Everyone knows that powdered sugar will dissolve more quickly in your coffee than a sugar cube — and that stirring will help either dissolve even faster. Applying that principal to manufacturing is not so simple, but new technology from Cleveland-based Arisdyne Systems is helping corn ethanol producers achieve higher yields from the same raw materials and energy.

Arisdyne's hydrodynamic cavitation technology harnesses the power of cavitation, the tiny implosions that occur in any turbulent fluid. As the company's web site explains, "The system is calibrated to produce optimum process conditions. Shockwaves resulting from the implosions impact the surrounding process fluid. Tiny droplets or particles result producing high-quality emulsions and dispersions."

And greater yields. The technology has helped Corn Plus of Minnesota increase production by 4 percent, according to Arisdyne vice president Fred Clarke. "Which, if you think about it, is like getting free money," he adds. Corn Plus licensed the technology in June, after two months of testing, and in July reported in its newsletter that "data from the first couple of months are very promising and the unit's operation has been consistent."

Arisdyne installed another system just two weeks ago, and has signed contracts with two other clients, Clarke says. The outlook for next year? "It's bright," Clarke says. There are about 200 ethanol plants in the U.S., and Clarke estimates that 120-140 posses the "downstream" factors necessary to benefit from Arisdyne's system.

Source: Fred Clarke, Arsidyne
Writer: Frank W. Lewis