Ethanol for Gasohol, March 1982
ECONOMICS
PROGRAM
SRI
INTERNATIONAL
Menlo Park, California
Abstract
Process Economics Program Report No. 149
ETHANOL FOR GASOHOL
(March 1982)
This report covers the production of ethanol from three major
classes of biomass, viz., (1) the starch crop, represented by corn,
(2) the sugar crop, represented by sugar beets, and (3) cellulosic
materials, represented by wood.
It reviews some of the methods to
recover an anhydrous ethanol from a dilute aqueous solution, including a
preliminary economic evaluation of a liquid carbon dioxide extraction
method which is currently under pilot plant studies. It also presents
some of the properties of gasohol (gasoline containing 10 ~01% ethanol).
PEP'80 WSF
Ethanol for Gasohol, March 1982
Report No. 1’49
ETHANOL FOR GASOHOL
by WING SIEN FONG
March 1982
A private report by the
PROCESS ECONOMICS PROGRAM
Menlo Park, California 94025
Ethanol for Gasohol, March 1982
For detailed marketing data and information, the reader is
referred to one of the SRI programs specializing in marketing
research. The CHEMICAL ECONOMICS HANDBOOK Program covers
most major chemicals and chemical products produced in the
United States and the WORLD PETROCHEMICALS Program covers
major hydrocarbons and their derivatives on a worldwide basis.
In addition, the SRI DIRECTORY OF CHEMICAL PRODUCERS services
provide detailed lists of chemical producers by company, product, and plant for the United States and Western Europe.
ii
Ethanol for Gasohol, March 1982
0-
CONTENTS
1
INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . . . .
1
2
SUMMARY
3
3
INDUSTRY STATUS
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Argentina ...........................
Australia ...........................
Brazil .............................
. ...............
Europe .............
India .............................
Indonesia ...........................
Japan .............................
Philippines ..........................
United States .........................
0
4
PROPERTIES OF GASOHOL
.....................
Octane Number .........................
Volume Change .........................
Water Tolerance (Phase Separation) ...............
Vapor Pressure .........................
5
0
ETHANOL FOR GASOHOL FROM CORN
14
14
14
15
16
16
16
16
17
23
23
27
27
29
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Chemistry ...........................
....................
Hydrolysis of Starch
Ethanol Fermentation .....................
Process Review .........................
Corn Processing .......................
Starch Liquefaction
and Saccharification (Hydrolysis) ..............
Ethanol Fermentation .....................
Stillage ...........................
Process Description ......................
Corn Treatment and Starch Conversion .............
Fermentation. ........................
Ethanol Recovery and Dehydration ...............
Distillers Dry Grain-Solubles (DDGS) Production .......
Process Discussion .......................
Cost Estimates .........................
iii
39
39
41
42
42
45
51
62
62
63
65
65
66
73
76
Ethanol for Gasohol, March 1982
CONTENTS
6
ETHANOL FOR GASOHOL FROM SUGAR BEETS .............
Chemistry ..........................
Process Review ........................
Process Description .....................
Beet Juice Production ...................
Dry Beet Pulp Pellet Production ..............
Fermentation. .......................
.............
Ethanol Recovery and Dehydration
Distillers Dry Grain-Solubles (DDGS) Production ......
Process Discussion ......................
Cost Estimates ........................
7
ETHANOL FOR GASOHOL FROM WOOD
................
Chemistry ..........................
Process Review ........................
Dilute Sulfuric Acid Hydrolysis ..............
The Scholler-TorneschProcess ..............
The Madison Process ...................
The TVA (or Modified Madison) Process ..........
The Cederquist Process ..................
The American Can Process .................
The New York University Process .............
. . . . . .
Finland Extrusion Process ..........
Concentrated Hydrochloric Acid and (or) Hydrogen
......
Chloride (Gas) Hydrolysis ...........
......
The Bergius-Rheinau Process .........
......
The Flash Saccharification Process ......
......
The Naguchi-Chisso Process ..........
......
The Prodor Process ..............
......
The Hereng Process ..............
......
Concentrated Sulfuric Acid Hydrolysis .....
......
The Giordani-Leone Process ..........
......
The Hokkaido Process .............
......
Wood Pretreatment ...............
......
Steam Explosion ...............
......
Steam-Extruder ...............
......
Steam-Refiner ................
......
................
Batch-Steaming
......
.........
Reprecipitation of Cellulose
......
High Energy Irradiation ...........
iv
85
85
86
91
93
93
93
94
94
101
103
0
115
115
123
123
123
125
126
127
127
128
128
129
129
130
131
131
132
132
132
133
133
133
134
134
135
135
136
0
0
Ethanol for Gasohol, March 1982
CONTENTS
7
ETHANOL FOR GASOHOL FROM FJOOD (Continued)
Process Description .....................
Acid Hydrolysis of Wood ..................
Lignin Recovery ......................
Fermentation .......................
Ethanol Recovery and Dehydration .............
Yeast By-Product Recovery .................
Process Discussion .....................
Cost Estimates .......................
8
RECOVERY OF ETHANOL FROM FERMENTED BROTH
..........
Introduction ........................
Process Review .......................
Distillation .......................
Adsorption/Absorption ...................
Extraction ........................
Other Processes ......................
Process Description .....................
Process Discussion .....................
Cost Estimates .......................
136
137
138
138
139
139
145
149
161
161
161
162
166
168
171
171
177
179
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
187
CITED REFERENCES
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
191
PATENT REFERENCES
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
199
APPENDIX
DESIGN AND COST BASES
V
Ethanol for Gasohol, March 1982
0
ILLUSTRATIONS
Effect of Ethanol Concentration on the Octane Number
and Volume of Ethanol-Gasoline Blends , . . . . . . . . . . . .
28
Effect of Ethanol Content on Gasoline's
Reid Vapor Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
30
5.1
A Typical Wet Milling Process for Corn
. . . . . . . . . . . .
43
5.2
Typical Dry Milling Processes for Corn
, . . . . . . . . . . .
46
5.3
Archer Daniels Midland Ethanol Batch Process
. . . . . . . . .
55
5.4
Archer Daniels Midland Continuous Anhydrous
Ethanol Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
56
5.5
Alfa-Lava1 "Biostil" Process
60
5.6
Ethanol for Gasohol from Corn
FlowSheet
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
5.7
Ethanol for Gasohol from Corn
Effect of Corn Price and Distillers' Dry Grain-Solubles
(DDGS) Credit and Yield on the Net Production Cost . . . . . .
33
Ethanol for Gasohol from Corn
Effect of Operating Level and Plant Capacity
on Production Cost . . . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
84
A Block Flow Diagram for a Typical Process
to Produce Ethanol from Sugar Beets . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
87
4.1
4.2
5.8
6.1
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
6.2
Ethanol for Gasohol from Sugar Beets
FlowSheet
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
6.3
Ethanol for Gasohol from Sugar Beets
Effect of the Production Schedules of Beet Juice
and Dry Beet Pulp Pellet on the Total Fixed Capital
and Net Production Cost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
6.4
Ethanol for Gasohol from Sugar Beets
Effect of Sugar Beet Price and By-Products (Beet Pulp
Pellet and DDGS) Credit and Yield on
Net Production Cost . . . . . . . . . . . .
l
vii
113
Ethanol for Gasohol, March 1982
ILLUSTRATIONS
Ethanol for Gasohol from Sugar Beets
Effect of Operating Level and Plant Capacity
on Production Cost , . . , . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . .
114
7.1
Ethanol for Gasohol from Wood
Flow Sheet
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
209
7.2
Ethanol for Gasohol from Wood
Effect of Wood Price, Lignin Credit and Yeast By-Product
Credit on the Net Production Cost . . . . . . . . . . . . . ,
157
Ethanol for Gasohol from Wood
Effect of Operating Level and Plant Capacity
on Production Cost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
158
Ethanol for Gasohol from Wood
Effect of Disposal Charge or Credit for the By-Product
Calcium Sulfate and Residual Hexosans, Pentosans, and
Sugars in the Stillage on the Net Production Cost , , . . . .
159
Distribution Coefficients for Normal Aliphatic Alcohols
in Carbon Dioxide/Water Mixture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
170
Ethanol Recovery by Liquid Carbon Dioxide Extraction
FlowSheet..........................
213
6.5
7.3
7.4
8.1
8.2
8.3
Ethanol Recovery by Liquid Carbon Dioxide Extraction
Effect of the Pressure of the Recycling Carbon Dioxide
Streams on the Battery Limits Investment and
Total Direct Operating Costs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . 184
8.4
Ethanol Recovery by Liquid Carbon Dioxide Extraction
Effect of the Size of the Extraction Column
on the Battery Limits Investment and
Total Direct Operating Costs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
8.5
Ethanol Recovery by Liquid Carbon Dioxide Extraction
Effect of Makeup Carbon Dioxide Requirement or Price
on the Total Direct Operating Costs . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Viii
186
Ethanol for Gasohol, March 1982
TABLES
2.1
2.2
Summary of Economics for Production of Ethanol
from Corn, Sugar Beets, and Wood . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
9
Summary of Economics for Recovery of Ethanol
from a Fermented Broth by Distillation
and Liquid Carbon Dioxide Extraction . . . . . . . . , . . .
10
3.1
State Tax Incentives for Gasohol
in the United States . . . . . . . , , . . . . . . . . . . . 19
3.2
Potential and Existing Ethanol-For-Gasohol Producers
in the United States and Their Existing and (or)
Planned Capacities . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
4.1
Some Physical Properties of Ethanol and Gasoline
4.2
Effect of Ethanol Content on Some of the
Physical-Chemical Properties of a Gasoline
. . . . . . 24
. . . . . . . . . 25
5.1
Ethanol for Gasohol from Corn
Bases and Assumptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
5.2
Ethanol for Gasohol from Corn
Stream Flows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
5.3
Ethanol for Gasohol from Corn
. . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Major Equipment
5.4
Ethanol for Gasohol from Corn
Utilities Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . .
72
Ethanol for Gasohol from Corn
Total Capital Investment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
78
Ethanol for Gasohol from Corn
Capital Investment by Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
79
5.5
5.6
5.7
Ethanol for Gasohol from Corn
Production Costs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
5.8
Ethanol for Gasohol from Corn
Direct Operating Costs by Section . . . . . . , . . . . . . . 82
6.1
Ethanol for Gasohol from Sugar Beets
Bases and Assumptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
6.2
Ethanol for Gasohol.from Sugar Beets
Stream Flows . . . . e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
iX
Ethanol for Gasohol, March 1982
TABLES
Ethanol for Gasohol from Sugar Beets
Major Equipment , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
97
Ethanol for Gasohol from Sugar Beets
Utilities Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
100
Ethanol for Gasohol from Sugar Beets
Total Capital Investment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
107
Ethanol for Gasohol from Sugar Beets
Capital Investment by Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
108
Ethanol for Gasohol from Sugar Beets
Production Costs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
110
Ethanol for Gasohol from Sugar Beets
Direct Operating Costs by Section . . . . . . . . . . . . .
112
Typical Composition of Wood
(Extractives and Ash-Free Basis)
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
117
7.2
Some Reaction Rate Constants for
the Hydrolysis of Douglas Fir Cellulose . , . . . . . . . .
120
7.3
Some Reaction Rate Constant Ratios
for Cellulose Hydrolysis and Glucose Decomposition . , . .
122
7.4
Ethanol for Gasohol from Wood
Bases and Assumptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
140
Ethanol for Gasohol from Wood
StreamFlows
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
141
Ethanol for Gasohol from Wood
Major Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
142
Ethanol for Gasohol from Wood
Utilities Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. .
148
Ethanol for Gasohol from Wood
Total Capital Investment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
152
7.9
Ethanol for Gasohol from Wood
Capital Investment by Section . . . . . . . . . . . . , . .
153
7.10
Ethanol for Gasohol from Wood
Production Costs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
154
Ethanol for Gasohol from Wood
Direct Operating Costs by Section . . . . . . . . . . . . .
156
6.3
6.4
6.5
6.6
6.7
6.8
7.1
7.5
7.6
7.7
7.8
7.11
X
l
'
Ethanol for Gasohol, March 1982
l
TABLES
0
8.1
8.2
0
8.3
8.4
8.5
8.6
Ethanol Recovery by Liquid Carbon Dioxide Extraction
Bases and Assumptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
172
Ethanol Recovery by Liquid Carbon Dioxide Extraction
Stream Flows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
174
Ethanol Recovery by Liquid Carbon Dioxide Extraction
Major Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
175
Ethanol Recovery by Liquid Carbon Dioxide Extraction
Utilities Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
176
Ethanol Recovery by Liquid Carbon Dioxide Extraction
Capital Investment Estimate . . . . . . , . , . . . . . . .
182
Ethanol Recovery by Liquid Carbon Dioxide Extraction
Direct Operating Costs . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . . .
183
Xi