Meteo Station at DELTA Biovalue

Meteo Station at DELTA Biovalue

Recently Mierij Meteo has commissioned a meteorological station for DELTA Biovalue in Eemshaven, the Netherlands. DELTA Biovalue is the first Dutch biodiesel plant with its own crushing and processing facilities. Production started in August 2007 and the annual capacity is 80,000 tonnes.

The raw material for the biodiesel is rapeseed. This is delivered by ships and cannot be unloaded when it is raining. Therefore, Mierij Meteo has installed a Weather Station for the accurate measurement of rainfall. The MR 41 fast response optical rain detector and MR 21-H rain gauge monitor periods of rainfall accurately and the readings are recorded by a MU 32 data logger. The MU 32 has 2 GB storage capacity on SD card, which allows easy storage and retrieval of more than 4 years of data.    

DELTA Biovalue needs very accurate rain data to verify the outcome of eventual “demurrage” claims. This refers to the period during which the charterer remains in possession of the vessel after the period of time normally given to him to load or unload the cargo, and the additional charges thus incurred. The start and end of periods of rainfall are accurately detected with the Mierij Meteo MR 41 rain detector and used to explain that the waiting hours and delays are due to rainfall and are out of the charterer’s control. This information can help save on the demurrage charges.

The weather station at DELTA Biovalue is also equipped with the MW 31 anemometer and MW 32 wind vane, providing accurate wind measurements to improve safety on site, for example when working at height and the use of cranes. The Mierij Meteo instruments help DELTA Biovalue to achieve the most efficient use of resources.

Biovalue’s total production process is as follows:

  • Procurement, delivery and weighing of the raw material (rapeseed)
  • Storage in silos
  • Rapeseed conditioning to achieve the required humidity level
  • Rapeseed pressing – resulting in oil, rapeseed cakes and slime
  • Removal of rapeseed cakes for the animal feed industry
  • Purification of the oil
  • Purified oil is transferred to a storage tank
  • From the storage tank, the oil is transported to the esterification plant
  • The oil is mixed with ethanol or methanol, resulting in biodiesel and glycerine
  • Via a patented process, the glycerine is converted to an additive that can be added to the biodiesel
  • The biodiesel is stored and ready for sale

 

The described process from the raw material to the final products can be represented schematically as follows:

 

For further information visit http://www.biovalue.eu/mainwebsite_html/en1/home.html