Solar Ethanol Demonstration Plant: report of Phase I, technology assessment and Phase II, concept selection
The solar ethanol demonstration plant is a most versatile facility for demonstrating the feasibility of on-farm, small scale ethanol production using solar energy as the primary heat source. This facility will be capable of processing the full range of feed stocks - not only the sugar and starch crops but also the cellulose feedstocks on which little data have been collected. This plant is unique in that it will be designed to permit the addition of modules (needed for the processing of cellulose and/or the demonstration of the continuous cycle) and the interchange of components such as fermenters, distillation columns, and molecular sieves which will enable comparative performance data among specific components. The feasibility of solar energy in ethanol production and the utilization of cascaded waste heat for other on-farm uses are also major design features. Engineering and cost analysis was performed to formulate a preliminary design for a unique solar ethanol demonstration plant for on-farm use. Energy requirements were calculated for a variety of starches, simple sugars, and cellulose. These requirements, in increasing order of Btu's required per gallon of ethanol produced, were simple sugars (low), grains (moderate), and cellulose (high). A complete listing of all feedstocks examined is presented. Chapter II provides the design requirements and the detailed process plant design information with flow, layout and performance information. Chapter III provides the results of the ethanol feedstock energy requirements study and chapter IV contains supporting details of the solar collector selection process. The three appendixes which follow address the ethanol fermentation process, the range of cellulose-ethanol production processes, and a detailed description of the Solar Collector performance model.
- Research Organization:
- American Agriculture Foundation, Inc., Denver, CO
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC07-80ID12098
- OSTI ID:
- 6335613
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/ID/12098-T2; ON: DE81027183
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
14 SOLAR ENERGY
BIOMASS CONVERSION PLANTS
DEMONSTRATION PLANTS
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
ETHANOL
BIOSYNTHESIS
FERMENTATION
SOLAR PROCESS HEAT
CALORIFIC VALUE
CEREALS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
CROPS
DESIGN
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
EVACUATED TUBE COLLECTORS
FARMS
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
FLAT PLATE COLLECTORS
FLOWSHEETS
FRUITS
MAIZE
MOLASSES
NET ENERGY
PARABOLIC TROUGH COLLECTORS
SORGHUM
SUGAR BEETS
SUGAR CANE
TUBERS
WOOD
ALCOHOLS
BEETS
BIOCONVERSION
COMBUSTION PROPERTIES
CONCENTRATING COLLECTORS
DIAGRAMS
ECONOMICS
ENERGY
ENERGY ANALYSIS
EQUIPMENT
EVACUATED COLLECTORS
FOOD
GRAMINEAE
GRASS
HEAT
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PARABOLIC COLLECTORS
PLANTS
PROCESS HEAT
SOLAR COLLECTORS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SYNTHESIS
VEGETABLES
140504* - Solar Energy Conversion- Biomass Production & Conversion- (-1989)
090222 - Alcohol Fuels- Preparation from Wastes or Biomass- (1976-1989)
140905