Production of ethanol from starch

MEKELLE-UNIVERSITY

EIT - M

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL

ENGINEERING

PROJECT ONE

PRODUCTION OF ETHANOL FROM STARCH

Submitted by:

1. Ybrah G/cherkos 3039/03

2. Yeshidagna Nigussie 3149/03

3. Yodit Hailu 3091/03

 Abstract

Ethanol and ethanol-gasoline mixtures have been considered for use as a fuel since the early days
of the automobile. Ethanol is one of the most important and useful energy resources of future. It
is also known as bio-petrol. It can be manufactured from corn by treating/processing it with
different process. This fuel is more environmental friendly and safe to use as compared to other
fuels like diesel and petrol because it produces less CO2 while burning. One of the major facts is
this that it has low knocking tendency, so it means that it is of high quality and is more useful as
compared to recently used petrol or diesel.
 AKNOLEDGMENT

We would like to thank our adviser Gebreamlak who have worked with us, shared his
experience, and taught us all that he know about design.Particular thanks are due to ins Getu for
allowing us to pursue this project.
 Table of Contents

CHAPTER 1 ………………………………………………………………………………1

1.1. Background of Study -------------------------------------------------------------------------------1

1.2. Problem statement ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------2

1.3. Project Objective -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------2

CHAPTER2…………………………………………………………………………………..3

2. LITERATURE REVIEW -----------------------------------------------------------------------------3

2.1Introduction --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------3

2.2 Starch ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------3

2.2.1 Physicochemical properties of starch --------------------------------------------------4

2.2.2 Composition and structure of starch ------------------------------------------------------5

2.3 STRUCTURE, COMPOSITION AND QUALITY OF CORN ------------------------------7

2.3.1 STRUCTURE OF CORN ------------------------------------------------------------------7

2.3.2 COMPOSITION OF CORN ---------------------------------------------------------------11

2.3.4 QUALITY OF CORN GRAIN -----------------------------------------------------------12

2.4 Ethanol -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------13

2.4.1. PHYSICAL PROPERTIES ----------------------------------------------------------------14

2.4.2 CHEMICAL PROPERTIES ---------------------------------------------------------------15

2.4.3 TYPES OF ETHANOL ---------------------------------------------------------------------17

2.4.4 USES OF ETHANOL ----------------------------------------------------------------------18

2.5 Ethanol production ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------21

2.5.1 History of the Corn Ethanol Industry -------------------------------------------------22

 Chapter 3 …………………………………………………………………………………..25

3 Process flow sheet -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------25

3.1 Process description --------------------------------------------------------------------------------26

3. 2Material balance -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------28

3.3 Energy balance --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------33

Chapter 4 ………………………………………………………………………………..36

4.1 Equipment sizing ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------36

4.2 material of constructions………………………………………………………………..50

Chapter 5 ………………………………………………………………………………..53

Cost Estimation -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------53

Chapter 6

Environmental impact of Ethanol production……………………………………………..58

Conclusion ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------61

Recommendations -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------62

REFERENCES --------------------------------------------------------------------------63