ETHANOL, BIOETHANOL AND ITS APPLICATION

AS ENGINE FUEL
• Ethanol is a clear, colorless alcohol fuel made from the sugars
found in grains, such as corn, sorghum, and wheat, as well as
potato skins, rice, and casava etc. (SUGAR AND STARCH)
• Ethanol is a renewable fuel because it is made from plants.
• Sugar cane and sugar beets are the most common ingredients
for ethanol .
• Since alcohol is produced by fermenting sugar, sugar crops are
the easiest ingredients to convert into alcohol.
• Brazil, the country with the world's largest ethanol production,
makes most of its ethanol this way.
Scope of Ethanol Production from Sugarcane

Cycle of crop : 10-11 months

Av. Yield per acre : 25 -30 t/acre

Sugar content on weight basis: 12-16%

Sugar Yield: 3.0 to 5 t/acre/year

Ethanol Yield: 1700-2700 lit/acre/year

BIOETHANOL

• Bio-ethanol is obtained from the conversion of carbon based

feed stock.

• The feed stock such as

sugarcane, bagasse, miscanthus, sweet potato, potatoes,

cucusawa, sugar beet, sorghum, grain, switch grass, barley,
hemp, kemp, sunflower, fruit, molasses, whey or skimmed
milk , corn stower, grain, wheat, wood ,paper, straw,
cotton, biomass like paddy straw and many types of
cellulosic waste.

• Efforts are being made to economically produce ethanol

from cellulosic feed stock.
CELLULOSIC ETHANOL
• A new experimental process which breaks down cellulose in woody fibers, is
called "cellulosic ethanol".

• With this process we can make ethanol from trees, grasses, and crop wastes.

• Trees and grasses need less energy than grains, which must be replanted
every year.

• Scientists have developed fast-growing trees that grow to size in ten years.

• Many grasses can produce two harvests a year for many years.

• Someday, we may have huge farms that are not producing food or animal
feed, but feedstock for ethanol. (ENERGY CROPS)

• Feedstock is the raw material used to make a product.

The estimated yield of ethanol from common crops
 
Crop Ethanol Yield

l/hectare
 
1. Miscanthus (Silver Grass) 14030
 
2. Switch grass 10750
 
3. Sweet potato 10000
 
4. Popular wood 9350
 
5. Sweet sorghum 8420
 
6. Sugar beet 6680
 
7. Sugarcane 6190
 
8. Casawa (Starchy root 3830
vegetable)
 
9. Corn 3460
 Properties of Different Fuels
  Fuel Types
Properties Gasoline High Methano Ethanol Natural Hydrogen
Speed l Gas
Diesel
Chemical C4 to C12 C3 to CH3OH C2H5O CH4 H2
Formula C25 H
Molecular 100–105 200 32 46 16 2.02
Weight        
 
Composition,(Weight %)
 
Carbon 84-87
85-88   37.5 52.2 75 0
   
Hydrogen 12–15 33–16 12.6 13.1 25 100
       
Oxygen 0 0 49.9 34.7 - 0
 
Specific 0.72– 0.81– 0.796 0.796 0.424 0.07
gravity, 0.78 0.89        
15.5(ºC)    
 
 
 
90 -  
 Octane no 80–100  more
- 107 110
  than 130
    130
  -  
  -
 
Cetane no.   5–20 40–55 -- -- -- --
           
 – –
Fuel in    
water, Neglig Neglig
volume % ible ible 100 100
         
– –
   
Water in Neglig Neglig 100 100
fuel, ible ble    
volume %    
 
Freezing -4 -4 - 1 -61 -78 -146 -224
point,(ºC)
 
Viscosity
 
Centipois 0.37–   –
2.6– 0.59 1.19  -
e 15.5(ºC)  
0.44 4.1    
 
   
 Flash point, -7.22 73.8 11.11 12.77 -148 --
closed cup,  
(ºC)
 

Auto ignition 257 315 463 422 540 565

temperature,
(ºC)
 

Flammability limits, volume %

 
   
1.4 1 7.3 4.3 5.3 4.1
Lower  
         
 
7.6 6 36 19 15 74
Higher          
 

FALMMABILITY LIMIT :
The amount of combustible gas in an air mixture when the mixture is
flammable is known as the flammability limit or flammable limit. ... The
lower flammability limit. (LFL) identifies the smallest mixture able to
sustain a flame. The upper flammable limit (UFL) identifies the richest
flammable mixture.
  
Heating value
 
Higher kCal/kg 10410 10630- 5400 7087 13070 33780
-11295 11070

Stoichiometric 14.7 14.7 6.45 9 17.2 34.3

air/fuel, weight          
 

The ideal (theoretical) air-fuel ratio, for a complete combustion, is called

stoichiometric air-fuel ratio.
For a gasoline (petrol) engine, the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio is around 14.7:1. This
means that, in order to burn completely 1 kg of fuel, we need 14.7 kg of air.
 ETHANOL PROOF
Proof of Water Ethanol ( %
ethanol content by volume)
( % by
volume)
200 0 100
190 5 95
180 10 90
170 15 85
160 20 80
150 25 75

Alcohol proof is a measure of the content of ethanol

 Ethanol production process from sugar crops

For sugar crop: sugar extraction procedure is

Formation of
required.
Fermentable solution
No hydrolysis is carried out.

Fermentation
Yeast or bacteria is used to convert sugar to
ethanol

And carbon Dioxide.

Distillation Yields solution of ethanol and water containing 95%

ethanol.

Removal of The remaining water is removed by adding a chemical

remaining water

that Changes the physical properties of solution.

Formation of
stillage For sugar crops: stillage formed is very less in protein.
Ethanol Production Process from starch crops

For starch crop: Hydrolysis is carried out.

Formation of
Fermentable
. solution Reaction of starch with water.

Fermentation
Yeast or bacteria is used to convert sugar to
ethanol

and carbon Dioxide.

Distillation Yields solution of ethanol and water containing 95%

ethanol.

Removal of The remaining water is removed by adding a chemical

remaining water
that Changes the physical properties of solution.

Formation of
stillage For starch crops: Stillage formed is rich of protein.
• Ethanol use in SI Engines (Petrol Engines)

• Ethanol has been used as a motor fuel since cars were first
manufactured.
• It is a fuel well-suited for petrol engines.
• It has a clean combustion process resulting in lower emissions of
– particulate matter
– hydrocarbons
– carbon monoxide.

• The greatest benefit of using ethanol is the potential for CO2 emissions reductions .

• Ethanol is most commonly used to power automobiles, though it may be used to

power other vehicles, such as farm tractors and airplanes.

• Ethanol (E100) consumption in an engine is approximately 34% higher than that of

gasoline (the energy per volume unit is 34% lower).
• However, higher compression ratios in an neat ethanol engine allow
for increased power output and better fuel economy than would be
obtained with the lower compression ratio.
• In general, neat ethanol engines are tuned to give slightly better power
and torque output to gasoline-powered engines.
• In flexible fuel vehicles, the lower compression ratio requires tunings
that give the same output when using either gasoline or hydrated
ethanol.
• For maximum use of ethanol's benefits, a much higher compression
ratio should be used, which would render that engine unsuitable for
gasoline use.
• When ethanol fuel availability allows high-compression neat ethanol
vehicles to be practical, the fuel efficiency of such engines should be
equal or greater than current gasoline engines.
• However, since the energy content (by volume) of ethanol fuel is less
than gasoline, a larger volume of ethanol fuel (151%) would still be
required to produce the same amount of energy.
• Ethanol burns cooler than gasoline hence it will not burn valves.
• In fact, many high-powered racing engines use pure ethanol for this
very reason.
FUEL BLENDS
Gasoline Blends:
Different Types of Ethanol-Gasoline Blends used in SI
Engines
• Type of Blend Ethanol % Gasoline %

E-85 85 15
E-10 10 90
E- 20 20 80
E-100 100 0

GASOHOL
Petrol Engine Modifications

The vehicles had petrol engines converted to

ethanol by undertaking major modifications
such as

• use of higher compression ratios

• carburetor recalibrations

• spark timing optimization

• intake manifold redesign.

In addition, a small petrol tank was also

provided, to start the engine.
The cars and trucks on the road are "flex-fuel“

• meaning that they can run either on traditional gasoline or E85

• a mix of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline.

• Blending up to 10 per cent is possible without effecting

changes in the petrol engines.

This little, but significant, step of using oxygenated fuel as a

blend, is aimed at cleaning up the fuel rather than literally
replacing petrol.
 Alcohol in CI Engines (Diesel Engines)
• Alcohol, especially ethanol or ethyl alcohol, has been recognized as a quality
motor fuel

– as the design of the first automobile (the original Ford Model-T) for the
spark-ignition engine
– because of its high anti-knock value designated by the `octane Number' and
better performance in terms of power and efficiency.

• It is only during OIL SHOCK OF 1970 that interest was shown in the use of
ethanol and methanol as fuel for diesel engines.

• Alcohols are very difficult to burn by compression-ignition because of

– low ignition quality
– low `cetane number
• THUS The main research in diesel-alcohol technology was to find ways
and means to force alcohol to ignite by compression in the diesel engine.
Techniques of using ethanol in diesel engines:

Alcohol cannot be used as a neat fuel in C.I. engines due to

• its poor self ignition character
• low calorific value
• high latent heat of vaporization
• requires engine modification.

The term latent heat of vaporization is the amount of heat

required for the transformation of a liquid at its boiling point to
gas at a constant temperature.

• The easiest method by which ethanol could be used is in the form

of solutions.

• But ethanol has limited solubility in diesel.

• This problem of limited solubility has been overcome by

emulsions. (MICROEMULSIONS) DIESEL=SURFACTANT-ETHANOL
Fuels Types Selected for Engine Tests

Sl.
Fuel Type Engine Tests Conducted
No.
Combustion Characteristics
1 Diesel
Test, Fuel Consumption Test
Combustion Characteristics
2 200°[1:0.57:0.46]
Test, Fuel Consumption Test
Combustion Characteristics,
3 180°[1:0.11:0.35] Fuel Consumption Test, Long
Duration Performance Test.
 DIESEL 200O[1:0.57:0.46]
PEAK PRESSURE 73.204 BAR AT 37 O AFTER TDC PEAK PRESSURE 75.968 BAR AT 34 O AFTER TDC
RATE OF PRESSURE RISE 1.08 BAR/ O CA AFTER RATE OF PRESSURE RISE 1.17 BAR/ O CA AFTER
INJECTION INJECTION

180O[1:0.11:0.35]
PEAK PRESSURE 77.12 BARAT 32O AFTER TDC
RATE OF PRESSURE RISE 1.22 BAR/O CAAFTER
INJECTION
FIG.4.1 PRESSURE CRANK ANGLE VARIATION FOR SELECTED FUELS
 DIESEL 200O[1:0.57:0.46]

180O[1:0.11:0.35]

FIG.4.2 PRESSURE-VOLUME RELATIONSHIP FOR SELECTED FUELS

The peak pressure was observed
• Highest (77.12 bar) on 180°[1:0.11:0.35]
microemulsion

• 75.97 bar on 200°[1:0.57:0.46]

microemulsion

• 73.20 bar on diesel.

The peak pressure occurrence was observed

• at a crank angle 32°, 34° and 37° after TDC

on 180°[1:0.11:0.35], 200°[1:0.57:0.46]
microemulsions and diesel respectively.
• No erratic variation in pressure was
observed certain degrees before and after
the occurrence of peak pressure as
depicted in P-θ relationship.

• This indicates that despite of low cetane

number of microemulsified fuels, the
knocking did not occur.
• The brake power developed by the engine at
rated load on diesel, 200°[1:0.57:0.46] and
180°[1:0.11:0.35] microemulsion was 3.80, 3.75
and 3.77 kW respectively.

• The emission of CO from the engine at rated

load was found to be lesser (0.08 percent) on
180°[1:0.11:0.35] microemulsion. At the same
condition CO emission on diesel and
200°[1:0.57:0.46] microemulsion was 0.13 and
0.09 percent respectively.
• The hydrocarbon emission on diesel varied
between 0.02 to 0.11 percent.
• The emission of hydrocarbon from the engine
when operated on 200°[1:0.57:0.46] and
180°[1:0.11:0.35] microemulsions ranged
between 0.04 to 0.10 and 0.06 to 0.11 percent
respectively.
• The emission of NO was found higher on
microemulsions than the diesel.
• The NO emission on diesel, 200°[1:0.57:0.46]
and 180°[1:0.11:0.35] microemulsions was
observed in the range of 33.7 to721.1, 64 to 1080
and 77.2 to 943.4 ppm respectively.
 Impacts on Environment

Major Pollutants Emitted from combustion of Diesel and

gasoline:
1) Carbon monoxide
2) Hydro carbon
3) Nitric oxide
4) Oxides of Nitrogen
5) Particulate matter
6) Oxides of Sulphur
E-Diesel
• A proprietary formulation of diesel,
ethanol, and a solubilizing agent (called
Puranol) developed by Pure Energy
Corporation of New York on a 1.9-L
Volkswagen diesel engine with 15%
ethanol found to have

• PM emissions reduction up to 75%

• NOx emissions reduction up to 84%.
Following are the benefits of using Ethanol

• Because of ethanol's marginal energy balance, there

is a marginal reduction in greenhouse gas emissions
per distance driven.

• The benefits of renewable oxygenated fuels in

reducing the exhaust emission of regulated and toxic
emissions in transport fuels is usually associated with
the blending and use of ethanol with petrol in spark
ignition engines.

• Ethanol is by far the most cost-efficient renewable

fuel option on the market today, taking into account
factors like availability, infrastructure and access to
proven technology.
Compared with conventional unleaded gasoline,
Ethanol is a particulate-free burning fuel source
• It combusts with oxygen to form
– Carbon dioxide,
– Carbon monoxide,
– Water
– Aldehydes
Aldehyde is an organic compound containing the
group —CHO, formed by the oxidation of
alcohols.
Typical aldehydes include methanal
(formaldehyde) and ethanal (acetaldehyde).
 DEMERITS
Brazil burns significant amounts of ethanol
biofuel.
Gas chromatograph studies were performed of
ambient air in São Paulo, Brazil, and compared to
Osaka, Japan, which does not burn ethanol fuel.

Atmospheric Formaldehyde was found 160%

higher in Brazil, and Acetaldehyde was 260%
higher