Bioethanol

Indian Biofuels Policy 2009

20% biofuels-blended in petrol and diesel across the country by 2017. Set-up National Biofuel Coordination Committee, headed by the Prime Minister and a Biofuel Steering Committee headed by Cabinet Secretary. Removing all central taxes on bio-diesel and according declared goods' status to biofuels that would ensure a uniform 4 per cent sales tax on the product across all states. Bio-diesel production will be taken up from non-edible oil seeds in waste, degraded and marginal lands. MSP with the provision of periodic revision for bio-diesel oil seeds would be announced to provide fair price to the growers. MPP for the purchase of bio-ethanol by the Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) would be based on the actual cost of production and import price of bio-ethanol. In case of bio-diesel, the MPP should be linked to the prevailing retail diesel price.

Bioethanol

Ethanol derived from agricultural sources, as distinct from petrochemical sources, is referred to as bioethanol. Alcoholic fuel derived from fermentation of sugars by fermentative micro-organisms.

Alcohol fermentation by yeasts

Equation and ethanol yield

C6H12O6 100g

2C2H5OH + 2CO2 51.14g 48.86 g

So yield is 51g ethanol/100 g glucose

Biomass Sources
ECONOMICAL

Corn Starch Sugar Cane Corn Fiber

Paper Switch Grass Wood Chips

Stover
Cottonwoods ABUNDANT & AVAILABLE

Ethanol Production process

Direct conversion of sugar to ethanol

Molasses are the source of sugar.

Molasses is a by product of sugar refining industry.

It is a thick dark syrup produced by boiling down juice from sugarcane; specially during sugar refining.

Ethanol production from molasses is not done in a large scale around the world.

Use of corn as a source of sugar-pretreatment steps

Wet milling The process of separating the corn kernel into starch, protein, germ and fiber in an aqueous medium prior to fermentation The primary products starch and starch-derived products (e.g. high fructose corn syrup and ethanol) corn oil, corn gluten, and corn gluten .

Dry milling The entire corn kernel is first ground into flour and the starch in the flour is converted to ethanol via fermentation. Other than ethanol carbon dioxide - carbonated beverage industry distillers dried grain with solubles (DDGS) - animal feed

Malting

Steep the corn in water, start germination, stop germination at a particular by drying to stop further growth.

Conversion of starch to sugar and then sugar to ethanol

From wheat

Fermentation conditions

Temperature - 32C and 35C pH - 5.2.

Ethanol is produced at 10-15% concentration and the solution is distilled to produce ethanol at higher concentrations

From sugar cane

Simplest of all the processes

Fermentation conditions are similar to the above process

From Corn The main producer - United States

http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/environment/research.htm

Fermentation

Industrial fermentation is the intentional use of fermentation by microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi to make products useful to humans. Fermented products have applications as food as well as in general industry. The word Ferment comes from a Latin word meaning to boil The term was used due to the rapid evolution of gas (Carbon Dioxide) during alcohol fermentations. The yeast converts sugar into ethanol and carbon dioxide. The conversion of sugar to ethanol creates heat.

Fermenting micro-organisms

Species of yeasts commonly used are

Saccharomyces cerevisiae Saccharomyces carlsbergensis

Additional nutrients are added to promote yeast growth

Process complications

To achieve a high rate of ethanol production requires a large number of cells.

Growing large numbers of yeast consumes sugar which then can not be used for ethanol formation.

High sugar concentrations reduce the rate at which

the yeast grow (Substrate inhibition)

High ethanol concentrations reduce the rate at which yeast grow and the rate at which they produce ethanol.

Additional Nutrients

Molasses contains many of the nutrients necessary for yeast to grow and produce ethanol. Ammonium Sulfate is commonly added as a nitrogen source for the yeast. Yeast from previous fermentations can also be used to provide nutrients.

Yeast Desirable Traits of fermenting microorganism

Low pH - reduce competition from other organisms. High temperature tolerance reduce cooling costs, most ethanol plants are located in tropical areas. High ethanol tolerance increase fermenter ethanol concentration.

Types of fermentation

Batch Melle Boinot Continuous Biostil

Fermenters

Similar to CSTR at small scale. Scale up of the reactor associated with difficulties in mixing, requires large impellors. How to remove heat? This is done by pumping out of the fermenter through a heat exchanger and recycle into the fermenter.

Batch Fermentation

First part of fermentation is not very productive

Final Ethanol Concentration 79 g/L

Final Yeast Concentration 10 g/L

Batch Length 32 hrs

Recylced yeasts-batch fermentation-Melle Boinot

Final Ethanol Concentration 79 g/L Initial Yeast Concentration 8 g/L Final Yeast Concentration 10 g/L

Batch Length 8 hrs Yeast is recycled from the previous batch, this increases the reaction rate Which in turn shortens the fermentation time

Melle Boinot process

Popular Ethanol fermentation process in Brazil (world leader in bioethanol production) Yeasts cells are recovered through centrifugation and recycled back in the fermenter. Sterilization of the contaminating bacteria is achieved by dilute sulphuric acid treatment at pH 3. 6-8% ethanol from 11-17% sugar is obtained in just about 15 h fermentation period.

Continuous Fermentations
A

large number of different continuous fermentations exist. One type of process involves one fermenter and a yeast recycle.

High yeast concentrations result in high rates of ethanol formation. In the first fermenter ethanol concentrations are low so there is little inhibition of the yeast, and the substrate conversion is rapid. In subsequent fermenters the ethanol concentration is higher, however there is less sugar remaining to ferment.

A series of two or more fermenters.

Biostil Fermentation Process

Fermentation and Distillation are coupled. The fermentation beer is continually recycled.

Yeast is removed by centrifugation. Ethanol is removed by a rectifying column. Provides a degree of sterilisation as bacteria are killed in the column. Less water is consumed and the stillage is more concentrated, i.e. less waste water.

Biostil
Concentrated Ethanol Vapour

Feed

CO2

Ethanol Vapouriser Backset

Fermenter Yeast Recycle

Stillage Stripper

centrifuge

Yeast Bleed Concentrated Stillage

Companies in India doing Biostil process IBI Chematur, Bombay, India is doing Biostil process for ethanol production

Stillage Recycling

Stillage is the name given to the stream from the bottom of the ethanol concentrator column. It consists of yeast cells which have been killed by the distillation process and other components from the molasses feed and the fermentation. Recycling the stillage is called Backset. Industrially 10-20% of the stillage is recycled for molasses fermentations. Recycling Stillage can reduce nutrient and fresh water requirements.

Energy Requirements

The separation of ethanol from water requires a considerable amount of energy. Estimates range from 2.5 to 5 kg of steam per litre of anhydrous ethanol produced. If the ethanol refinery is located next to the sugar mill this heat steam could be raised by the combustion of bagasse. Does the production of ethanol from molasses produce energy?

Wastes

The production of ethanol produces a lot of waste materials. Particularly CO2 and waste water. Can the amount of waste water be reduced? Can other products be made from these wastes?