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Utilization of sugar refinery waste (molasses) for ethanol productionusing Saccharomyces Cervicae
O. A. Osunkoya, N. J. Okwudinka
Department of Chemical Engineering, Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria
ABSTRACT
An analysis of the current situation and perspective on biomass-to-ethanol is provided in this
study. Various conversion pathways are compared from technical, economic, and environmental
points of view. This study also deals mainly with the yield of ethanol from molasses with respect
to the dilution ratio and the amount of yeast used for fermentation keeping the temperature and
fermentation duration constant. After the study it was observed that with an increase in yeast
quantity the ethanol yield decreases in a fluctuating manner until the quantity of yeast is about
grams it begins to increase again with the action of the yeast greatly depending on the dilution
ratio.
Keywords: Ethanol; Molasses; Sugar Refinery waste; Saccharomyces Cervicae;
INTRODUCTION
Liquid bio-fuels are receiving increasing attention
worldwide as a result of the growing concerns about
oil security of supply and global climate change. In
most developing countries, the emerging bio-fuels
industry is perceived as an opportunity to enhance
economic growth and create or maintain jobs,
particularly in rural areas. The liquid bio-fuels market
is shared mainly between bio ethanol and biodiesel,
with more than 85% market share for the former in
2005. The main advantage of bio ethanol is the
possibility to blend it in low proportions with gasoline
(5 to 25% bio ethanol by volume) for use, without any
significant change, in internal combustion engines. (1)
Aims and objective of study:
The aim of this project is to study the dilution rate of
molasses and the effect of yeast on the yield of
ethanol using batch fermentation.
METHOD AND SCOPE OF STUDY
Various methods can be used for the specific
purpose of the production of ethanol; this includes
Ethylene hydration, Fermentation, Cellulosic ethanol.
The above stated methods are pathways to ethanol
production but fermentation is applied in this paper.
RELEVANCE OF STUDY
This study poses great opportunities for the chemical
engineering profession in Covenant University and
Nigeria at large.
Fermentation
The breakdown of carbohydrates to ethanol, carbon
di-oxide and water using micro organisms. (10)
The many and varied raw materials used in the
manufacture of ethanol via fermentation are
conveniently classified under three types of
agricultural raw materials (11):
1. Sugar
2. Starches
3. Cellulose materials.
Step 3
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Mesophilic Organisms
Clostridium sporogenes
Clostridium indolis
(pathogenic)
Clostridium sphenoides
Clostridium sordelli
(pathogenic)
Zymomonas mobilis
(syn.Anaerobica) (anaerobe)
Zymomonas mobilis
Ssp. Pomaceas
Spirochaeta aurantia
Spirochaeta stenostrepta
Spirochaeta litoralis
Erwinia amylovora
Leuconostoc mesenteroides
Streptococcus lactis
Sarcina ventriculi
(syn. Zymosarcina)
up to 4.15 a)
1.96 a)
1.8
a)
(1.8) b)
1.7
1.9
1.7
1.5 (0.8)
0.84 (1.46)
1.1 (1.4)
1.2
1.1
1.0
1.0
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fermentation can also be analyzed using Michaelis Menten model for certain bacteria (2)
Scientific Classification
Kingdom:
Bacteria
Phylum:
Proteobacteria
Class:
Alpha Proteobacteria
Order:
Sphingomonadales
Family: Sphingomonadaceae
Genus:
Zymononas
Species:
Z. mobilis
Zymomonas mobilis is a bacterium belonging to the
genus Zymomonas. It is notable for its bioethanolproducing capabilities, which surpass yeast in some
aspects. It was originally isolated from alcoholic
beverages like the African palm wine, the Mexican
pulque, and also as a contaminant of cider and beer
in European countries.
Z. mobilis degrades sugars to pyruvate using the
Entner-Doudoroff pathway. The pyruvate is then
fermentated to produce ethanol and carbon dioxide
as the only products (analogous to yeast). (13)
Ethanol Fermentation with Yeast
The organisms of primary interest to industrial
operations in fermentation of ethanol include
Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Saccharomyces uvarum,
Schizosaccharomyces pombe, and Kluyveromyces
sp. Yeast, under anaerobic conditions; metabolize
glucose to ethanol primarily by way of the EmbdenMeyerhof pathway. The overall net reaction involves
the production of 2 moles each of ethanol, but the
yield attained in practical fermentations however
does not usually exceed 90 95% of theoretical. This
is partly due to the requirement for some nutrient to
be utilized in the synthesis of new biomass and other
cell maintenance related reactions.
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Erlenmeyer flasks
Test tubes
Rubber pipe or glass tube
Retort stand
Reflux condenser
CaOH
iii.
Stopper/Cork
Stop watch
Thermometer
Molasses
Yeast (Saccharomyces Cervisae)
600ml beakers
Funnel
Filter paper
pH meter
PROCESS DESCRIPTION
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Value
Brix
Dilute Brix
Purity
Ash
pH
Temp
Colour
Density
73.210
36.605
64.530
8.238%
5.097
30C
Dark consistent brown
1.292
1
2
3
4
5
0.200
0.500
1.200
3.000
5.000
= 0.9338g/ml
Density of Sample
(g/ml)
0.915
0.947
0.968
0.934
0.885
Wt% of ethanol
produced
46.750
31.500
20.000
40.000
62.270
Table 4.3: Premium yeast quantity for the best yield of ethanol analysis (1 gram of yeast)
1gram DENSITY AND WT % OF THE ETHANOL
Ratio Of Molasses To Water
0.667
0.500
0.333
0.250
0.200
DENSITY
WT %
0.888
57.781
52.959
0.888
57.868
53.028
0.881
60.991
55.524
0.863
68.296
61.211
0.816
86.556
74.492
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Fig 4.1: Chart of Dilution Ratio to yield after 5 days of Fermentation (1 gram of yeast)
Fig 4.2: Chart of Dilution Ratio to yield after 5 days of Fermentation (2 grams of yeast)
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Table 4. 4 Premium yeast quantity for the best yield of ethanol analysis (2 grams of yeast)
2grams DENSITY AND WT % OF THE ETHANOL
RATIO OF MOLASSES TO WATER
0.667
0.500
0.333
0.250
0.200
DENSITY
WT %
0.924
40.976
38.851
0.919
43.630
41.154
0.855
71.614
63.724
0.938
33.802
32.485
0.979
10.433
10.319
DENSITY
WT %
0.667
0.934
36.208
34.643
0.500
0.938
34.224
32.865
0.333
0.930
37.955
36.195
0.250
0.977
11.706
11.582
0.200
0.974
13.404
13.257
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Fig 4.3: Chart of Dilution Ratio to yield after 5 days of Fermentation (3 grams of yeast)
Analysis of figure 4.3
breakdown process is rapid but not as rapid but also
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Table 4.5: Premium yeast quantity for the best yield of ethanol analysis (5 grams of yeast)
RATIO OF MOLASSES TO WATER
0.667
0.500
0.333
0.250
0.200
DENSITY
WT %
0.928
39.274
37.359
0.897
53.868
49.775
0.908
48.718
45.491
0.933
36.673
35.057
0.961
21.392
20.986
Fig 4.4: Chart of Dilution Ratio to yield after 5 days of Fermentation (5 grams of yeast)
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Table 4. 6: Premium yeast quantity for the best yield of ethanol analysis (7 grams of yeast)
RATIO OF MOLASSES TO WATER
0.667
0.500
0.333
0.250
0.200
DENSITY
WT %
0.908
48.951
45.687
0.925
40.478
38.416
0.912
46.841
43.903
0.829
81.483
70.936
0.960
21.802
21.375
stock sample.
Figure A.UV Spectroscopy Test result
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1
Fig A.UV Spectroscopy Test result 2
Comparing the two samples based on their wavelengths and absorbance it can be deduced that the samples
are relatively close in their electronic transitional structure since they both have an absorbance of close range
and this occurs at the same wavelength.
CONCLUSION
From the chart above it would be observed that after
the 1 gram yeast concentration the 5 gram yeast
concentration gave the highest yield, this validates
the region chosen for analysis (between 1gram and
5grams of yeast). Although this experimental data
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6.
REFERENCES
1.
2.
Gunasekaran,
Velusamy
Senthilkumar
and
Paramasamy. Bioethanol from Biomass: Production of
Ethanol from Molasses. [book auth.] Ashok Pandey.
Handbook of plant biofuels. United States of America :
CRC press, 2009, pp. 73-86.
7.http://www.chemguide.co.uk/physical/catalysis/hydrate.ht
ml
9.
3.
8.
5.
4.
10. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fermentation.
Fermentation. En.wikipedia.org. [Online] wikimedia
project,
12. G.D. Najafpour, J.K. Lim, Evaluation and Isolation of
Ethanol Producer Strain SMP-6, Regional Symposium
on Chemical Engineering 2002
13. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zymomonas
Zymomonas
mobilis
Wikipedia,
encyclopedia.htm
SIWES
mobilis.
the
free
http://www.chemcases.com/alcohol/alc-03.htm
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