Anyone can make their own ethanol distillation process at home in their own yard. It is a quite simple process. The process was developed in medieval in order to produce beverages with higher alcohol concentration and better storage performances then beer and wine. Moreover, ethanol which you can produce at your home can be drunk or used as a fuel for internal combustion engines. There is slightly difference in processing and feedstock. The process differences results different final product; beverage or fuel.
Ethanol can be produced by distillation from biomass or by ethylene hydrating from fossil oil. It is a little difficult to purchase the oil for domestic production or to find that in your yard (unless you are in Texas or Arabic Countries). Therefore, biomass feed as relatively available and cheap is better solution. Biothanol obtained from biomass is chemically ethanol, same as synthetic ethanol from petrochemical process. Thus, bioethanol produced from renewable recourses reducing dependences for fossil oil.

Feedstock and Ethanol Fermentation

Unlike beverage distillation from fine sorts of fruit and germs, ethanol fuel can be distilled from varying of lower quality feedstock. There can be used sugarcane and corn, even wasted potatoes from restaurants.
Fermentation is a process where sugars (glucose, fructose, and sucrose ) is being converted into alcohol by yeasts (K. lactis, K lipolytica) in the absence of oxygen.
The fermentation takes place in a vessel which can be a simple barrel. Usually fermentation vessel is a part of distillation construction.
Phosphoric fertilizers may be added into fermentation vessel in order to increase ‘ethanol yield’. Phosphorus salts are the catalysts in fermentation process, thus ensure better sugar – ethanol conversion. Don’t add fertilizers if you are willing to make ethanol for drink. Feed particles need to be as smaller as possible that cut fermentation period and also escape acetic acid formation by ethanol oxidation.

Ethanol Distillation

Ethanol distillation is an operation of physical separation water and ethanol that performed in ethanol still. There are many different still constructions, although basic principle is the same. It is ethanol – water separation based on different boiling points.Industrial ethanol distillation is doing trough multilevel rectification columns with low proof reflux. That kind of ethanol still is more efficient that requires lower energy consumption and better efficiency. Inside the still, the alcohol and water vapors are condensing with higher ethanol concentration down side up. Low proof is being re–boiled. This process successfully separates out almost pure alcohol from the mixture. Simple rectification column consists of one distillation floor can be handmade, thus quite enough for personal fuel needs. This is discontinual ethanol distillation process which has to be strictly monitored and manually operated. Unlike multilevel industrial plant with constant reflux, in homemade distillation construction boiler is separated from reflux column due to controlling steam flow into reflux chamber. Without boiler temperature controlling, ethanol concentration in reflux is oscillation. Directing reflux line into boiler can cause temperature oscillating loosing the process control.

Ethanol distillation can be made in traditional still for beverage production, although process must be fine tuned and better controlled. Boiling point of ethanol is 79C. Then boiling starts it is difficult to control temperature of mixture. In purpose to produce high proof ethanol, the temperature must be maintained slightly lower then boiling point. From time to time a distillation mixture starts to boil as well as vapour will be high ethanol concentrated. Traditional still is cheaper then still with reflux, thought this process consumes more energy.

Ethanol Fuel Facts

Ethanol is corrosive. Construction material must be corrosion resistant; cooper or stainless steel.

Maximal concentration of obtained ethanol can be 96% - 97%. The rest of water may be removed by azeotropic distillation or trough molecular sieves. 96% ethanol run the vehicles pretty good, although can’t be blended within gasoline. Also, some engines are not able to run on ethanol because of high octane number and lower ignition point.