The general scheme for obtaining ethyl alcohol from hydrolysis "black molasses" is as follows. The crushed raw material is loaded into a multi-meter steel hydrolysis column lined with chemically resistant ceramics from the inside. A hot solution of hydrochloric acid is supplied there under pressure. As a result of a chemical reaction from cellulose, a product containing sugar, the so-called "black molasses", is obtained. This product is neutralized with lime and yeast is added there - molasses is fermented. Then it is heated again, and the released vapors condense in the form of ethyl alcohol (I don’t want to call it “wine alcohol”).
The hydrolysis method is the most economical way to produce ethyl alcohol. If 50 liters of alcohol can be obtained from one ton of grain by the traditional biochemical method of fermentation, then 200 liters of alcohol are expelled from one ton of sawdust, hydrolyzed into “black molasses”. As the saying goes: "Feel the benefits!" The whole question is whether "black molasses" as saccharified cellulose can be called a "food product", along with grain, potatoes and beets. Persons interested in the production of cheap ethyl alcohol think so: “Well, why not? After all, bard, as the remainder of “black molasses”, after its distillation goes to feed livestock, which means that it is also a food product. How can one not recall the words of F.M. Dostoevsky: "An educated person, when he needs it, can verbally justify any abomination."
In the 1930s, the largest starch plant in Europe was built in the Ossetian village of Beslan, which has been producing millions of liters of ethyl alcohol ever since. Then powerful factories for the production of ethyl alcohol were built throughout the country, including at the Solikamsk and Arkhangelsk pulp and paper mills. I.V. Stalin, congratulating the builders of hydrolysis plants, who during the war, despite the difficulties of wartime, put them into operation ahead of schedule, noted that this “makes it possible for the state to save millions of poods of grain”(Newspaper "Pravda" of May 27, 1944).
Ethyl alcohol obtained from "black molasses", but, in fact, from wood (cellulose), saccharified by the hydrolysis method, if, of course, it is well purified, cannot be distinguished from alcohol obtained from grain or potatoes. According to current standards, such alcohol is of “highest purity”, “extra” and “luxury”, the latter is the best, that is, it has the highest degree of purification. Vodka prepared on the basis of such alcohol will not poison you. The taste of such alcohol is neutral, that is, “none” - tasteless, it has only one “degrees”, it only burns the mucous membrane of the mouth. Outwardly, it is quite difficult to recognize vodka made on the basis of ethyl alcohol of hydrolytic origin, and various flavors added to such “vodkas” give them some difference from each other.
However, not everything is as good as it seems at first glance. Geneticists conducted research: one batch of experimental mice was added to the diet of real (grain) vodka, the other - hydrolytic, from wood. Mice that used the "bitch" died much faster, and their offspring degenerated. But the results of these studies did not stop the production of pseudo-Russian vodkas. It's like a popular song: “After all, if vodka is not driven from sawdust, then what would we have from five bottles ...”
Sawdust is a valuable raw material for the production of various alcohols that can be use as fuel.
Such biofuels can run:
- automobile and motorcycle gasoline engines;
- power generators;
- household gasoline equipment.
Main problem one that has to be overcome in the manufacture of biofuels from sawdust is hydrolysis, that is, the conversion of cellulose into glucose.
Cellulose and glucose have the same basis - hydrocarbons. But for the transformation of one substance into another, various physical and chemical processes are necessary.
The main technologies for converting sawdust into glucose can be divided into two types:
- industrial requiring sophisticated equipment and expensive ingredients;
- homemade that do not require any sophisticated equipment.
Regardless of the method of hydrolysis, sawdust must be crushed as much as possible. For this, various crushers are used.
How smaller size sawdust, topics more efficient there will be a decomposition of wood into sugar and other components.
You can find more information about sawdust grinding equipment here:. No other preparation of sawdust is required.
industrial way
Sawdust is poured into a vertical hopper, then filled with sulfuric acid solution(40%) in a ratio of 1:1 by weight and, having closed hermetically, is heated to a temperature of 200–250 degrees.
In this state, sawdust is kept for 60–80 minutes, constantly stirring.
During this time, the process of hydrolysis takes place and cellulose, absorbing water, breaks down into glucose and other components.
The substance obtained as a result of this operation filter, obtaining a mixture of glucose solution with sulfuric acid.
The purified liquid is poured into a separate container and mixed with a solution of chalk, which neutralizes acid.
Then everything is filtered and get:
- toxic waste;
- glucose solution.
Flaw this method in:
- high requirements for the material from which the equipment is made;
- high costs for acid regeneration,
therefore it was not widely used.
There is also a less expensive method., in which a solution of sulfuric acid with a strength of 0.5–1% is used.
However, effective hydrolysis requires:
- high pressure (10–15 atmospheres);
- heating up to 160-190 degrees.
The process time is 70–90 minutes.
Equipment for such a process can be made from less expensive materials, because such a dilute acid solution is less aggressive than that used in the method described above.
BUT pressure of 15 atmospheres is not dangerous even for conventional chemical equipment, because many processes also take place at high pressure.
For both methods use steel, hermetically sealed containers up to 70 m³, lined with acid-resistant bricks or tiles from the inside.
This lining protects the metal from contact with acid.
The contents of the containers are heated by supplying hot steam into them.
A drain valve is installed on top, which is adjusted to the required pressure. Therefore, excess steam escapes into the atmosphere. The rest of the steam creates the necessary pressure.
Both methods involve the same chemical process.. Under the influence of sulfuric acid, cellulose (C6H10O5)n absorbs water H2O and turns into glucose nC6H12O6, that is, a mixture of various sugars.
After purification, this glucose is used not only to obtain biofuels, but also for the production of:
- drinking and technical alcohol;
- Sahara;
- methanol.
Both methods allow you to process wood of any species, therefore they are universal.
As a by-product of processing sawdust into alcohol, lignin is obtained - a substance that sticks together:
- pellets;
- briquettes.
Therefore, lignin can be sold to enterprises and entrepreneurs who are engaged in the production of pellets and briquettes from wood waste.
One more a by-product of hydrolysis is furfural. It is an oily liquid, an effective wood preservative.
Furfural is also used for:
- oil refining;
- purification of vegetable oil;
- plastics production;
- development of antifungal drugs.
In the process of processing sawdust with acid toxic gases are released, that's why:
- all equipment must be installed in a ventilated workshop;
- workers must wear safety goggles and respirators.
The yield of glucose by weight is 40–60% of the weight of sawdust, but taking into account the large amount of water and impurities the weight of the product is several times greater than the initial weight of the raw material.
Excess water will be removed during the distillation process.
In addition to lignin, the by-products of both processes are:
- alabaster;
- turpentine,
which can be sold for some profit.
Purification of glucose solution
Cleaning is carried out in several stages:
- Mechanical cleaning using a separator removes lignin from the solution.
- Treatment chalky milk neutralizes the acid.
- settling separates the product into a liquid solution of glucose and carbonates, which are then used to obtain alabaster.
Here is a description of the technological cycle of wood processing at a hydrolysis plant in the city of Tavda (Sverdlovsk Region).
home method
This method is easier but takes an average of 2 years. Sawdust is poured in a large pile and watered abundantly with water, after which:
- cover with something
- leave spitting.
The temperature inside the heap rises and the process of hydrolysis begins, as a result of which cellulose is converted to glucose which can be used for fermentation.
The disadvantage of this method The fact is that at a low temperature the activity of the hydrolysis process decreases, and at a negative temperature it completely stops.
Therefore, this method is effective only in warm regions.
Besides, there is a high probability of degeneration of the hydrolysis process into decay, because of which it will turn out not glucose, but sludge, and all cellulose will turn into:
- carbon dioxide;
- a small amount of methane.
Sometimes in houses they build installations similar to industrial ones. . They are made of stainless steel, which can withstand the effects of a weak solution of sulfuric acid without consequences.
Heat up the content such devices with:
- open fire (bonfire);
- stainless steel coil with hot air or steam circulating through it.
By pumping steam or air into the container and monitoring the readings of the pressure gauge, the pressure in the container is regulated. The hydrolysis process starts at a pressure of 5 atmospheres, but proceeds most efficiently at a pressure of 7–10 atmospheres.
Then, just as in industrial production:
- purify the solution from lignin;
- processed with a solution of chalk.
After that, the glucose solution is settled and fermented with the addition of yeast.
Fermentation and distillation
For fermentation into glucose solution add regular yeast that activate the fermentation process.
This technology is used both in enterprises and in the production of alcohol from sawdust at home.
Fermentation time 5–15 days, depending on the:
- air temperature;
- types of wood.
The fermentation process is controlled by the amount of formation of carbon dioxide bubbles.
During fermentation, such a chemical process occurs - glucose nC6H12O6 breaks down into:
- carbon dioxide (2CO2);
- alcohol (2C2H5OH).
After the end of fermentation material is distilled- heating to a temperature of 70–80 degrees and cooling the exhaust steam.
At this temperature evaporate from the solution:
- alcohols;
- ethers,
while water and water-soluble impurities remain.
- steam cooling;
- alcohol condensation
use a coil immersed in cold water or cooled by cold air.
For strength increase the finished product is distilled 2-4 more times, gradually lowering the temperature to a value of 50-55 degrees.
The strength of the resulting product determined with an alcohol meter which estimates the specific gravity of a substance.
The product of distillation can be used as a biofuel with a strength of at least 80%. A less strong product has too much water, so the technique will work inefficiently on it.
Although the alcohol obtained from sawdust is very similar to moonshine, its cannot be used for drinking due to the high content of methanol, which is a strong poison. In addition, a large amount of fusel oils spoils the taste of the finished product.
To clean from methanol, you must:
- the first distillation is carried out at a temperature of 60 degrees;
- drain the first 10% of the resulting product.
After distillation remain:
- heavy turpentine fractions;
- yeast mass, which can be used both for the fermentation of the next batch of glucose, and for the production of fodder yeast.
They are more nutritious and healthy than the grain of any cereal crops, so they are readily bought by farms that breed large and small livestock.
Biofuel application
Compared to gasoline, biofuels (alcohol made from recycled waste) have both advantages and disadvantages.
Here Main advantages:
- high (105-113) octane number;
- lower combustion temperature;
- lack of sulfur;
- lower price.
Due to the high octane number, increase compression ratio, increasing the power and efficiency of the motor.
Lower combustion temperature:
- increases service life valves and pistons;
- reduces engine heat in maximum power mode.
Due to the absence of sulfur, biofuels does not pollute the air And does not shorten engine oil life, because sulfur oxide oxidizes the oil, worsening its characteristics and reducing the resource.
Due to the significantly lower price (except for excises), biofuel saves the family budget.
Biofuels have limitations:
- aggressiveness towards rubber parts;
- low fuel/air mass ratio (1:9);
- weak evaporation.
biofuel damage rubber seals, therefore, during the conversion of the motor to run on alcohol, all rubber seals are changed to polyurethane parts.
Due to the lower fuel-to-air ratio, normal biofuel operation requires reconfiguration of the fuel system, that is, installing larger jets in the carburetor or flashing the injector controller.
Due to low evaporation Difficulty starting a cold engine at temperatures below plus 10 degrees.
To solve this problem, biofuels are diluted with gasoline in a ratio of 7:1 or 8:1.
To run on a mixture of gasoline and biofuel in a ratio of 1: 1, no engine modification is required.
If there is more alcohol, then it is desirable:
- replace all rubber seals with polyurethane;
- grind the cylinder head.
Grinding is necessary to increase the compression ratio, which will allow realize higher octane. Without such alteration, the engine will lose power when alcohol is added to gasoline.
If biofuels are used for electric generators or household gasoline appliances, then it is desirable to replace rubber parts with polyurethane ones.
In such devices, head grinding can be dispensed with, because a small loss of power is compensated by an increase in fuel supply. Besides, need to reconfigure the carburetor or injector, any specialist in fuel systems can do this.
For more information about the use of biofuel and the alteration of motors to work on it, read this article (Application of biofuel).
Related videos
You can see how to make alcohol from sawdust in this video:
conclusions
Production of alcohol from sawdust - difficult process, which includes a lot of operations.
If there are cheap or free sawdust, then by pouring biofuel into the tank of your car, you will save a lot, because its production is much cheaper than gasoline.
Now you know how to get alcohol from sawdust used as biofuel and how you can do it at home.
Also, did you know about by-products that arise during the processing of sawdust into biofuels. These products can also be sold for a small but still profit.
Thanks to this, the biofuel business from sawdust is becoming highly beneficial, especially if you use fuel for your own transport and do not pay excise duty on the sale of alcohol.
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Currently, many people are able to create methanol even with their own hands at home. Including engaged in the preparation of alcohol from sawdust. It is the production of alcohol from sawdust that is considered the simplest and most economical of all other methods known today. At the same time, it seems complicated and time-consuming only at first glance. In fact, repeating this process will be quite simple even for a beginner. The main thing is to know all the basic principles for the manufacture of methyl alcohol, as well as take into account some of the tricks of the procedure that professionals reveal to everyone. The standard technology for the production of the chemical under discussion at home usually consists of several basic steps at once. To begin with, malt is obtained from cereals, then a paste is brewed from slightly spoiled potatoes, as a result of which the starch is processed.
The next stage is fermentation. On it, yeast is already added to a pre-prepared mixture. The higher the ambient temperature, the faster it will be possible to overcome the discussed stage. But it is able to end on its own even under normal natural conditions. Of course, in the event that high-quality yeast was chosen. The penultimate stage is called "distillation". It can be called the most laborious and lengthy. For this stage, a special apparatus is always required, which, by the way, modern craftsmen easily make with their own hands. And finally, there is only cleaning. This is the last step in the production of alcohol at home. The product is almost ready, but it lacks the desired transparency. It will be possible to achieve it with the help of the most common potassium permanganate, with which the liquid is infused for 24 hours. In conclusion, it remains only to filter the product.
Since recently the amount of fossil raw materials that are suitable for the production of alcohol at home has begun to gradually decrease, it has become necessary to find new options. As you know, there is a shortage of grain, so it was necessary to find a worthy alternative to it. And it was quickly found - it's sawdust. This raw material is currently the most accessible to everyone. Finding him is not difficult. And last but not least, sawdust is inexpensive. And in some cases, they can even be found for free. It is not surprising that the raw materials under discussion are very popular among everyone involved in the production of alcohol at home. True, the manufacture of this substance requires certain skills from a person, as well as the acquisition of some additional equipment.
First of all, you need to prepare sawdust. For example, 1 kilogram of the original product. It is very important that the sawdust is thoroughly crushed. They will need to be thoroughly dried before proceeding with the production of methanol. It is best to refuse to use an oven and other similar options for this purpose. It will be enough to pour the sawdust in a thin layer on a clean newspaper in a dark, well-ventilated area and leave it in this form for several days. Of course, the raw materials also should not have been any impurities and dirt. Experts note that hardwood sawdust is best suited for this process. But it is better not to use raw materials from conifers.
Through the refrigerator, in which sublimation and electrolyte, which is perfect for sulfuric acid, will be carried out, carefully dried sawdust is sent to a convenient flask or other similar container. They must fill it to 2/3 of the total volume. Next, you need to heat the mass to 150 degrees. The finished liquid usually has a slight bluish tint. Of course, do not forget about the use of high-quality catalyst. For example, you can use aluminum oxide - parts of corundum. You can pour the next portion into the used vessel immediately after the liquid in it turns black. It is very important to protect your respiratory organs with a respirator or a special mask. It is also best to think about durable gloves. The room in which alcohol is made from sawdust should be spacious and well ventilated. You should not do this in the kitchen, as there are products around.
The finished substance can be used as a fuel and for any other similar purposes. But it is not recommended to use the resulting alcohol inside and use it for further preparation of alcoholic beverages from it. From just one kilogram of dried sawdust, you can get about half a liter (slightly less) of finished methanol.
The production of ethyl alcohol from sawdust biomass or cereal straw is realized in three ways:
With the hydrolysis method of production, the yield of alcohol will be only 200 liters from 1 ton of sawdust. But with the pyrolysis method of production, the yield of alcohol will already be 400 liters from 1 ton of sawdust. And the cost of alcohol production in the second case is 10 rubles / liter and depends on the scale of production and the cost of sawdust or straw.
Production of alcohol from sawdust by enzymatic hydrolysis.
The lack of fossil resources, energy security, climate change, environmental protection - these are the problems that concern us today in the energy sector. Alternative energy sources must be found to reduce our dependence on oil, and nowhere is this more evident than in the transport sector. In the European Union, the United States and other major economic areas, policymakers have developed a basic framework to promote the use of sustainable biofuelsFor some time now, many companies have shown a growing interest in the production of ethanol from renewable lignocellulosic resources such as agricultural waste. These resources do not compete with food and feed crops, but are produced in sufficient quantities throughout the world as a by-product of modern agricultural practices, such as straw from cereal production.
The sunliquid® process, developed by Clariant, meets all the requirements of a technically and cost-effective, innovative process for converting agricultural waste into environmentally friendly biofuel - ethanol. Using process-integrated enzyme production, optimized enzymes, simultaneous conversion of cellulose and hemicellulose to alcohol (ethanol), and an energy-saving process design, it was possible to overcome technological problems and significantly reduce production costs in order to obtain a commercially viable alcohol.
Since 2009, Clariant has successfully operated the first pilot distillery at its research facility in Munich. This pilot plant is capable of producing up to two tons of alcohol per year. In July 2012, the largest Straubing distillery to date, a demonstration project with an annual capacity of up to 1,000 tons of alcohol, began operation in Straubing.
Various raw materials are converted into cellulose alcohol after pre-treatment, enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation. The production of enzymes built into the process gives the lowest possible cost of alcohol.
Benefits of the sunliquid® process
Sunliquid® Process
Pre-treatment of cellulose residues
Pre-treatment of pulp without the use of chemicals reduces the production and investment costs of alcohol production. At the same time, environmental, health and safety risks are minimized.
Enzyme production
A small percentage of pre-treated cellulosic raw materials are used to produce their own enzymes directly at the plant, and are an integral part of the alcohol production process. This makes a significant contribution to the economic efficiency of the entire production process, resulting in a significant reduction in production costs and independence from supply shortages and enzyme price volatility.
Enzymatic hydrolysis
A special mixture of enzymes hydrolyses cellulose and hemicellulose chains to form sugar monomers. This stage is also called saccharification. Enzymes are highly optimized based on feedstock and process parameters, resulting in maximum yields and short reaction times under optimal conditions.
Fermentation / Fermentation
Using optimized microorganisms, the sunliquid® process ensures efficient fermentation, ensuring maximum ethanol yield. This highly optimized single tank system converts both C5 and C6 sugars to ethanol at the same time, providing up to 50% more ethanol than conventional processes that only convert C6 sugars.
Distillation and rectification of alcohol
The innovative and very energy-saving method of alcohol distillation and rectification reduces the energy requirement by up to 50% compared to conventional distillation. It is based on careful process planning and energy integration, resulting in a fully energy self-sustaining process.
The next, no less interesting way of processing sawdust wood is pyrolysis (thermal decomposition of cellulose), obtaining synthesis gas (a mixture of CO and H2) and the subsequent production of alcohols, synthetic gasoline, diesel fuel and other things from synthesis gas.
Success in the qualitative development of this area was achieved by scientists from the Institute of Petrochemical Synthesis named after V.I. A.V. Topchiev of the Russian Academy of Sciences, who developed a technology that provides the production of high-octane environmentally friendly synthetic gasoline with a good yield of the final product that meets the promising requirements of the Euro-4 standard using the simplest and most economical scheme for processing wood pulp.
The essence of their method for producing synthetic gasoline from wood pulp is as follows.
First, synthesis gas is obtained from wood cellulose at elevated pressure, containing hydrogen, carbon oxides, water, the unreacted hydrocarbon remaining after its production, and also containing or not containing ballast nitrogen. Then, by condensation, water is isolated and removed from the synthesis gas, and then a gas-phase, one-stage catalytic synthesis of dimethyl ether is carried out. The gas mixture thus obtained is passed under pressure over a catalyst - a modified high-silicon zeolite - to produce gasoline, and the gas stream is cooled to separate synthetic gasoline.
The production of synthesis gas from wood pulp is carried out in various ways, for example, in the process of partial oxidation of hydrocarbon raw materials under pressure, which makes it possible to process it catalytically without additional compression (compression). Or it is obtained by catalytic reforming of hydrocarbon feedstock with steam or by autothermal reforming. In this case, the process is carried out with the supply of air, or oxygen-enriched air, or pure oxygen. Other options have been tweaked as well. At the third stage, the Fischer–Tropsch process itself is carried out, in which liquid hydrocarbons are synthesized on the basis of synthesis gas components. For example, when syngas (a mixture of carbon monoxide CO and hydrogen H2) is passed over a catalyst containing reduced iron (pure iron Fe) heated to 200°C, mixtures of predominantly saturated hydrocarbons (synthetic gasolines) are formed.
For the first time, synthetic liquid fuel GTL was produced in significant quantities in Germany during the 2nd World War 1939-45, which was due to a lack of oil. Synthesis was carried out at 170–200°C, pressure 0.1–1 MN/m2 (1–10 am) with a Co-based catalyst; as a result, gasoline (kogazin 1, or syntin) with an octane number of 40-55, high-quality diesel fuel (kogazin II) with a cetane number of 80-100 and solid paraffin were obtained. The addition of 0.8 ml of tetraethyl lead per 1 liter of synthetic gasoline increased its octane number from 55 to 74. Synthesis using an Fe-based catalyst was carried out at 220 °C and above, at a pressure of 1–3 MN/m2 (10–30 am). Synthetic gasoline obtained under these conditions contained 60-70% of olefinic hydrocarbons of normal and branched structure; its octane number is 75-78. Subsequently, the production of synthetic liquid fuel GTL from CO and H2 was not widely developed due to its high cost and the low efficiency of the catalysts used. In addition to synthetic gasoline and diesel fuel, high-octane fuel components are synthetically produced, which are added to them to improve anti-knock properties. These include: isooctane obtained by catalytic alkylation of isobutane with butylenes; polymer gasoline is a product of catalytic polymerization of the propane-propylene fraction, etc. See Lit .: Rapoport IB, Artificial liquid fuel, 2nd ed., M., 1955; Petrov A. D., Chemistry of motor fuels, M., 1953; Lebedev N. N., Chemistry and technology of basic organic and petrochemical synthesis, M., 1971.).
synthetic gasoline , obtained by catalytic hydrogenation of carbon monoxide, has a low octane number; to obtain a high-grade fuel for internal combustion engines, it must be subjected to additional processing.
Methyl alcohol (methanol) in industry is mainly obtained from synthesis gas resulting from the conversion of natural gas methane. The reaction is carried out at a temperature of 300-600 °C and a pressure of 200-250 kgf/cm in the presence of zinc oxide and other catalysts: CO + H2 -----> CH3OH
The production of methyl alcohol (methanol) from synthesis gas is shown in a simplified schematic diagram
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Homologation of methanol to ethanol. Homologization is a reaction in which an organic compound is converted into its homologue by introducing a methylene group CH2. In 1940, for the first time, the reaction of methanol with synthesis gas catalyzed by cobalt oxide at a pressure of 600 atm was carried out with the formation of ethanol as the main product:
The use of cobalt carbonyl Co2(CO)8 as catalysts made it possible to lower the reaction pressure to 250 atm, while the degree of conversion of methanol to ethanol was 70%, and the main product, ethanol, was formed with a selectivity of 40%. By-products of the reaction are acetaldehyde and esters of acetic acid. Subsequently, more selective catalysts based on cobalt and ruthenium compounds with the addition of phosphine ligands were proposed, and it was found that the reaction can be accelerated by introducing promoters - iodide ions. At present, a selectivity of 90% for ethanol has been achieved. Although the mechanism of homologation has not been fully established, it can be considered that it is close to the mechanism of methanol carbonylation.
Isobutyl alcohol is used to produce isobutylene, as a solvent, and also as a raw material for the production of some flotation reagents and vulcanization accelerators in the rubber industry.
In industry, isobutyl alcohol is obtained from carbon monoxide CO and hydrogen H2, similarly to the synthesis of methanol. The reaction mechanism consists in the following transformations:
The dehydration of isobutyl alcohol to isobutylene is a catalytic reaction. The splitting of water from the molecules of isobutyl alcohol occurs at 370 ° C and a pressure of 3-4 atm. Alcohol vapor is passed over a catalyst - purified alumina (active alumina).
One of the general technological schemes for the production of isobutylene by dehydration of isobutyl alcohol is presented below.
Subsequent esterification of isobutylene with ethyl alcohol produces an oxygen-containing gasoline additive - environmentally friendly ethyl tert-butyl ether (ETBE), having an octane rating of 112 points (Research method).
Ethyl tert-butyl ether ETBE is a product of the synthesis of isobutylene with ethanol:
The technological scheme is very simple: the raw materials components, heated in the heat exchanger, pass through the reactor, where excess heat is removed (the reaction is very exothermic) and are separated in two columns.
In the first distillation column, n-butane and butylenes are separated from the reaction mixture, which are then used for alkylation (isomerization), and in the second - ready-made ETBE from above, and excess methanol from below, which is returned to the feed mixture.
The catalyst is an ion-exchange resin (sulfonic cation exchangers), the degree of conversion is 94% (by isobutylene), the purity of the resulting ETBE is 99%.
For 1 ton of ETBE, 360 kg of ethanol (100% ethyl alcohol) and 690 kg of 100% isobutylene are consumed.
Rice. Scheme for obtaining ETBE:
1 - reactor; 2, 3 - distillation columns; Threads: I - isobutylene; II - ethanol; III - butane and butylenes; IV - ETBE; V - ethanol recycle.
The calorific value of ETBE is lower than that of gasolines, ETBEs are used as high-octane additives to gasolines, increasing their DNP and improving the distribution of octane numbers in low-boiling fractions of catalytic reforming gasoline. The optimal effect is obtained by adding 11% ETBE mixture to 89-90% base gasoline with OC and /OC and = 85/91, after which AI-93 gasoline is obtained, however, its calorific value decreases from 42.70 MJ / kg (without additive) up to 41.95 MJ/kg.
Acetic acid is an organic compound with the molecular formula CH3COOH, and is a precursor for the manufacture of various other chemicals that serve various end-user industries such as textiles, paints, rubber, plastics and others. Its main application segments include the manufacture of vinyl acetate monomer (VAM), purified terephthalic acid (PTA), acetic anhydride, and ester solvents (ethyl acetate and butyl acetate).
Competence of acetic acid manufacturers: BP Plc (UK), Celanese Corporation (USA), Eastman Chemical Company (USA), Daicel Corporation (Japan), Jiangsu Sopho (Group) Co. Ltd. (China), LyondellBasell Industries NV (Netherlands), Shandong Hualu-Hengsheng Chemical Co. Ltd. (China), Shanghai Huayi (Group) Company (China), Yankuang Cathay Coal Chemicals Co. Ltd. (China), and Kingboard Chemical Holdings Ltd. (Hong Kong).
Celanese is one of the world's largest manufacturers of acetyl products (chemical intermediates such as acetic acid for virtually all major industries); acetyl intermediates account for about 45% of total sales. Celanese uses the methanol carbonylation process (the reaction of methanol and carbon monoxide); the catalyst used in the reaction and the resulting product (acetic acid) are purified by distillation.
In January 2013, Celanese received a US Patent (#7863489) for a direct and selective process for producing ethanol from acetic acid using a platinum/tin catalyst. The patent covers a process for the selective production of ethanol using a headspace reaction of acetic acid during hydrogenation on a catalyst composition to form ethanol. In one embodiment of the present invention, the reaction of acetic acid and hydrogen over a platinum/tin catalyst supported on silica, graphite, calcium silicate, or aluminosilicate selectively produces ethanol in the vapor phase at about 250°C.
Production cost of ethyl alcohol through acetic acid and quality advantages
Price for acetic acid, acetic anhydride, vinyl acetate monomer in the USA
Prices for acetic acid, acetic anhydride, vinyl acetate monomer in Europe
Prices for acetic acid, acetic anhydride, vinyl acetate monomer in Asia
How to get alcohol or other liquid fuel from sawdust?
- in Germany at the end of World War II, all tanks went to synthetic. sawdust fuel. and cars in Brazil drive very much on alcohol, 20% of the cars there are on alcohol. so it’s true, you can use fermentation, overtake and get alcohol and you will have a car
maybe you can get methane with the help of bacteria? even better then - I'll share my experience, so be it! In general, you take 1KG. you dry wood sawdust or other things very carefully, then add electrolyte (sulfuric acid) 1/3 of the volume to the flask or something else through the refrigerator (there will be sublimation). you heat it up to a temperature of 150 degrees, and you get Methyl Alcohol, and in the same place its esters, etc. COMBUSTIBLE reaction products. liquid can be of different colors. but usually bluish, volatile. Yes, when you cook, do not forget to add pieces of Corundum (aluminum oxide) - this is a catalyst. as soon as the liquid in the vessel or flask turns black, to the point of being unrecognizable, change and fill in the next portion. with 1 kg you will get somewhere 470 ml. alcohol, but only 700 something. Do it in an open area, well ventilated and away from food. Yes, don't forget your mask and respirator. Strain the black (spent) liquid, and the top layer burns very well after drying. add it to the fuel too.
- From conifers - bad. Typically, hydrolysis alcohol is obtained from hardwoods. Here, in fact, there are two options, and both are practically not implemented at home. And vodka-stool is by and large a joke, since production is inefficient and the use of the final product can be hazardous to health. First option. It is necessary to put the sawdust in a fairly large pile on the street, wet it with water and leave it for a couple of years (precisely two years or more). Anaerobic microorganisms will settle in the center of the heap, which will gradually carry out the breakdown of cellulose to monomers (sugars), which can already be fermented. Further - as an ordinary moonshine. Or the second option, which is implemented in industry. Sawdust is boiled with a weak solution of sulfuric acid at elevated pressure. In this case, the hydrolysis of cellulose is carried out in a few hours. Next - distillation as usual.
If we consider not only ethyl alcohol, then we can go a different way, but, again, it is practically not realized at home. This is the dry distillation of sawdust. The raw material must be heated in a sealed container to 800-900 degrees. and collect escaping gases. When these gases are cooled, creosote (the main product), methanol and acetic acid condense. Gases are a mixture of various hydrocarbons. The rest is charcoal. It is this kind of coal in the industry that is called charcoal, and not from a fire. It used to be used in metallurgy instead of coke. After its additional processing, activated carbon is obtained. Creosote is the resin used to tar sleepers and telegraph poles. Gas can be used as ordinary natural gas. Now liquids. Methyl, or wood, alcohol is distilled off from the liquid at temperatures up to 75 degrees. It can pass for fuel, but the yield is small and it is very poisonous. Next is acetic acid. When neutralized with lime, calcium acetate is obtained, or, as it was previously called, gray wood acetic powder. When it is calcined, acetone is obtained - why not fuel? True, now acetone is obtained in a completely synthetic way.
Looks like I didn't forget anything. Well, when do we open a creosote shop? - "And if vodka was not driven from sawdust, then what would we have, from five bottles?" (V.S. Vysotsky)
- fermentation of sugary substances. such as cellulose. only for acceleration you need an enzyme-yeast. and about methyl alcohol .... well, in general, at low doses, it is deadly.
- Sublimation.
- It is necessary to ferment the cellulose, then overtake
