Ethanol From Molasses

Keikhosro Karimi

Department of Chemical Engineering

Isfahan University of Technology
 What is molasses?

Molasses is a by-product of the sugar industry, defined as the end

product of sugar manufacture or refining from which no more sugar
may be economically crystallised by conventional means.
About 75% of the worlds molasses comes from sugar
g cane and the
majority of the remainder comes from sugar beet. Other sources of
molasses include citrus, corn and sorghum. Sugar cane is grown in
tropical climates (Asia, South America), whereas sugar beet has its
origin in the temperate climates (Europe and North America). The most
important constituent of molasses is sugar, being predominantly sucrose
with some glucose and fructose.
Cane Extraction

Sugar is extracted by crushing sugar cane stems to extract juice

juice. Lime (Calcium
Hydroxide) is added to the juice, which is then heated and filtered in order to remove
impurities. The juice is then evaporated, to concentrate the sugar and several
crystallisation
y processes follow to extract as much sugars
p g as possible.
p Centrifugal
g
machines then separate the sugar and syrup. The residual syrup is often called
blackstrap cane molasses.

Beet Extraction
Sugar Beets are washed and sliced before undergoing a diffusion process to extract the
juice. Once the juice is extracted it is processed in the same way as cane sugar
In general, world molasses production is approximately one third that of the sugar
production. For every 100 tonnes of sugar cane processed, 3 to 4 tonnes of molasses is
produced and for every hundred tonnes of sugar beet 4 to 6 tonnes of molasses is
produced. The quantity of molasses produced is influenced by the market price of sugar.
The higher the sugar price the more sugar extractions the molasses is put through to
get as much sugar out as possible.
Major world producers of molasses

Country Quantity (000 tons)

Brazil 8,900

India 6,700

China 2 500
2,500

Thailand 2,400

Pakistan 1,900
Major world exporters and importers of molasses
 Fermentation of molasses

Reactions:

Di-saccharide ---------------> Mono-saccharide

Yeast
Mono-saccharide -----------> Ethanol + CO2
 Organic
g matter composition
p of
beet and cane molasses

Beet molasses Cane Molasses

Sucrose 66 44
Fructose 1 13
Glucose 1 10
Betaine 6 -
Amino acids 8 3

Other substances 18 30
Distillation
 Characteristics of Wastewater

The wastewater generated by molasses based

di ill i has
distilleries h following
f ll i characteristics:
h i i

- Volume: 9 to 12 L per L of alcohol produced.

produced
- B.O.D.: 40,000 to 60,000 ppm.
- C.O.D.:
C O D 80,000
80 000 to
t 120,000
120 000 ppm.
- Total solids: 7 to 12 % w/w.
- Organic solids: 4 to 8 % w/w
 Wastewater treatment

- Anaerobic Bio-Methanation followed by aerobic,

activated sludge treatment
- Aerobic, Biological Composting.
- Concentration and usage in Animal Feed.
- Concentration and Incineration,, with and without
Steam Generation.
-Disposal in water bodies like river,
river lake or sea!!!
-
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 Evaporation of Vinasse by
FLUBEX

- Deposition and scaling in falling film evaporators

due to presence of calcium salts in vinasse is the
major problem in evaporation of vinasse.
- Self-cleaning fl idi ed bed FLUBEX e
Self cleaning fluidized evaporators
aporators of
PRAJ employs metal wire-bits which get fluidized
in the exchanger and gently scour the tube-walls
- FLUBEX enables use of vinasse evaporator for a
longer duration of 30-90 days without cleaning.
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FLUBEX Mash/Vinasse Evaporator

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