of the distillation process, including vacuum, pressure and hybrid systems We take an in depth look at energy usage factors, and energy savings in distillation.
FQTalks #21 CIP – Part 1
Special guest Phibro joins the FQTalks team to get clean; equipment that is. We cover CIP of the front end of plant operations; Cook, Liquefaction, Heat Exchangers, Propagation and Fermentation.
FQTalks #22 CIP Part – 2
Take 2 for the Phibro team, when we talk back end plant operations cleaning. Detial explanation on the KIPs of CIP on the evaps.
FQTalks #23 Pumps: Design
Hans and Frans pump it up on this show…Everyone has them, and yet they seem to be one of the most mis understood elements of plant operations. We dig deep into design and application issues.
FQTalks #24 Pumps: Troubleshooting
We get into pump common failures and troubleshooting, controls and design changes.
FQTalks #25 Dryer Optimizations
Basis is not so basic when we cover dryer theory. From DDGS to wet bulb, combustion, rotary driers, ring dryers, and spray dryers.
FQTalks #26 Net Corn Cost
The wet mills know their Net Corn cost every day. Net Corn is how much the feedstock, ie. the most expensive cost in a corn mill, wet or dry is costing you each day. We show you how to use this metric to determine the profitability of your plant each day.
FQTalks #27 CST
Clean Sugar Technology, what is it and what is the value of a sugar product from the dry mill. The FQT technology is broken down to show how it works, and where is the value of these products that are being produced today from these sugars?
FQTalks #28 Protein Technologies – Part 1
So you wanna be a rock star…Why is the MSC protein separation technology designed the way it is. How should you look at this system and how to value a technology improvement to your plant. Pre vs post-fermentation fiber separation.
FQTalks #29 Protein Technologies – Part 2
The magic of protein separation and bonus Les Paul trivia. How we engineer and integrate to the base ethanol plant. Industry poll results on CAPEX project. How do your peers think about adding technology? What fears do plants have on technology? We answer these and discuss how to discern fact from fiction on technology claims around protein separation.
FQTalks #30 – Protein Markets
Why Soy Beans not be able to provide the world’s protein demand, and how corn protein, specifically Corn Fermented Protein from the dry mill will see long term growth. Great stats and a frank conversation about feeding the world from the dry mill.
FQTalks #31 – Nutritional Value of CFP – Corn Fermented Protein
How did CFP evolve from DDGS. Why crude protein is not holy grail, but rather amino acid profile and feed-ability of the protein determine the value of a feed product. Join Dr. Joe Ward, FQT Senior Nutritionist as we explore the value of these proteins.
FQTalks #32 – Fiber By-Pass
What does the Blues Brothers and Fiber by Pass have in common? Find out in this exhilarating show where we look closely at why or why not would a plant choose to use this technology.
FQTalks #33 – White Fox ICE
The White fox team give a great overview and answer lots of listener’s questions on how this technology can help mole sieve pinch, and energy reduction in dehydration.
FQTalks #34 – Plant Maintenance
The master of plant uptime makes his appearance on the show. Our very own mechanical guru of FQ Mechanical get son his soap box to help out maintenance managers everywhere.
FQTalks #35 – Automation
What started as the holiday show turned into a knowledge download on automation. How to think about it; the dos and don’t’s of process aides, repeatability. Identification of the best processes to automate first.
FQTalks #37 – Mitigating Risk for Facility Property Insurance
Preventing the big boom ERI/ProTec joins FQT to talk through risk and where you can find advantages in mitigation strategies.
FQTalks #38 Agtech, Protein and the Biorefinery: A Conversation with Green Plains Inc. & Ospraie Management
What happens when Ag tech meets investment? The growth and availability of innovation spreads through an industry. Todd and Dwight share the vison for the biofuels industry and how Green Plains and Ospraie are dedicated to leading a way to the Biocampus.
FQTalks #39 – What You Need to Know About Adding an Engineer to Your Plant
You want one , you need one, but you can never figure out how to manage one…Strategies for hiring, managing and growing your engineering knowledge within your plant. Why you can no longer afford not to have engineering support on your team.
FQTalks #40 – Finding More Corn Oil in Your Ethanol Facility, BOS-Front End Oil Separation
The principles behind oil availability from corn. Grind parameters, the role of ethanol extraction of oil in the fermenters, Brix Oil Separation principles.
FQTalks #41 – Basic Engineering: Creating a Mass & Energy Balance
A deep dive into data management in an ethanol facility. Data is knowledge. How to collect, analyze, and use data to make decisions in your plant. What is a mass balance and how to create one. What is the value of this?
FQTalks #42 – Dedert Dryers
The ring dryer principles. Operation, value, and advantages of flash drying high value products.
FQTalks #43 – Automaton Part 2, Featuring Trident Automation
We stepped up the knowledge in this show. Bringing in Jerry Wenzel, Chief Knowledge Officer for Trident Automation. We get into setpoint deviation, PLC vs DCS, Valve travel, process variability, Loop tuning.
FQTalks #44 – Water Balance 101
The ins and outs of water flow through your plant. How to tell when you are out of balance and how to fix it. Special focus on the ways water enters the plant that you are not aware of.
FQTalks #45 – Creating a 5 to 10 Year Plant Capital Improvement Strategy
Not sure how to plan for a future state of the plant? What should I consider in projects, how do I anticipate technology changes and additions, or even the development of new technology. How can I be ready to take advantage of revenue gains as they come up? We walk you through a step by step process to create a plan and get organized for the future of your plant.
FQTalks #46 – DDGS Considerations, Additional Value Through Consistency
Dr Joe Ward is back! Dig into the real value of DDGS. How to get to consistency and why this should be a primary target for all ethanol facilities. DDGS consistency leads to higher product values.
FQTalks #47 – Eight Things You Should Be Doing at Your Plant.. But Might Not Be!
The facts and fiction in an ethanol plant. Why you can not run for rate and yield at the same time. What is the #1 driver of OPEX costs? Learn about these issues and more.
FQTalks #48 – De-Risking Projects Through Engineering Studies
What is the value of an engineering study? What is involved and what should you expect from a study? What is FEL, and how does this dictate the results your receive form an engineering study?
FQTalks #50 – Take Your Recruiting Efforts to the Next Level
One of our most popular plant management/Leadership webinars. We share timely tactics to help strengthen your recruiting and retainment strategies.
FQTalks #52 – Punch Hole vs. Wedge Wire – Which Side Are You On?
Special Guest Trislot Screens stops by to talk about the differences and possible alternatives in screen technology for separation processes in the ethanol plant.
FQTalks #53 – Successful Project Management at Your Facility
Project managing from a Three Legged Stool. What 5 factors have the most impact on a successful outcome for any project, and how to identify potential project managers for your projects.
FQTalks #54 – PHA – Process Hazard Analysis
Learn the steps to planning and running a PHA for the various areas under your control. From making a process inherently safer to full project/plant operational analysis; learn the steps and tools to use to lead this very important safety factor.
FQTalks #55 – Sizing Pressure Relief Valves
One of the first lines of defense in safety in and around a plant; properly sizing PRV’s ensure the prevention of over pressuring a vessel. Understand the need for, design of, and application of these devices. We walk through all 17 sizing/failure scenarios.
FQTalks #56 Project Costs and Project Costs Buildup
A primer on how to build up a realistic project cost for your projects. We use several different ways you can assess the real cost of a project. These steps will help you to determine the working cost of large projects, for budgeting, and for small projects.
FQTalks #57 – Intellectual Property, A Primer on IP
Patent vs trade secret, how to tell if what you have is patentable, how to protect your IP, and who is responsible for defending a patent. We give a really good understanding of IP and how to search for and read patent filings.
FQTalks #58 – The Finale
As we close out our weekly talk show series, we look back and forward, with an industry outlook on the future of biofuels, the biocampus, and the bright future we see for the ethanol facility.
FQTalks #60 Introduction to Energy Strategy
A targeted comprehensive strategy can save millions of dollars and achieve greater energy savings.