Ethanol Plant

A guide tour to making ethanol

Ethanol 101• E10 - 10% ethanol / 90% unleaded gasoline.• This most common blend of ethanol is approved for use

in any make or model of vehicle sold in the U.S., with no modifications necessary to the engine.

• E85 - 85% ethanol / 15% unleaded gasoline.• This alternative fuel is for use in flex-fuel vehicles (FFVs)

- currently numbering more than 6 million on U.S. roads, with auto manufacturers producing more each year. To accommodate this increase in the number of FFVs, more E85 pumps are available nationwide. Where E85 is not available, FFVs can operate on straight gasoline or any ethanol blend up to 85%.

Why Ethanol?• Because it reduces

emissions of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere & helps farmers.

• http://www.drivingethanol.org/ethanol_facts/why_ethanol.aspx

Basic Process• Wheat or corn kernels are ground in a hammermill to

expose the starch.            • The ground grain is mixed with water, cooked briefly

and enzymes are added to convert the starch to sugar using a chemical reaction called hydrolysis.           

• Yeast is added to ferment the sugars to ethanol.            

• The ethanol is separated from the mixture by distillation and the water is removed from the mixture using dehydration.

• Ethanol Plant outside Southerland, NE

• Ground up corn brought to plant by train.

• The ground grain is mixed with water, cooked briefly and enzymes are added to convert to starch.

• Piping carries mixture to next station.

• Yeast is added to ferment the sugars to ethanol.

• The ethanol is separated from the mixture by distillation.

• Distillation continued…

• The water is removed from the mixture using dehydration and ethanol is produced & stored for sale.

• The ethanol plant is managed by high-tech software from a command station.