Small-scale ethanol production facility design and performance

Conference · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1981

OSTI ID:5688485

Pile, R S; Badger, P C; Nelson, R G

The small-scale fuel alcohol facility has operated satisfactorily for the evaluations included in this report except for the product flow rate and the boiler performance. However, design product flow rates have been sustained using a different stripping column packing. Total energy used in the production process was 214 MJ per L of 190-proof ethanol (53,700 Btu's per gal) of which 53 MJ per L (13,200 Btu's per gal) was electrical energy. In general, the economics of the system appear to be favorable when operated at capacity on an annual basis. Facility construction and operation are relatively simple, and off-the-shelf or easily available components may be used. With further testing and verification trials, the final design should be well suited for use on farms or by cooperatives interested in small-scale fuel alcohol production. There will be further evaluations of other stripping column packings with corn. Also, the facility will be modified to process nongrain feedstocks into ethanol. Technical and economic considerations of these feedstocks will be assessed.

• Research Organization: Tennessee Valley Authority, Muscle Shoals, AL (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AI01-80CS80010
• OSTI ID: 5688485
• Report Number(s): CONF-811221-1; ON: DE82006100
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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BIOCONVERSION
BY-PRODUCTS
CEREALS
CONSTRUCTION
DESIGN
DIAGRAMS
DISTILLATION
EQUIPMENT
ETHANOL PLANTS
FERMENTATION
FLOW RATE
FLOWSHEETS
GRAMINEAE
GRASS
HEAT EXCHANGERS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
MAIZE
OPERATION
PERFORMANCE
PLANTS
SEPARATION PROCESSES