ALFA LAVAL INDIA:Sinsurang Distillery(THAILAND )ready for commercial production

Sinsurang Distillery ready for commercial production



Thanks to the exemplary team effort by our commissioning team of Javaji Prasad, Umesh Lakhdive, Jaysingh Parade and CG Londhe and the co operation extended by Alfa Laval Thailand team, for making it possible to hand over a 30 KLPD distillery in Thailand for commercial production. The customer was satisfied as the plant could meet all the guaranteed performance parameters

The customer is Sinsurang Liquor Company at Thailand. The distillery will produce of 30,000 liters of potable alcohol per day from sugar cane molasses. The plant is completely automated Fermentation and Distillation plant. The Distillation is a Multi-Pressure 6 column distillation system to produce fine grade of Extra Neutral alcohol for liquor manufacturing.

Though Alfa Laval India had earlier completed Ethanol dehydration plants in Thailand, this is the first distillery project commissioned on Turnkey basis.

........Source Alfa Laval India

WHAT IS FUEL ETHANOL !!

WHAT IS FUEL ETHANOL

Ethanol (ethyl alcohol, grain alcohol, ETOH) is a clear, colorless liquid with a characteristic, agreeable odor. In dilute aqueous solution, it has a somewhat sweet flavor, but in more concentrated solutions it has a burning taste. Ethanol, CH3CH2OH, is an alcohol, a group of chemical compounds whose molecules contain a hydroxyl group, -OH, bonded to a carbon atom. The word alcohol derives from Arabic al-kuhul, which denotes a fine powder of antimony produced by distilling antimony and used as an eye makeup. Alcohol originally referred to any fine powder, but medieval alchemists later applied the term to the refined products of distillation, and this led to the current usage.

Ethanol melts at -114.1°C, boils at 78.5°C, and has a density of 0.789 g/mL at 20°C. Its low freezing point has made it useful as the fluid in thermometers for temperatures below -40°C, the freezing point of mercury, and for other low-temperature purposes, such as for antifreeze in automobile radiators.

Ethanol has been made since ancient times by the fermentation of sugars. All beverage ethanol and more than half of industrial ethanol is still made by this process. Simple sugars are the raw material. Zymase, an enzyme from yeast, changes the simple sugars into ethanol and carbon dioxide. The fermentation reaction, represented by the simple equation C6H12O6 2 CH3CH2OH + 2 CO2 is actually very complex, and impure cultures of yeast produce varying amounts of other substances, including glycerine and various organic acids. In the production of beverages, such as whiskey and brandy, the impurities supply the flavor. Starches from potatoes, corn, wheat, and other plants can also be used in the production of ethanol by fermentation. However, the starches must first be broken down into simple sugars. An enzyme released by germinating barley, diastase, converts starches into sugars. Thus, the germination of barley, called malting, is the first step in brewing beer from starchy plants, such as corn and wheat.

ETHANOL AS A FUEL
Ethanol is used as an automotive fuel by itself and can be mixed with gasoline to form what has been called "gasohol" FUEL ETHANOL- the most common blends contain 10% ethanol and 85% ethanol mixed with gasoline. Over 1 billion gallons of ethanol are blended with gasoline every year in the United States. Because the ethanol molecule contains oxygen, it allows the engine to more completely combust the fuel, resulting in fewer emissions. Since ethanol is produced from plants that harness the power of the sun, ethanol is also considered a renewable fuel. Therefore, ethanol has many advantages as an automotive fuel.


Most industrial ethanol is denatured to prevent its use as a beverage. Denatured ethanol contains small amounts, 1 or 2 percent each, of several different unpleasant or poisonous substances. The removal of all these substances would involve a series of treatments more expensive than the federal excise tax on alcoholic beverages (currently about $20 per gallon). These denaturants render ethanol unfit for some industrial uses. In such industries undenatured ethanol is used under close federal supervision.

It’s Time To Celebrate For Ethanol Manufacturers !!

It’s Time To Celebrate For Ethanol Manufacturers

After a long wait, the change in Petroleum Ministry chair has brought a good news to celebrate for ethanol manufacturers in India. It is said that the center would shortly issue a notification making ethanol blending mandatory from October 2006. The new norms would apply to both public sector as well as private sector players. Initially a 5% blend would be allowed and implemented successfully & this would be increased to 10% by October 2007.

We believe, only resolution would not solve the objective, but a close micro-level monitoring & closing of all escape routes for not blending ethanol by oil corporations should be checked. A tax incentive to the program at this stage would definitely “make the oil corporations blend ethanol out of goodwill”.

Secondly it is seen that price disputes between ethanol suppliers and oil corporations remain the core problem area. Meetings are being conducted between ISMA (Indian Sugar Mill Association) and Ethanol Manufacturers Association officials to derive certain formula for price fixing. As current prices of ethanol offered by oil corporations is Rs. 18.75 is very less as the process of Special Denaturant Spirit (94.68% alcohol) is fetching a price around Rs. 21.00 to 21.50 (May 2006) itself. Hence the sugar factories are more happy to sell 94.68 % alcohol (SDS) than to convert it to ethanol and sell it at a lower price.

The ethanol manufacturers should come out with a parameter and memorandum to establish and assure an uninterrupted supply (lot work to do).

At the current situation the Northern part of India has stated blending not in full fledged. But Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat & the southern states of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu are yet to restart full fledge. Only one manufacturer XL Telecom ltd (Ethanol Division) has courageously come forward to supply at the rate of Rs. 18.75.
On the other hand India has a lot potential for flexible fuel vehicles. As it is shows that by 2010 it is estimated that India will have 36 times more cars than it did in 1990. (Watch out China! USA?).

While some news has emerged of Indian companies in Private sector to develop ethanol in large scale plants from non-molasses routes in rural parts of India.

Reliance Industries Limited is planning to set up an ethanol extraction plant at Kurkumbh. Farmers should celebrate as then can afford to give a sound rate to their sugarcane. The ethanol manufacturers should not worry as ethanol they proposed to produce will be consumed for their mono-ethylene glycol unit itself & will not be using for petrol blending. (Get in touch with Business Brains for exact statistics of future demand and supply.)

To conclude , it’s bright future for ethanol & the black period is over. Only request to the government is to be fixed with the resolution of making ethanol mandatory & monitor the successful running of the ethanol programme.

* Brief from Asia’s highest rated web portal on ethanol www.ethanolindia.net

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