Ethanol Fuel Producers Can Dramatically Speed, Simplify Process Control & QA Testing With Osmometry

— Replacing Manual Testing with Instruments Will Deliver Results More Reliably & 6x Faster —

NORWOOD, MASSACHUSETTS, USA – January 25, 2007 – Ethanol fuel production plant managers can streamline key control processes and dramatically cut the time to determine Dextrose Equivalence of liquefaction samples by eliminating their manual titrations with automated osmometry instrumentation.

Ethanol fuel production is growing fast in the U.S. Production doubled between 2001 and 2005, and is expected to double again and reach 15 billion gallons by 2008, according to published reports. Over 100 plants are operating in the U.S., some 80 are under construction, and 200 more are planned.

“Plant managers and engineers are being increasingly challenged to continually improve plant productivity and efficiency. Introducing proven, state-of-the-art osmometry technology to replace the standard time-consuming and inconsistent manual testing procedures is one good step forward,” said Don Wiggin, Customer Relations Manager for Advanced Instruments.

“Osmometers can, on the average, slash testing time six-fold by delivering results in three minutes, rather than 20 and, on a consistent basis, the readings will be more reliable and accurate than those taken by manual titration, with a visual endpoint,” said Wiggin.

Proven Solution in Corn Refining

Currently, Advanced Instruments’ osmometers are widely used by corn sweetener refiners and syrup users for Dextrose Equivalence. The instruments, which measure osmolality by the freezing-point method, provide fast, consistent, and reliable results to help monitor this critical attribute during production.

Most ethanol labs now monitor their production processes by determining dextrose equivalence (DE) to measure starch hydrolysis by manual Titration, including Lane-Eynon and Schoorl methods. This confronts managers with three major drawbacks: It is a lengthy test, requiring 20 minutes or more, limiting its usefulness for process control. The test is performed manually, and requires a visual endpoint, making accuracy and repeatability questionable. And the test produces the waste byproducts of copper sulphate and alkaline tartrate, which are regulated and costly to treat or dispose.

In contrast, corn refiners using Advanced Instruments’ osmometers receive accurate, and consistent instrument readouts of DE in three minutes. There are no waste byproducts.

“Ethanol plant managers would do well to follow the lead of their counterparts in the syrup industry and turn to the more advanced, proven technology standard of osmometry,” Wiggin said.

Advanced Instruments is a leading supplier of analytical instruments to the agriculture industry. The company offers a wide range of osmometers, from single sample models (such as its Model 3320) to multi-sample instruments used in high volume testing (such as its Model 3900). The Advanced Instruments Model 3320 is the industry’s most accurate and reliable instrument for osmolality measurement.

For more information, visit the Advanced Instruments Web site at www.aicompanies.com or call 800-225-4034 or 1-781-320-9000.

About Advanced Instruments
Founded in 1955, Advanced Instruments, Inc. is a leading supplier of analytical instruments and test kits for the food, dairy, and industrial microbiology markets. Based in Norwood, Massachusetts, USA, the company also produces Fiske® Associates brand diagnostic instruments and operates Spiral Biotech, Inc., and Delta Instruments as wholly-owned subsidiaries. A worldwide network of direct sales people and independent distributors supports Advanced Instruments’ products. The company can be found online at http://www.aicompanies.com/ or contact customer service at 800-225-4034 or +1-781-320-9000.

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