Ethanol: A Piece of cake

INtroductioN CONTinued

Fermentation equation

C₆H₁₂O₆ + yeast —> 2C₂H₅OH + 2CO₂

 

             The fermentation was done with yeast and took two days to complete. After the fermentation, the solutions were filtered in order for them to be distilled and through distillation ethanol was produced. To prove that ethanol was produced, a test was performed where the produced ethanol was compared to regular ethanol.

 

             Jatropha cake is made up of cellulose; therefore the second method was done by acid hydrolysis in order to break down the cake. The process of acid hydrolysis is used to break down cellulose in plants. It breaks down the hydrogen bonds in the cellulose into its sugar components. It breaks down the bonds by exposing them to first a concentrated acid then a diluted water solution. The combination of these factors causes the cellulose to break down into more simple sugars. This process is done as a pre-treatment to the Jatropha cake to prepare it for other processes necessary to extract ethanol.

Cellulose + Sulfuric acid —> glucose + other substances

http://www.ravenbiofuels.com/technology/cellusosic.asp

The ethanol that was produced was tested and compared to regular commercial ethanol.