ICM/PBS personnel provided design, construction supervision, technical development, start-up and training services for the implementation of an anaerobic Bio-Methanation system at the BEI Fuel Ethanol Plant in Scotland, SD. The turnkey Bio-Methanator plant was designed and built by ICM-Phoenix for Broin Enterprises, Inc., the owners of the Fuel Ethanol Plant. 

     The plant consists of a single upflow expanded- bed, 10,000 gal bio-reactor, design rated for removing of 1,000 pounds per day of COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand). The bio-reactor is located out-of-doors, while all control and sampling units are skid-mounted and located inside the plant's utility building. 

       The entire anaerobic system was pre-fabricated at the ICM shop in Colwich and shipped to the site in Scotland for installation, which required less than one week. The main bio-reactor is pre-molded FRP while internals are stainless steel.

     The unit was installed and started up in October 2000.  Start-up was completed in three days and the plant was turned over to operating personnel shortly thereafter. The plant has operated successfully since start-up averaging 85 to 95% COD reduction and consistently producing effluent waters suitable for discharge to the city of Scotland. The daily COD loading of the unit routinely exceeds design rating, however this has not been a problem during the first six months of operation.

     Daily operating costs are extremely low, requiring only one to two hours per day of operator and lab time along with small amounts of nutrient chemicals and less than 10 operating horsepower.

     The Bio-Methanator pre-treatment unit will make it possible for the plant to expand its fuel ethanol production capacity without endangering its pre-treatment permit.