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Ethanol plant question

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  • Member since
    October 2007
  • From: Wisconsin
  • 378 posts
Ethanol plant question
Posted by Wikious on Monday, February 1, 2010 9:33 PM

I'm thinking about modeling an ethanol plant on my eventual layout. I was looking at the local plant for inspiration and think it can be compressed easily enough. I do have a question on where the ethanol is loaded onto tank cars. I took two screenshots of the aerial view.Is the big long pipe stretching from the white tanks to the tracks the ethanol loading spot, or is that where gasoline is offloaded? Is it both? Thanks in advance.


 

  • Member since
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  • From: Denver, CO
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Posted by Motley on Monday, February 1, 2010 10:12 PM

 I don't know about you're question, sorry. But... I picked up a copy of the walthers catalog, and they had a special article about their new ethanol plant series structures. They also had a layout and described how the plant would be switched with a tail track, one track for empties, one for loaded, and cycling the cars through the loading/unloading sheds.

here

I thought it was so cool, that I modified my new layout for this ethanol plant series!!

Michael


CEO-
Mile-HI-Railroad
Prototype: D&RGW Moffat Line 1989

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Posted by ericsp on Monday, February 1, 2010 10:21 PM

The gasoline probably comes in by truck. 

"No soup for you!" - Yev Kassem (from Seinfeld)

  • Member since
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  • From: WSOR Northern Div.
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Posted by WSOR 3801 on Tuesday, February 2, 2010 1:09 AM

 That is where they load the tanks. 

Gas comes in by truck at this plant.

Mike WSOR engineer | HO scale since 1988 | Visit our club www.WCGandyDancers.com

  • Member since
    October 2007
  • From: Wisconsin
  • 378 posts
Posted by Wikious on Tuesday, February 2, 2010 5:23 PM

 WSOR 3801, you would have more pictures of the plant (not that I mind). Thank you very much for the response, and to everyone else who replied too.

  • Member since
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  • From: Nebraska
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Posted by RedGrey62 on Wednesday, February 3, 2010 6:55 AM

ericsp

The gasoline probably comes in by truck. 

If you get a picture that goes a bit more to the right, you would probably be able to see the gasoline truck offloading area and gasoline storage tanks.  You can see a pipeline heading to the right of the ethanol storage tanks.

What would interesting is to know the process for blending since there are 2 large and 3 smaller tanks in the photo.

Ricky

"...Mother Nature will always punish the incompetent and uninformed." Bill Barney from Thor's Legions
  • Member since
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  • From: Denver, CO
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Posted by Motley on Wednesday, February 3, 2010 4:18 PM

I think they use the gasoline to fowl the ethanol to avoid paying alcohol beverage taxes. They add 5% gasoline to denature the ethanol making it unfit for drinking.

I actually just found an ethanol plant just northwest of Denver in Windsor, CO. Which fits my prototype perfectly with my new layout.

Michael


CEO-
Mile-HI-Railroad
Prototype: D&RGW Moffat Line 1989

  • Member since
    May 2015
  • 5,134 posts
Posted by ericsp on Saturday, February 6, 2010 3:23 AM

RedGrey62

ericsp

The gasoline probably comes in by truck. 

If you get a picture that goes a bit more to the right, you would probably be able to see the gasoline truck offloading area and gasoline storage tanks.  You can see a pipeline heading to the right of the ethanol storage tanks.

What would interesting is to know the process for blending since there are 2 large and 3 smaller tanks in the photo.

Ricky

 

My guess is that they inject the gasoline into the ethanol stream as it goes from the tanks to the loading racks. 

"No soup for you!" - Yev Kassem (from Seinfeld)

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