Eric,
Suggest before you go further that you look at the weight for volume
factor (ie. what does a cubic metre weigh on average) and the moisture
content of the material so you know what the dry solids contents are.
Would imagine at 5 gallons per cubic yard that the yield is far too low and
the energy costs involved would far out weigh any potential return. As a
comparison believe the economic ethanol return for maize per ton is at least
70 gallons for any efficient producer.
To get some idea of costs read the following report put out by ILSR
(Institute for Local Self Reliance) titled "How much Energy does it take to
make a gallon of ethanol?" and listed as Reference 5 at the end of Ethanol
from Cellulose article on Karl Davies site.
http://www.daviesand.com/Perspectives/Forest_Products/Ethanol/
Although dated 1995 and now a little out of date it will give you some idea
and show you the importance of this aspect.
Dont be discouraged and dont give up though. In the end I dont think it will
be too long before companys make small equipment and plant that can make
use of cheap and almost free energy sources particularly heat energy which
at present are going to waste or are grossly under utilized to run plants
that produce a certain volume of ethanol. The problem then becomes one of
limitation of size.
A search of various patents to see how others have overcome and got round
various problems may pay good dividends and suggest solutions at various
volumes.
B.r., David
-----Original Message-----
From: Eric Deaver <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: biofuel@egroups.com <biofuel@egroups.com>
Date: Thursday, November 09, 2000 7:04 AM
Subject: [biofuel] A little ethanol help??
>Ok, I have read a great deal of the ethanol from cellulose material.
>Was hoping there are some real experts out there to help me evaluate
>some of my data. I have access to a great deal of material for
>little or no cost. Was considering trying to covnert some of it to
>ethanol and use some to fuel my still. Figure I have just cut the
>two main cost factors to essentially zero.
>
>I have had samples of three different materials analyzed. Here are
>the results:
>
>Sample #1 Lignin 0.2%, Cellulose 9.5%
>Sample #2 Lignin 4.6%, Cellulose 13.2%
>Sample #3 Lignin 7.5%, Cellulose 27.8%
>
>I can pretty much get many truckloads per day of this material for
>free (with very low transport costs) - especially samples #2 & #3.
>
>There is no starch or sugars present in this material - I am getting
>hemicellulose run now.
>
>Should I look at anything else? Is this worth pursuing? Is it
>totally nonviable for ethanol production on the moderate scale? I
>have talked to some people who say the rule of thumb is 50%
>efficiency when converting from cellulose to glucose and 50%
>efficiency glucose to alcohol. That would mean (if I did my math
>right) that 1 cu.yd. of material would make about 5 gallons of
>ethanol (for sample #1). Does this sound right to you all?
>
>Thanks for your advise.
>
>Eric Deaver
>
>
>
>Biofuel at Journey to Forever:
>http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html
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>
>
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