Making Ethanol Fuel
For those interested in an alternative to gasoline, ethanol just might fit the bill. Ethonal is a form of alcohol derived from plant materials, which is why it is often called a biofuel. Although it is the same kind of alcohol that is poured into cocktails or taken over the rocks, ethanol is mixed with a denaturant like gasoline to turn it from alcohol to fuel. The process of making ethanol fuel is one you should study if you are considering a conversion to this environmentally friendly source of fuel.
Large manufacturers use either wet mill or dry mill procedures to produce their ethanol. Biomass sources can include corn, grain, wheat or even sugarcane. Brazil happens to be one of the biggest producers of ethanol and a country with many drivers using ethanol based fuel. They make the bulk of their ethanol from sugarcane which is a plentiful plant resource in their hot climate. Here in the USA corn is the primary source although other materials including the plant fiber cellulose can be used as well.
The biomass is ground into a fine texture to make it easier to process. After either wet milling or dry milling depending on the fiber content of the material being used, it is time for the cooking process. During this process slurry is made ready for fermentation. It is liquefied twice, once through a pressurized high heat cooker and once by being held at a certain temperature so the alpha-amylase enzyme has enough time to degrade the starch into usable material. Next comes fermentation, distillation, dehydration and storage. At this point the ethanol is ready to be made into fuel for your vehicle.
One thing many consumers don't know is that some supporters of ethanol actually make their own. Making ethanol fuel is a process that can actually be done by the average adult. Of course before even considering such an undertaking you should read a great deal on the process of doing so and weigh the pros and cons. A book that may give you a good introduction to creating ethanol on your own is called Alcohol Fuel: A Guide to Making and Using Ethanol as a Renewable Fuel by Richard Freudenberger. There may be other titles as well on this subject worth your consideration, just check with your bookstore of choice.
People & Power - Ethanol & Bio-fuels - 17 Sep 07 - Part 1
| DOE orders oil firms to prioritize local ethanol THE Department of Energy (DOE) has ordered oil companies to exhaust the local supply of ethanol for their blending requirements before resorting to imports... | ||
Valero Breaks Earnings Records in 2011 as Retail, Ethanol Improve Volumes, Production, an Industrial Info News Alert SUGAR LAND, TX-- - Researched by Industrial Info Resources -- Valero Energy Corporation , a leading international manufacturer and marketer of transportation fuels and other petrochemical products, reported ... | ||
Cutting Edge Fuel Solutions From Sierra Help Boaters Protect Critical Engine . - DigitalJournal.com (press release)
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The case for biofuels in our energy mix - Financial Post
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The case for biofuels in our energy mix - Montreal Gazette
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Ethanol's food-fuel dilemma - CNNMoney
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Trash-to-Ethanol Producer Backed by Valero Sets $125 Million IPO - Bloomberg
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Record ethanol production helps Iowa economy SHELL ROCK --- Ethanol plants statewide produced a record amount of fuel last year, pumping up Iowas economy, according to a report released this past week... | ||
Fears for jobs as ethanol producer stops work on plant THE NSW ethanol mandate will be ''appropriately enforced'', the Premier, Barry O'Farrell, has assured Australia's biggest ethanol producer, Manildra, after the company reacted to his decision to dump a ban on regular unleaded fuel by suspending the expansion of its Nowra plant... | ||
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