Ethanol from Corn Stover

Brandon Landry, Sam Beck, Rheagan Chambers, Allie Williams

Objectives

Objective: to produce fuel-grade ethanol from corn stover on an industrial level

History

Ethanol vs Gasoline

General Flowchart

Detailed Flowchart

Pretreatment

Hydrolysis/Fermentation

Purification

Cost Analysis

Conclusion

References

History of Ethanol Production

1826

•Ethanol first used by Samuel Morey to power an engine

1862

•Union Congress imposed a $2 tax on ethanol to help pay for the Civil War.

1906-

08

•Tax was removed and made ethanol an alternative to gasoline.•Henry Ford produced the Model-T (flex-fuel vehicle)

1941-

45

•Demand/ Production increased due to World War II

1974

•The Solar Energy Research, Development, and Demonstration Act led to research and development of the conversion of biomaterials into useful fuels.

1979

•Amoco Oil company began the marketing of commercial alcohol-blended fuels

1992

•The Energy Policy Act defined that E-85 is an alternative to transportation fuels.

1997

•Mass production of flex-fuel vehicles began

Ethanol vs Gasoline

Ethanol Low emission levels

Renewable fuel

Quickly biodegradable

Gasoline Higher emission levels

Nonrenewable

General Flowchart

Figure 1. Four main steps involved in ethanol production from lignocellulosic material.

Detailed Flowchart.

Calcium oxide

Calcium oxide

Figure 2. Flowchart for producing ethanol from corn stover.

Pretreatment

Physico-Chemical Pretreatment

o Hammer Mill Reduces size of corn stover

o Alkali Treatment Calcium oxide

Improves biomass digestibility

Improves biomass conservation

Figure 3. Hammer mill device used to crush corn stover.

Hydrolysis/Fermentation

Simultaneous Saccharification and Hydrolysis (SSF) Cost effective

Requires less energy

Produces higher yield than separate processes

Lower risk of contamination

Figure 4. Simplified flow diagram for Simultaneous Saccharification and Hydrolysis (SSF).

Purification

Molecular Sieves Used in Industry

Trap water molecules based on molecular weight properties

Graded based on internal pore diameter

Type 3Å used for ethanol dehydration

Figure 5. Molecular Sieve Diagram

Mass Balance

Figure 6. Mass balance of production.

Cost Analysis

Conclusion

Our Ethanol Production Process Input of 57 ton/hr of corn stover produces a yield of 16 ton/hr of ethanol

Ethanol Production Benefits Reduces greenhouse gas emission

Renewable

Creates jobs

Reduces U.S. dependency on imported oil

References

"Ethanol Timeline." Green Plains Renewable Energy. N.p., June 2008. Web. 23 Feb. 2014.

Bothast, R. J., and M. A. Schilcher. "Biotechnological Processes for Conversion of Corn intoEthanol." Www.agro.uba.ar. National Corn-To-Ethanol Research Center, Southern

Illinois University, 14 Dec. 2004. Web. 1 Mar. 2014.

Taherzadeh, Mohammed J., and Keikhosro Karimi. "Enzyme Based Hydrolysis Processes forEthanol from Lignocellulosic Materials: A Review." Www.ojs.cnr.ncsu.edu. North

Carolina State University, 2 Nov. 2007. Web. 1 Mar. 2014