Overview of Farm
The Ethanol From Waste Fruit
Demonstration Awards Grant
S.A.R.E.
Sustainable Agriculture Research Education Grant
By: Dan West
Prototype Still
Typical Fractionating Column Still

Our initial Still
 Utilizing
components
gathered from our
personal machine
shop, other.
Components of Our Fractionating Column
Prototype Still

15 gallon S.S. beer
keg
 3” copper tube
 PVC pipe
 Glass marbles
 4500 watt Water
heating element
Parts of the Still
Our Larger Version
Fractionating Column Still With A Stripping Column
Ethanol
Ethanol
From
From
Waste
Waste
FruitFruit
Fractionating Column & Stripping
Column

Condenser

Fractionating
Column

Stripping Column
Fractionating Column & Stripping
Column

Copper Tube Coil
Within Condenser
 Copper Tube
Coils For
Cooling
Fractionating
Column
New 500 Gallon Propane Tank

6” Black Iron Pipe
and Flanges

Water Input & Coil
Valves

Copper Tube Lines
For
- Water Input
- Water Output
- Alcohol Output
Direct Expenses Related to
Building Distillery

New 500 Gallon Tank
 6” Black Iron Pipe & Ftgs.
 Copper Lines , Coils & Ftgs.
 Gauges, Thermometers
& Electrical Components
 Welding Supplies
 Labor Cost
Total
$250.
$350.
$300.
$400.
$100.
$500.
$1900.
Alcohol Production From this Still
& Production Cost
 Projected
alcohol Production 4-8 GPH
 Electrical
Energy Cost Per gallon .65cts
Ethanol From Waste Fruit
Complete Distillation of Ethanol by
Solar Concentrating Method
SARE Grant # FNC-06-600
Prototype Solar Still
First Generation
1st Generation Prototype Solar
Concentrator
4’ Fiberglass CBand Satellite Dish
 2” Square Mirrors
Epoxied on Dish
 2 Tracking Devices
 Collector Plate

nd
2

Generation Solar Still
Fractionating Column Still
Placed at Focal Point of
Reflected Sun Rays
 Ambient Temperature
Condenser “Copper Coil”
 Produced 130 proof
Alcohol
nd
2
Generation Solar Still

Ambient Temp Coil

Reflected Sun Rays
Final Prototype Solar Still

2 Gallon Batch Still

PVC Condenser
Tube

Produced 175 proof
Alcohol
Solar Collector
btu Values
4 ft. Prototype concentrator produces
appx 5000 btu
 15 ft. concentrator produces appx
71000 btu
 Theoretically Enough energy to heat up
400 gallons of liquid to 200 degrees in 8
hours.

Components of 15 ft Diameter
Solar Concentrator Distillery