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EXTRACTION OF ETHANOL FROM CORN (Zea maize) STALKS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title

Cover Page

Table of Contents

Acknowledgement

Abstract

CHAPTER I – INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
Objectives
Null Hypothesis
Significance of the Study
Definition of Terms
Scope and Delimitations

CHAPTER II – REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

CHAPTER III – METHODOLOGY


Materials and Equipment

Treatments and Variables


General Procedure
Data Gathered
Data Processing

CHAPTER IV – RESULTS, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

CHAPTER V – CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS


Conclusion
Recommendations

BIBLIOGRAPHY

ABSTRACT

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EXTRACTION OF ETHANOL FROM CORN (Zea maize) STALKS

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Keywords: Corn stalks, ethanol, mechanical extraction, filtration, fermentation and distillation.
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This study is a preliminary evaluation of the feasibility of extracting ethanol from corn ( Zea maize) stalks mostly left by the
farmers in the field after harvest through mechanical extraction, filtration, fermentation and distillation.

Sugar level determination, a critical factor in ethanol production was done using a refractometer. Two weekly sampling
trials were made to determine the level of ethanol yield using 10 gms and 20 gms yeast treatment during fermentation.

Ethanol yield per 100 ml juice extract 1 week after extraction (WAE) were: 12% in 10 gms and 15% in 20 gms yeast treated
samples. Correspondingly, 14% in 10 gms and 22% in 20 gms per 100 ml juice extract yeast-treated samples were recovered 2 WAE.
While the control recorded only 2.0% and 2.5% ethanol yield 1 and 2 WAE, respectively or with an average yield of only 2.5%.

Ethanol production increases through yeast application and as the storage period lengthens.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This study would not be possible without the Divine Guidance from our Heavenly Father and some individuals encountered by

the researcher in course of her study:

● Mr. and Mrs. Gonzalo Sarvida (my parents), for the moral and financial support; and for gathering and preparing the corn

stalks for juice extraction;

● Mrs. Ermelinda Floretes and Mr. Romeo Floretes for the big help in making this study possible and in developing this study;

for helping me in providing the materials needed in this study;

● Mr. Aylmer Arellon (our Research teacher) for the guidance and being my inspiration in conducting this study;

● Mr. Ketz Throy Arteche and Mr. John Romuelle Eclipse (MG-III) for accompanying me in conducting this study and the helping

me in preparing the materials needed;

● Mr. Hilario Alberto Aguirre (MG-III) for allowing me to ride with them with the use of their car going to D.A, Regional

Integrated Agricultural Research Center, Brgy. Anquiana, San Jorge, Samar last August 6, 2010 for the juice extraction;

● Department of Agriculture, Regional Integrated Agricultural Research Center, Brgy. Anquiana, San Jorge, Samar for the

extraction of juice from harvested corn stalks with the use of their Micro-mill and for determining the sugar level with the

use of their Refractometer;

● Mrs. Sadullo for allowing me (with the company of Mrs. Floretes and other MG-III students) to use her room (DOST 2) for the

distillation process.

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CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

As the Philippines increases its population and strives to develop its resources its demand for fuel and energy also

remarkably intensifies thus spending its dollar reserve in importing fossil fuel worth millions of dollars just to ease the energy crisis it

is facing today. Consequential to this unbalanced trade is the dramatic increase of prices of its basic commodities, considered a big

burden to most of its people who can hardly meet both ends in their daily survival.

The country’s high dependence on imported fuel is limiting its financial resources that could be otherwise spent on viable

developmental projects to improve the health and lifestyle of the Filipinos.

Ethanol is largely used as a motor fuel and fuel additive. It is also considered an important industrial ingredient and has

widespread use as a base chemical for other organic compounds and ethanol is used in medical wipes and in most common

antibacterial hand sanitizer gels. Ethanol can also be used as an antidote for poisoning by other, more toxic alcohols, in particular

methanol and ethylene glycol. It is found in paints, tinctures, markers, and personal care products such as perfumes, deodorants and

also used as alcoholic beverages and solvent in cooking, such as in vodka sauce (Myers, 2007).

Given this outlook, the researcher was enthused of coming up with this timely and very relevant study to explore the

possibility of ethanol production from harvested corn stalks which are considered waste products after harvesting. It is therefore

significant to carry out this kind of investigation because in one way or another, this research project study will lessen the country’s

dependence on importing fuel.

Objectives:

1. To determine feasibility of extracting ethanol from corn stalks.

2. To assess the presence of sugar from extracted corn stalk juice.

3. To measure and compare the ethanol yield in the various stages of fermentation as influenced by the addition of yeast.

Null Hypothesis:

Ho: There is no significant difference of ethanol yield between the control and yeast-treated corn stalk juice.

Ha: There is a significant difference of ethanol yield between the control and yeast-treated corn stalk juice.

Significance of the Study

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The current energy crisis is one of the major contributors to this research. The speedy increase of commodities in the
global market confuse consumers where to get extra income to this added burden. It is therefore a necessity to remedy to the existing
present crisis where consumers are now crabby due to the great effects on various items. As a way out, this study aims to conduct a
test on the feasibility of ethanol in corn stalks where ethanol is extremely significant nowadays. The largest single use of ethanol is as
a motor fuel and fuel additive, with this study this gives everyone an overview that after harvesting corn, instead of throwing the
stalks which can only add to the bulk of waste in the environment, these waste can be converted into something very vital to everyone
which is the ethanol. This study will yield information regarding the use of harvested corn stalks. Consequently, the result of this study
would be very useful because this can be considered as an initial phase to scale up the production of ethanol from corn stalks, and this
study can also be an avenue in solving the present problem on energy.

Scope and Delimitations:

This study was conducted at the Department of Agriculture, Regional Integrated Agricultural Research Center, Brgy.

Anquiana, San Jorge, Samar and in the DOST 2 Chemistry laboratory at Samar National School from July-August 2010.

Juice extraction from freshly harvested corn stalks was done in the field using micro mill juice extractor and the

determination of the presence of sugar level was made using a refractometer. After fermentation and distillation the researcher

computed only the ethanol yield 1 and 2 weeks after extraction and did not further attempt determine the percent alcohol content and

bioassay of the product.

CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Ethanol is a renewable energy source because the energy is generated by using a resource, sunlight, which is naturally

replenished. Creation of ethanol starts with photosynthesis causing a feedstock, such as sugar cane or corn, to grow. These

feedstocks are processed into ethanol. About 5% of the ethanol produced in the world in 2003 was actually a petroleum product. It is

made by the catalytic hydration of ethylene with sulfuric acid as the catalyst. It can also be obtained via ethylene or acetylene, from

calcium carbide, coal, oil gas, and other sources. Two million tons of petroleum-derived ethanol is produced annually. The principal

suppliers are plants in the United States, Europe, and South Africa. Petroleum derived ethanol (synthetic ethanol) is chemically

identical to bio-ethanol and can be differentiated only by radiocarbon dating.

(Klein, Donald W.; Lansing M.; Harley, John (2004). Microbiology (6th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill. ISBN 978-0072556780.
http://highered.mcgrawhill.com/sites/0072556781/ information_center_view0/ ).

Sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) is similar to grain sorghum with a sugar-rich stalk, almost similar to sugarcane. Besides

having wide adaptability, rapid growth and high sugar accumulation and biomass production potential, sweet sorghum, is tolerant to

drought, water logging, soil salinity and acidity toxicity. It has great potential for jaggery, syrup and alcohol (most importantly Gasohol,

which is ethanol blended with petrol) production. The sugar content in the juice extracted from sweet sorghum varies from 16-23%

Brix.
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In recent years, there is an increased interest in the utilization of sweet sorghum for ethanol production in India as its

growing period of about four months, and water requirement of 8,000 cubic meters (cu m) over two crops are one-fourth that of

sugarcane, which has a growing period of 12 to 16 months and a water requirement of 36,000 cu m per crop. In addition, sweet

sorghum is better suited for mechanized crop production and seed propagation.

According to a pilot study conducted by VSI, sweet sorghum is the best alternative raw material, which can supplement the

use of sugarcane in ethanol production. At 5,600 liters per hectare per year (over two crops, at 70 tons per hectare of millable stalk

per crop at 40 liters per ton), the ethanol production from sweet sorghum compares well with the 6,500 liters per ha per crop for

sugarcane (at 85-90 tons per hectare of millable cane per crop at 75 liters per ton).

According to estimates made by National Research Center for Sorghum (NRCS), Hyderabad-India, the per liter cost of

production of ethanol from sweet sorghum is Rs 13.11* (at Rs 500 per ton of stalk), when compared to Rs 12.55* (at Rs 1,600 per ton of

stalk) from sugarcane molasses. However, the increased cost of production of ethanol from sweet sorghum is more than

compensated by grain yield of 1 ton per hectare (which can be used as food or feed) and the superior quality of ethanol. The really

significant advantage is that the production of ethanol from sweet sorghum is environment friendly since it uses the non-molasses

route. (www.practicalaction.org).

Sugar cane must be crushed to extract the juice. The crushing process must break up the hard nodes of the cane and

flatten the stems. The juice is collected, filtered and sometimes treated and then boiled to drive off the excess water. The dried cane

residue (bagasse) is often used as fuel for this process. The remaining liquid is allowed to set into a solid mass known as jaggery, gur,

chancaca or panela. (Gur is used in the rest of this document.) The yield of gur from sugar cane depends mostly on the quality of the

cane and the efficiency of the extraction of juice. High quality cane has a good juice content with high sugar levels (20%+). Poor quality

cane or cane that has been harvested early may have similar juice content but the sugar levels will be reduced.

The efficiency with which juice can be extracted from the cane is limited by the technology used. The simple three roller

crushers used by most artisanal producers will never extract more than 50 kg of juice from each 100 kg of cane.

Yields

Yields are also improved by careful control of the boiling process. Boiling should be completed as rapidly as possible and the

conditions kept as clean as possible.

Crushing

Most artisanal sugar producers use a simple crusher consisting of three metal rollers. This is driven by either animal or
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diesel power. A crusher driven by a single ox can be expected to process around 50 kg of cane per hour. A 5HP diesel set could

increase this to around 300 kg per hour. Important points to remember during crushing are, namely: 1) Cane must be crushed within

24 hours of being cut. After this time the sugar begins to ‘invert’ into different sugars that will not set solid, and; 2) Crushing efficiency

is the most important factor in good sugar yields. Every possible amount of juice needs to be squeezed from the cane.

Juice Treatment

Juice should be filtered through a cloth before boiling in order to remove any solids such as dirt or particles of cane.

Large-scale sugar processors add lime to the juice in order to coagulate impurities which then settle out. This is rarely

done at the artisanal level. The juice is then neutralized with sulphur dioxide. Small-scale producers add a variety of clarificants to the

juice including wood ash. All of these have the effect of settling out impurities. Many producers also add ‘Hydros’ (sodium hydrogen

sulphate) at the final stages of boiling. This releases sulphur dioxide into the juice and lightens the color of the final product. However,

high sulphur content often remains in the final product.

Juice Boiling

This is done in large pans over open fires or simple furnaces. The essential requirement is for clean pans and tools.

Sediment settles to the bottom of the pan during boiling and is dredged out. Scum rises to the top and is skimmed off.

The end point of the boiling process is judged from experience; from the sight and sound of the boiling juice. Small samples

can be removed to see if they set solid when cooled. For those with access to simple sugar measuring devices, this usually

corresponds to a Brix (sugar content) of 90-95%.

After removal from the heat, the pans of juice are usually stirred rapidly to incorporate air and promote an even

crystallisation. The cooling juice is then poured into pots or moulds to set.

Cleanliness

Cleanliness is vital to the whole process. Once the juice has been heated, impurities will speed the ‘inversion’ of sugar and

lead to reduced yields. All boiling pans and tools need to be thoroughly cleaned between uses.

Tools

The tools required are very simple Filtration before boiling is done through a fine woven cloth. Scum is removed from the

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boiling juice by a simple perforated scoop on a long handle. Sediment is removed by scraping a stretched cloth along the bottom of the

pan. Once the pan has been removed from the heat, a simple rake is used to stir the thickened juice. (www.practicalaction.org, photo

from ecofriend.org)

CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

Cork
Test tube
Alcohol lamp
Denatured alcohol
Iron stand, ring and clamp

Materials/Equipment

Corn stalks
Micro mill or juice extractor
Refractometer
Yeast
1000-ml and 250-ml beakers
Distilling flasks

Treatments and Variables

T0 = 0-gm yeast; corn stalk juice only


T1 = 10-gm yeast treated corn stalk juice
T2 = 20-gm yeast treated corn stalk juice

General Procedure

Gathering and Preparation of Materials. Freshly harvested corn stalks were obtained from Brgy. Tagbayaon, Jiabong,

Samar. The corn stalks were immediately cleaned by removing the dried and fresh leaf sheaths. After which the stalks were cut into

pieces by about eight inches (8”) long to facilitate easy extraction, and then the samples were weighed.

Extraction. The extraction was done in the Department of Agriculture, Regional Integrated Agricultural Research Center in

Brgy. Anquiana San Jorge, Samar. The micro mill or juice extractor was cleaned by wiping using a cheese cloth and the strainer were

washed using clean water. After cleaning the micro mill were set up ready for extraction. Four (4) stalks at a time of about eight (8)

inches long were feed in into the micro mill to extract the juice and the stalks were feed in into the extractor four times to fully extract

the juice or until no more juice coming out from the extractor.

Filtration. The extracted juice was initially strained by passing through a screen strainer to remove solid particles from

corn stalks. After passing through the strainer it was further processed and filtered using filter paper to remove the fine particles

embedded in the juice.


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Measuring the Filtered Juice and Sugar Level Determination. The volume of the filtered juice was measured using a

250-ml graduated cylinder and its sugar level was assessed using a refractometer. For the sugar level determination two (2) drops of

corn stalk juice were placed in the lid of refractometer making sure that no bubbles will appear and it was repeated three times and

the mean for the three trials were computed to assure accurate results.

Fermentation. The corn stalk juice extract were then prepared for fermentation. The three treatments previously defined

were applied: T0 = no yeast added; T1 = ten (10) grams yeast; and T2 = twenty (20) grams yeast. The three treatments were stored at

ambient conditions and fermented for a period of one and two weeks. Note: Fermentation is the natural metabolic process that

produces energy by breaking down carbohydrates (like sugars) in the absence of oxygen. It is catalyzed by the action of enzymes

present in microorganisms like yeasts with ethyl alcohol as the end product.

Distillation. Two weekly sampling trials were made during fermentation to determine the alcohol content of the product.

During the weekly sampling, distillation of the fermented corn stalk juice was made by transferring the fermented corn stalk juice to a

distillation process where the ethanol is separated from the remaining stillage (residue non-fermentable solids and water). Distillation

is the process in which a liquid or vapor mixture of two or more substances is separated into its component fractions of desired

purity by the application of heat. This process can usually produce ethanol product.

Data Gathered

After the distillation the ethanol recovered from corn stalks was measured and the percent yield of the ethanol

was then computed using the formula:

Percent of ethanol yield = Volume of ethanol (ml)______ X 100


Volume of the extract sample (ml)

The process was used from the first to second trials both in the control and yeast-treated samples. In measuring the

percent yield of the ethanol, the researcher used the available graduated cylinder.

Gathering and Preparation of Materials

FLOW CHART

Cleaning & cutting of corn stalks (30 minutes)

Extraction Procedure

Pressing (60 minutes)

Filtration
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Straining & filtering (15 minutes)

1.
Measuring the Filtered Juice and Sugar Level Determination

Refractometer reading (15 minutes)

Treatment Application and Fermentation

1 & 2 –week storage and sampling

Distillation

Distilling 60 minutes

Measuring of Recovered Ethanol and Determining the Percent Yield

Figure 1. Flowchart of the general procedure of the study.

Data Processing

The results were gathered and tabulated. Quantitative analysis was done based on comparison of ethanol yields between the

untreated and yeast treated samples. Arithmetic mean or mean was used to determine the average of the percent yield of ethanol.

CHAPTER IV

RESULTS, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

Table 1 shows the amount and level of sugar extracted from the 2,500 grams of corn stalks. After the pressing the corn

stalks the bagasse weighed 1,920 g and the volume of extracted corn stalk was 560 ml. Three readings of sugar level were conducted

and a mean of 10.5 was computed. Based on the results of sugar level determination, it is assumed that ethanol could be extracted

from corn stalks as any plant or grass containing sugar, the presence of ethanol is possible.

Table 1. Amount and Sugar Level of the Sample.

Volume of
Readings of
Total weight Weight of juice
MEDIUM the Amount of
(g) bagasse (g) extract
Sugar Level
(ml)
1st 2nd 3rd MEAN
Corn Stalk 2,500 1,920 560 11 10.5 10 10.5

A comparative mean ethanol yield 7 DOF and 14 DOF were shown in Table 2 and Figure 2. The percentage of ethanol

recovered were 2.5%, 13.0% and 18.5% from T0, T1, and T2, respectively. It could be observed that the volume of ethanol recovered

increases as the amount of yeast is increased. Addition of yeast to the corn stalk extract speed-up the chemical process of
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fermentation that make ethanol extraction feasible.

The length of fermentation period had also influenced on the percentage of ethanol recovery as reflected in the same table.

However, the percent ethanol content per treatment per sampling period was not determined due to limitations of chemicals and

facilities.

Table 2. Comparison of ethanol yields between the control (untreated) and yeast-treated samples per 100 ml of Juice 7 and 14 days of
fermentation (DOF).

Treatments Ethanol yield (%)


7 DOF 14 DOF Mean

T0 - Control 2.0 3.0 2.5


T1 - 10-gm yeast 12.0 14.0 13.0
T2 - 20-gm yeast 15.0 22.0 18.5

Figure 2. Comparison of ethanol yields between the control (untreated) and yeast-treated samples per 100 ml of Juice 7 and 14 days of
fermentation (DOF).

CHAPTER V

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Conclusion

The presence of sugar in corn stalk juice indicated that ethanol can be extracted from freshly harvested corn stalks. The

ethanol yield from this otherwise wasted resource could significantly contribute to the development of ethanol industry and paints a

promising future for the corn farmers as they could be able to develop a new alternative source of income from their farm by

products.

Addition of yeast to corn stalk juice and lengthening the period of fermentation had significantly increased ethanol yield

and/or production.

The impact of the study on the utilization of corn stalk as source of ethanol could not be understated and offered an avenue

to provide the growing demand for ethanol for particular and the alcohol industry of the country in general.
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Recommendations

To further improve the study the researcher recommends the following:

1. Conduct of confirmatory, replicated studies and statistical analysis on the level of significance of the treatments

and variables used.

2. Application of new and efficient technology on corn stalk juice extraction.

3. Conduct of feasibility study on the large-scale corn stalk juice extraction and ethanol production to further

explore the economic viability of the process.

4. Assessment on the enhancement of the physico-chemical properties that determines the percent alcohol content

of the product and microbial studies to the effectiveness and efficacy of ethanol from corn stalk should be done.

5. Conduct of exploratory studies on other plants or grasses apart from corn stalk is also recommended.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Klein, Donald W.; Lansing M.; Harley, John (2004). Microbiology (6th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill. ISBN 978-0072556780.
http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0072556781/information_center_view0/

2. Myers, Richard L.; Myers, Rusty L. (2007). The 100 most important chemical compounds: a reference guide. Westport, Conn.:
Greenwood Press. p. 122. ISBN 0313337586. http://books.google.com/?id=0AnJU-hralEC&pg=PA122.

3. PhD thesis on algae production for bioenergy) (PDF). Murdoch University, Western Australia.
http://wwwlib.murdoch.edu.au/adt/pubfiles/adt-MU20050901.140745/ 02Whole.pdf

4. Root Crop Digest Vol. 2 No. 1 1987 PRIS ISSN 0116-4325

5. Roy Robison, Donald B. White, and Mary H. Meyer: Plants in Prairie Communities. University of Minnesota, 1995.

6. www.practicalaction.org

7. Webster’s Universal Dictionary and Thesaurus 2002

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