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Title: Alcohol production from agricultural and forestry residues

Abstract

Technologies available for the production of ethanol from whole corn are reviewed. Particular emphasis is placed on the environmental aspects of the process, including land utilization and possible air and water pollutants. Suggestions are made for technological changes intended to improve the economics of the process as well as to reduce some of the pollution from by-product disposal. Ethanol may be derived from renewable cellulosic substances by either enzymatic or acid hydrolysis of cellulose to sugar, followed by conventional fermentation and distillation. The use of two agricultural residues - corn stover (field stalks remaining after harvest) and straw from wheat crops - is reviewed as a cellulosic feedstock. Two processes have been evaluated with regard to environmental impact - a two-stage acid process developed by G.T. Tsao of Purdue University and an enzymatic process based on the laboratory findings of C.R. Wilke of the University of California, Berkeley. The environmental residuals expected from the manufacture of methyl and ethyl alcohols from woody biomass are covered. The methanol is produced in a gasification process, whereas ethanol is produced by hydrolysis and fermentation processes similar to those used to derive ethanol from cellulosic materials.

Authors:
; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
5141382
Report Number(s):
DOE/EV-0108
DOE Contract Number:  
W-31-109-ENG-38
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
09 BIOMASS FUELS; AGRICULTURAL WASTES; ACID HYDROLYSIS; ENZYMATIC HYDROLYSIS; ETHANOL; PRODUCTION; MAIZE; FERMENTATION; METHANOL; WOOD WASTES; AIR POLLUTION; DISTILLATION; GASIFICATION; LAND USE; PLANT STEMS; STRAW; WATER POLLUTION; WHEAT; ALCOHOLS; BIOCONVERSION; CEREALS; CHEMICAL REACTIONS; DECOMPOSITION; GRAMINEAE; GRASS; HYDROLYSIS; HYDROXY COMPOUNDS; LYSIS; ORGANIC COMPOUNDS; PLANTS; POLLUTION; SEPARATION PROCESSES; SOLID WASTES; SOLVOLYSIS; THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES; WASTES; 140504* - Solar Energy Conversion- Biomass Production & Conversion- (-1989); 090222 - Alcohol Fuels- Preparation from Wastes or Biomass- (1976-1989)

Citation Formats

Dale, L, Opilla, R, and Surles, T. Alcohol production from agricultural and forestry residues. United States: N. p., 1980. Web. doi:10.2172/5141382.
Dale, L, Opilla, R, & Surles, T. Alcohol production from agricultural and forestry residues. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/5141382
Dale, L, Opilla, R, and Surles, T. 1980. "Alcohol production from agricultural and forestry residues". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/5141382. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/5141382.
@article{osti_5141382,
title = {Alcohol production from agricultural and forestry residues},
author = {Dale, L and Opilla, R and Surles, T},
abstractNote = {Technologies available for the production of ethanol from whole corn are reviewed. Particular emphasis is placed on the environmental aspects of the process, including land utilization and possible air and water pollutants. Suggestions are made for technological changes intended to improve the economics of the process as well as to reduce some of the pollution from by-product disposal. Ethanol may be derived from renewable cellulosic substances by either enzymatic or acid hydrolysis of cellulose to sugar, followed by conventional fermentation and distillation. The use of two agricultural residues - corn stover (field stalks remaining after harvest) and straw from wheat crops - is reviewed as a cellulosic feedstock. Two processes have been evaluated with regard to environmental impact - a two-stage acid process developed by G.T. Tsao of Purdue University and an enzymatic process based on the laboratory findings of C.R. Wilke of the University of California, Berkeley. The environmental residuals expected from the manufacture of methyl and ethyl alcohols from woody biomass are covered. The methanol is produced in a gasification process, whereas ethanol is produced by hydrolysis and fermentation processes similar to those used to derive ethanol from cellulosic materials.},
doi = {10.2172/5141382},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/5141382}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1980},
month = {Mon Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1980}
}