Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • 123 views

    HW0021 Manufacture of Ethanol

    Uploaded by

    lily august
    1. The document describes the process for manufacturing ethanol from molasses through fermentation. Key steps include sterilization of molasses, yeast cultivation, fermentation to produce beer, and distillation to obtain ethanol. 2. Azeotropic distillation with benzene as an agent is used to separate ethanol and water to obtain anhydrous ethanol, since they form an azeotrope. The ternary azeotrope separates into phases that are further processed to recover ethanol and recycle benzene. 3. Various unit operations like distillation, condensation, scrubbing are involved to purify and concentrate the ethanol while recovering byproducts like carbon dioxide. Energy recovery in the

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    HW0021 Manufacture of Ethanol

    Uploaded by

    lily august
    123 views5 pages
    1. The document describes the process for manufacturing ethanol from molasses through fermentation. Key steps include sterilization of molasses, yeast cultivation, fermentation to produce beer, and distillation to obtain ethanol. 2. Azeotropic distillation with benzene as an agent is used to separate ethanol and water to obtain anhydrous ethanol, since they form an azeotrope. The ternary azeotrope separates into phases that are further processed to recover ethanol and recycle benzene. 3. Various unit operations like distillation, condensation, scrubbing are involved to purify and concentrate the ethanol while recovering byproducts like carbon dioxide. Energy recovery in the

    Original Description:

    manufacture of ethanol

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    1. The document describes the process for manufacturing ethanol from molasses through fermentation. Key steps include sterilization of molasses, yeast cultivation, fermentation to produce beer, and distillation to obtain ethanol. 2. Azeotropic distillation with benzene as an agent is used to separate ethanol and water to obtain anhydrous ethanol, since they form an azeotrope. The ternary azeotrope separates into phases that are further processed to recover ethanol and recycle benzene. 3. Various unit operations like distillation, condensation, scrubbing are involved to purify and concentrate the ethanol while recovering byproducts like carbon dioxide. Energy recovery in the

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    123 views5 pages

    HW0021 Manufacture of Ethanol

    Uploaded by

    lily august
    1. The document describes the process for manufacturing ethanol from molasses through fermentation. Key steps include sterilization of molasses, yeast cultivation, fermentation to produce beer, and distillation to obtain ethanol. 2. Azeotropic distillation with benzene as an agent is used to separate ethanol and water to obtain anhydrous ethanol, since they form an azeotrope. The ternary azeotrope separates into phases that are further processed to recover ethanol and recycle benzene. 3. Various unit operations like distillation, condensation, scrubbing are involved to purify and concentrate the ethanol while recovering byproducts like carbon dioxide. Energy recovery in the

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    of 5

    MANUFATURE OF ETHANOL FROM MOLASSES

    Figure 1: Process flow sheet for ethanol manufacture from molasses

    1. Reaction:
    Ethanol (C2H5OH) is a volatile, flammable, clear, colourless liquid, used as a
    solvent, germicide, beverage, antifreeze, fuel, depressant and chemical intermediate.
    It can be made by the fermentation process of material that contains sugar or from
    the compound which can be converted to sugar. Yeast enzyme readily ferment
    sucrose to ethanol. Ethanol has a molecular weight of 46.07 g/mol, density of 789
    kg/m3 and boiling point of 78.37°C.

    2. Raw material:
    Molasses

    3. Process technology:
    Illustrated in Figure 1.

    4. Unit processes:
    Sterilization tank; Yeast cultivation tank; Fermentation tank; Diluter; Beer
    still; Storage tank;
    5. Unit operations in the technology:
    Dry Scrubbing; Condensation; Distillation/Rectification; Decantation; Mixing

    6. Functional role of various processes:


    a. Molasses storage tank:
    Molasses is liquor obtained as by product of sugar industries.
    Molasses is a heavy viscous material which contains sucrose, fructose and
    glucose (invert sugar) at a concentration of 50-60(wt/vol).
    b. Sterilization tank:
    Yeast is sterilized under pressure and then cooled.
    c. Yeast cultivation tank:
    Yeast grows in the presence of oxygen by budding.
    Yeast is cultivated in advance.
    d. Yeast storage tank:
    Yeasts are unicellular, oval and 0.004 to 0.010mm in diameter.
    PH is adjusted to 4.8 to 5 and temperature up to 32°C
    e. Fermentation tank:
    Chemical changes are brought by the action of enzymes invertase and
    zymase secreted by yeast in molasses.
    Fermentation is anaerobic,
    Heat is evolved which is removed by cooling coils.
    Residence time is 30-70 hours and temperature is maintained at 20-30°C
    8-10%alcohol by volume (beer) is produced by fermentation process.
    HCl or sulphuric acid is added to obtain 4.5 PH.
    f. Diluter:
    Here molasses is diluted to 10 to 15% sugar solution.
    g. Scrubber:
    Carbon dioxide is released and utilized as by product.
    By-product CO2 contains some ethanol due to Vapor liquid evaporation and
    can be recovered by water scrubbing.
    Water is sent back to continuous diluter stream.
    h. Beer still:
    50-60% concentration alcohol and aldehyde is produced.
    Slops are removed as bottom product.
    Slop is concentrated by evaporation for cattle feed or discharged as waste.
    Slop contains proteins, sugar and vitamins.
    i. Aldehyde still:
    Undesirable volatile liquid; aldehyde is taken off from the top of the still.
    From the side stream alcohol is feed to the decanter.
    It is extractive distillation column, and operates at a pressure of
    around 0.6-0.7 MPa.
    j. Decanter :
    Fusel oil which is high molecular weight alcohol is recovered by decantation.
    Fusel oil is fractionated to produce amyl alcohol or are sold directly.
    The principle behind extraction of- fusel oil from ethanol is that higher
    alcohols are more volatile than ethanol in solution containing a high
    concentration of water.
    k. Rectifying column:
    In the column, azeotropic alcohol- water mixture of 95% ethanol is
    withdrawn as side product.
    This 95% ethanol is condensed in condenser and stored in storage tank.
    Side stream is withdrawn and sent to decanter.
    At the bottom, water is discharged.
    Here, alcohol – water mixtures are rectified to increase the strength of
    alcohol.
    l. Storage tank:
    From storage tank, three streams are evolved:
    Direct sale as portable.
    For industrial use.
    To anhydrous still to produce 100% ethanol.
    m. Mix tank:
    For producing denatured alcohol, denaturant is mixed with the 95% ethanol
    produced from rectifying column.
    Denaturant is normally methanol (10vol%)
    n. Ternary Azeotropic distillation:
    The product from rectifying column is a ternary minimum boiling azeotrope
    of ethanol, water and benzene.
    Benzene is an azeotropic agent.
    Here mainly two units are present; anhydrous still, decanter, stripper and
    few heat exchangers.
    Anhydrous motor fuel grade ethanol (100% ethanol) is produced as product.
    Heat integration and energy recovery plays a vital role in reducing energy
    requirements.

    Technical Questions
    1. Explain Azeotropic distillation process for manufacturing 100% ethanol?
    Ans: The separation process of ethanol and water is energy intensive.
    Complete separation of ethanol and water is not possible by simple distillation. This
    is due to the fact that ethanol forms a minimum boiling azeotrope with water at 89
    mole % (96.4 vol%) ethanol concentration at atmospheric pressure and 351K.
    Therefore, a third component benzene is added as azeotropic agent. With addition
    of benzene, unfortunately, a ternary azeotrope containing benzene (53.9 mol%),
    water (23.3mol%) and ethanol (22.8mol%) is formed with a boiling point of 338K
    which is lower than the boiling point of ethanol. Eventually, the anhydrous still
    produces 100% pure ethanol as bottom product and ternary azeotrope at the top.
    The ternary azeotrope on cooling separates into two phases in the decantation unit
    in which two phases are formed:
    (a) Benzene rich organic phase
    (b) Aqueous phase of benzene and ethanol.
    While the benzene rich organic phase is recycled as reflux to the anhydrous still, the
    aqueous phase of benzene and ethanol is sent to a second column (stripper) which
    separates the ethanol/water from benzene. It is interesting to note here that
    cooling enabled the phase separation of the azeotrope which eventually was further
    separated using stripping.

    2. Why yeast storage is required?


    Ans: In due course of the fermentation process, it is possible that due to
    variations in the addition of nutrients, flow rates and conditions of the fermenter,
    there could be a possibility in the variation of solution concentration of
    microorganisms. In addition, prolonged biological activity could also encourage
    genetic modification. Therefore, yeast is always stored after the yeast culture tank
    so that always a reference stock is available and can be used for further growth of
    the microorganisms as a base cell culture.

    3. What is the function of scrubber?


    Ans: In natural mass transfer processes, it is inevitable that 100 % separative
    distribution of compounds such as ethanol is not possible. Ethanol having a boiling
    point of 78.3oC at atmospheric pressure due to existing vapor pressure
    circumstances enters the air leaving the fermentation tank. Therefore, the ethanol
    produced could get lost if left to the atmosphere as a vent stream.

    4. Why molasses is sterilized?


    Ans: The molasses consist of other types of microorganisms which
    contribute to the production of other types of alcohols other than ethanol.
    Therefore, to allow the larger production of ethanol in comparison to other alcohols
    and ketones, the molasses is sterilized for the removal of other types of
    microorganisms.
    5. What is denatured alcohol?
    Ans: Denatured Alcohol is ethanol which has been rendered toxic or
    otherwise undrinkable, and in some cases dyed. It is used for purposes such as fuel
    for spirit burners and camping stoves, and as a solvent. Some agents such as
    denatonium benzoate, methanol, naphtha, pridine are added to the ethanol.

    6. Why alcohol obtained from rectifying column can’t be more than 95%
    strength?
    Ans: Water form a binary constant boiling mixture which has higher boiling
    point than alcohol, anhydrous and absolute alcohol.

    7. Why are partial condensers used in the process?


    Ans: A partial condenser is typically used in a distillation column when the
    product desired is send for further processing and the vapors are only cooled to
    obtain the desired reflux stream flow rates. In this way, in a sequence of distillation
    columns, it will lead to energy savings. The ethanol process flow sheet consists of
    complex column stream interactions in terms of reflux streams. For instance, for the
    reflux for aldehyde column is supplied from both distillate vapors emanating from
    aldehyde and rectifying columns. It is also further interesting to note that the
    pressures of these two distillation columns are bound to be different. On the other
    hand, heat integration using the concept of pre-heat exchangers is encouraged for
    maximizing energy savings. All these have been factually encouraged by the
    presence of partial condensers. The development of better processes from base
    case scenarios is of course based on rigorous process design studies followed by
    pilot plant studies of the most encouraging options. Therefore, the utility of partial
    condensers is in fact a rigorous process design and systems engineering exercise.

    References:
    1. Dryden C. E., Outlines of Chemical Technology, East-West Press, 2008
    2. Kirk R. E., Othmer D. F., Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, John Wiley and
    Sons, 1999-2012

    You might also like