Development of an Automation System and Commissioning for Ergo's New Containerized Biodiesel Production Process

Ergo Eco Solutions是一家加拿大能源公司，是生产、营销和销售生物柴油的先驱。Ergo的生物柴油是一种可再生的、可生物降解的、无毒的燃料，来自温哥华岛上餐馆收集的100%废弃食用油。最近，Ergo扩大了收集业务，并购买了一个生物柴油生产设施，这是一个完全独立的单位，有大部分的过程准备开始生产。然而，由于生物柴油生产和销售的利润率较低，生产设施必须具有重要的仪表和控制系统，以便在几乎没有监督的情况下运行。因此，自动化系统不仅是必需的，而且是必不可少的。目前的设施需要升级和自动化系统增加以及委托。这个与Ergo和兰顿学院的合作研究项目是为Ergo的新集装箱生物柴油生产过程开发一个自动化系统，并委托该装置为Ergo增加生物柴油产量做好准备。研究团队将专注于检查现有设备，并确定如何使Ergo的系统自动化。此外，自动化系统的建设和测试，以寻找最佳条件，并建立高产量的生物柴油生产，确保它符合Ergo的要求，并确保该系统是有效的全面运作。成功开发一个全自动的，适应性强的生物柴油生产系统，可以持续生产生物柴油将导致增加收入和市场份额的燃料市场。该解决方案将在商业规模上部署，向整个温哥华岛出售生物柴油。反过来，这将为新生产设施的运营和维护以及燃料运输增加2- 3个全职职位。这也将为加拿大的生物经济和环境效益创造进一步的经济多样化。

Ergo Eco Solutions is a Canadian energy company that is a pioneer in producing, marketing, and sellingbiodiesel. Ergo's biodiesel is a renewable, bio-degradable, and non-toxic fuel derived from 100% recycledwaste cooking oils collected from restaurants on Vancouver Island. Recently, Ergo has expanded collectionoperations and purchased a biodiesel production facility that is a completely self-contained unit that has mostof the processes ready to start production. However, due to the low margins of biodiesel production and sales,it is imperative that the production facility have significant instrumentation and control systems so that it canbe operated with little oversight. Thus, automation systems are not only required but essential. The currentfacility needs to be upgraded and automation systems added as well as commissioned.This collaborative research project with Ergo and Lambton College is to develop an automation system forErgo's new containerized biodiesel production process and commission the unit to be ready for Ergo to increasetheir biodiesel production. The research team will focus on examining existing equipment and determininghow to automate Ergo's system. In addition, building and testing of the automation system to find optimalconditions and set up for high yield biodiesel production ensuring it meets the demands of Ergo and that thesystem is effective for full-scale operation.The successful development of a fully automated, adaptable biodiesel production system that can sustainablyproduce biodiesel will lead to increased revenue and market share in the fuels market. The solution will bedeployed on a commercial scale to sell biodiesel to the whole Vancouver Island. In turn, this will generate 2-3more full-time positions in operation and maintenance and fuel transport for the new production facility. Thiswill also create further economic diversification in the bioeconomy and environmental benefits for Canada.