Ethanol Production from Sugarcane Trash

Agricultural waste such as sugarcane trash are currently a major problem for agriculture from an environmental standpoint , thus it conversion to biofuel is highly advantageous.

Ethanol: 

A colourless volatile flammable liquid which is produced by the natural fermentation of sugar alcohol.

Bioethanol can be produced in three ways:

1) Sugar ---- ethanol

2) Starch --- Sugar ---- ethanol 

3) Cellulose -- hemicellulose--ethanol 

• Sugarcane 

Simplest of all the processes 

Production Process:

1)Ethanol can be commercially produced by a variety of methods.The fermentation method is the one which makes use of naturally occurring renewable raw materials.

2) Any material, which is capable of being fermented by enzymes can serve as a source of ethanol production.

3) Farm crop residue , starch based feedstock include cereals , grains and tubers like cassava , yam , sweet potato etc.

4) Starchy feedstocks can be hydrolyzed to get fermentable sugar syrup and give average yield up to 42 litres / 100 kg feedstock.

5) The starch bearing materials are steamed for one to two hours at 2-3 atm. pressure

6) The resultant pulp is cooled at 50°C and equal volume of water and 10% malt is added .

7) The mixture allowed to stand for short time for starch is converted into dextrin .The temp raised 50°C while dextrin is coverted first to maltose and the dextrose.

8) Yeast is added to liquid mash & fermentation is allowed for a couple of day .  The yeast converts sugar into ethanol . The ethonol water mixture is sent through additional distillation columns where ethonol concentration is increased to 190 proof ( 95%) .This in turn is dried through an extra active distillation process to yield 200 proof ethanol.

9) Distillation columns separate ethanol from the fermented mash , with additional purification taking place in rectification columns to produce an ethanol and water mixture.

10) Dehydration is the step of removing the last of the water , taking the mixture beyond its azeotropic equilibrium to produce anhydrous ethanol, or bio- ethanol.

Benefits: 

1) Leading renewable fuel for transportation Sector

2) Renewable Source of energy 

3) Lower toxicity level

4) eco-friendly 

5) Energy Security 

✍️Agricoss Vaishnavi Nimkar

(Gunji, Dhamangaon railway)

Mob.No- 7666441799