FIRST COMPANY WORLDWIDE TO PRODUCE FARNESENE ON INDUSTRIAL SCALE USES SUGARCANE JUICE FROM PARAÍSO MILL

Case study

PLANT: PARAÍSO BIOENERGIA S.A.

LOCATION: BROTAS – SÃO PAULO

COUNTRY: BRAZIL

YEAR OF THE CLEANING: 2015

NUMBER OF CONDENSERS: 1

NUMBER OF TUBES: 1800

DIAMETER OF THE TUBES: 1 1/4”

BWG: 13

LENGTH: 6096 mm

MATERIAL: CARBON STEEL

TYPE OF CLEANING: MECHANIC

CLEANERS USED: C4S

PROBLEM: INABILITY TO PERFORM IRIS TESTING

The Paraíso Bioenergia sugarcane mill (UPA) has the crushing capacity of 2.5 million tons per harvest and is located in a great geographical region, close to Paulínia and the Port of Santos. In addition to the hydrated ethanol, UPA manufactures high quality refined granulated sugar. Paraíso Bioenergia sells part of its sugarcane juice to Amyris, which the first company worldwide to produce farnesene (a renewable source of hydrocarbon) on an industrial scale.

As a cooling system for the condenser, Paraíso uses water from the river.  Due to dirt in the water, residue deposits formed on the inner wall of the heat condenser tubes.  These deposits led to the inability to perform the IRIS test.

The plant chose Expander to recommend a quick and safe cleaning solution using CONCO technology.  Before cleaning, the degree of fouling was checked through videoscopy, and a water jet was applied to soften the deposits. A mechanical method using the CONCO C4S tube cleaners was then applied to complete the cleaning.

Post cleaning, the client reported a great improvement in the efficiency of the condenser, making the IRIS testing possible.