Hawaii ethanol from molasses project. Report on plant inspections

Technical Report · Tue Sep 18 04:00:00 EDT 1979

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6299493· OSTI ID:6299493

Gibson, W. O.; Mashima, K. I.; Roberts, R. R.; Chen, C. S.

Personal inspections were made of several ethanol plants in Europe and the US in order to determine the best commercial processes presently in operation, prepare a conceptual design of a large plant incorporating these processes, describe the processes, and list best estimates of yields, energy requirements, capital costs and operating costs. Information was obtained from fermentation plant manufacturers and alcohol producers concerning their company-sponsored process improvement and new process developments. A summary of the highlights of these observations are included in this report. The inspectors: observed commercial incineration of waste sulfite liquors; observed the pilot plant (not in operation) to incinerate various waste liquors resulting from fermentation of different feedstocks; observed commercial continuous and batch fermentation of beet molasses for the production of ethanol and stillage evaporation to 70% dissolved solids for animal feed; observed pilot plant operation of a new process (Carver-Greenfield process) for handling stillage; observed anhydrous ethanol production from fermentation of sulfite waste liquor using ethyl ether as the dehydrating agent; and observed the safety precautions taken when using this hazardous material.

• Research Organization: Hawaii Univ., Honolulu (USA). Center for Engineering Research
• DOE Contract Number: AC03-79ET23141
• OSTI ID: 6299493
• Report Number(s): DOE/ET/23141-T3; ON: DE81029370
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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ALCOHOLS
BATCH CULTURE
BIOCONVERSION
CONTINUOUS CULTURE
DEHYDRATION
ETHANOL
ETHANOL PLANTS
ETHERS
EUROPE
EVAPORATION
FERMENTATION
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
INCINERATORS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
INDUSTRIAL WASTES
LIQUID WASTES
MANAGEMENT
MOLASSES
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC WASTES
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PRODUCTION
SAFETY
SPENT LIQUORS
STILLAGE
SURVEYS
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
USA
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PRODUCT UTILIZATION
WASTES