Preliminary energy balance and economic of a farm-scale ethanol plant
A small-scale ethanol plant was designed, built, tested, and modified over the past 18 months. The plant currently operating is the second design. A third, and probably final, design will be installed and operating within a few months. The current plant produces approximately 30 gal/hr of 190-proof alcohol on a continuous basis. The new plant will produce 50 gal/hr of 200-proof alcohol. A key feature is the relatively low process heat requirement, which is achieved by extensive use of waste-heat recovery heat exchangers. This is manifested in the low temperatures of the process output streams. Acting on the request of the Office of Alcohol Fuels, US Department of Energy, and at the invitation of the owners, representatives from the Solar Energy Research Institute evaluated the energy balance on the plant. The objective was to help clear up the controversy surrounding the net energy benefit of ethanol production. Although the study was site-specific to the plant and limited in scope, it is indicative of the potential performance of grain-to-ethanol plants in general.
- Research Organization:
- Solar Energy Research Inst. (SERI), Golden, CO (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- EG-77-C-01-4042
- OSTI ID:
- 5381395
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/CS/4042-T36
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
BIOMASS CONVERSION PLANTS
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
NET ENERGY
ETHANOL
BIOSYNTHESIS
CHEMICAL REACTION YIELD
CHEMICAL REACTORS
CROPS
DATA
DIAGRAMS
ENZYMATIC HYDROLYSIS
FARMS
FERMENTATION
TABLES
WASTE HEAT UTILIZATION
ALCOHOLS
BIOCONVERSION
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DATA FORMS
DECOMPOSITION
ECONOMICS
ENERGY ANALYSIS
HYDROLYSIS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
INFORMATION
LYSIS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
SOLVOLYSIS
SYNTHESIS
WASTE PRODUCT UTILIZATION
YIELDS
090222* - Alcohol Fuels- Preparation from Wastes or Biomass- (1976-1989)
140504 - Solar Energy Conversion- Biomass Production & Conversion- (-1989)