Ethanol Basics
The use of ethanol as an alternative fuel is becoming increasingly popular by ever conscious consumers wishing to do their little bit for the planet. It may even be a better alternative to bio fuel, it seems that it is a lot more pleasant to make at any rate.
What is Ethanol? Ethanol is a grain alcohol, or plant mass formula derived from the natural sugars found in bio mass, or vegetation such as corn, wheat, barley, potatoes and sugar cane. This is then processed to make a renewable form of fuel or fuel additive, which is both cost effective and good for the planet. Many cars are able to run on Ethanol and gasoline mixtures. Although at the moment, the mixtures are only a ratio of 10% Ethanol, to 90% fossil fuel.
Benefits of Ethanol
There are many benefits of using an alternative fuel such as Ethanol, for starters it is a renewable resource, fossil fuels used to make gasoline is not renewable, so one day they will run out, it is because of this that people, have become more aware of alternative fuels and additives. Another good reason for using an alternative fuel such as Ethanol is the reduction of pollution, we only have one planet and if we keep polluting it we may very well find ourselves with nowhere to live. Any steps that we can make toward reducing pollution is a positive. Another good reason to consider a fuel alternative such as Ethanol is that it is far more cheaper to use and make, the main cost involved in making Ethanol is in the processing method.
How is Ethanol Produced?
The process used consists of 8 stages, corn is the main product used in this method,
Milling the corn, to make it into a fine powder, or meal Liquification, which is mixing the meal with water and Alpha-amylase, then heating it at temperatures of 120-150 deg Celcius, the heat reduces bacteria. Saccharification, is the process of cooling the mash, and adding glucoamylase, this converts the starch to dextrose, Fermentation, is where the yeast is added to ferment the sugars to convert it to Ethanol. This process consists of the mash going through several different tanks, and takes about 48 hours.
Please note that this procedure is risky and I do not recommend making biodiesel without further research of the process, these are just general guidelines of the making process, if you wish to actually make your own bio diesel please consult expert companies or professionals.
Distillation, the mash now contains about 10% alcohol and 90% non fermentable solids, the solids are now separated from the alcohol, to reach about a 96% strength of alcohol.
Dehydration, is where the last of the water is removed to make the alcohol about 200 proof.
Denaturing, is used then to make the alcohol unfit for human consumption, this is done by adding a small amount of gasoline, like 2-5%.
There are 2 co products derived from this process as well. The first is the non fermentable product, this is used as a livestock feed, the second is the carbon dioxide which is collected from the process and sold to other industries.
There are many reasons to use Ethanol as either an additive or an alternative fuel; one of the main reasons is the reduction of pollution. Regular fossil based fuels are not only damaging to the environment they are a non-renewable resources; once they are gone they can never be replaced, or regenerated.
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Simon Oldmann is an avid writer and a green activist, he has been writing about Ethanol use since the growing popularity of Ethanol these last years, Simon writes for ZupaTips.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Simon_Oldmann |
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BioDiesel
With the high cost of oil and gas, biodiesel has increasingly become a popular alternative to the fuel that is sold in gasoline stations that are available for consumption as rich energy sources. It is a non-petroleum-made diesel fuel, which incorporates a dumpy chain alkyl containing ethyl or methyl esters. They are made by trans-esterification of the vegetable oils like groundnut oil, mustard oil, and ghee.
Consider these great benefits-more savings for you and a cleaner and greener planet for every person alive on earth. This is the reason why a lot of people have become curious as to the content of biodiesel and how it is made. The good news is that we can in fact create biodiesel right in our very own homes.
The main ingredient in making biodiesel is vegetable oil-the very same kind of oil that we use in the kitchen for the food that we eat. This can be done with the use of a biodiesel processor. It converts vegetable oil into the fuel that will power a typical diesel engine.
Determine first if the diesel-powered engine that you have will be able to run on biodiesel. You can do this by checking out with the manufacturer of your engine. If your engine is compatible, that will be the time that you can buy your biodiesel processor. Do not worry if the manufacturer says that your engine is not compatible, as there may be other available options. There are some kits that are able to convert engines that show problems when biodiesel is burned. Seek the help of professionals in finding the kit that is fit for your engine. Another option to the right way in making biodiesel is to learn and ask advice from a person who has already has experience with the use of biodiesel.
The raw materials that are used in producing biodiesel are methanol and a certain vegetable product. Corn is actually one of the best vegetable oils commonly in producing biodiesel. Other vegetable products are soybeans and flaxseed. Mix vegetable oil with just a little bit of methanol. Place the mixture in an alkaline catalyst, say sodium hydroxide, which should just be 1% of the total mixture. Vegetable oils actually comprise triglycerides-compounds of glycerin that has three fatty acids. This whole process separates the glycerin molecule from its three fatty acids, which would eventually be replaced with three methanol molecules. The final product is 10% glycerin byproduct and 90% biodiesel. The process is called ester interchange.
The biodiesel processor that will be used for the above process is very small in size, and may either be purchased as a complete pre-made unit or one that you need to still set up. If you are setting up one of your own, take time out to understand all of the instructions and be aware of the precautionary measures in using the biodiesel processor so that untoward accidents when making your own biodiesel fuel.
To learn more about the many aspects related to biodiesel, and biodiesel from corn and how it is made, visit: http://www.biodieselfromcorn.com.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gloria_Smith
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