We’re continuing our in-depth look at how Tyton BioEnergy Systems is working on turning tobacco plants into useful products and chemicals. In the first article of this series, we took a look at what happens outside the building. In Part #2, we’ll look inside the building at the machinery & the process.
Let’s continue where we left off…
The special non-smoking tobacco strain that Tyton uses in grown by local farmers. It can grow to 12 feet tall. These plants are sitting on a table, but company president Peter Majeranowski is 6′ 3″ tall for reference.
Tyton was showing a video on the media tour that showed the harvesting process. Since the entire tobacco plant is used, a harvester can be used to mow the plants down.
Tyton’s machinery and process with produce sugars and oils. The oils will go to a refinery where they can be processed into ethanol and biodiesel. The small tubes contain “char”. that has carbon and nutrients that can enrich soil.
Tyton continues to do research at their facility. Here, juice from the tobacco plant is mixed with corn slurry. It’s fermenting in this machine for testing.
Majeranowski is now talking about the new extractor machine. He describes it as a “big pressure cooker”.
The material from the outside process goes into the tank via the pipe system in the upper right of this photo.
The tobacco plant material is processed and sent to this part of the machine.
Here’s a close up of how the cooking tank gets the raw materials.
Tyton’s research is proprietary, but I did notice these freezers that were set on -40 degrees.
In the next part, we’ll take a look at the press conference that happened as well as more from inside the operations of Tyton BioEnergy Systems. SouthsideCentral is the only place to get in-depth coverage like this and we’re glad you stop by daily!
Very nice job Bruce. Please let us know more about this. Sounds and looks (from photos) to be very interesting. I’m also interested in the location of this business.
[…] Inside Tyton BioEnergy Systems – Part #2 […]
The door isn’t latched on the Extractor electrical panel. Let’s hope they fix this before they get dinged by OSHA!
I’m impressed, sir. Highly impressed.