Advantages & Disadvantages of Ethanol Manufacture
Chemistry: Cambridge International GCSE Supplement, topic 11.6.9
Advantages & Disadvantages of Ethanol Manufacture
Ethanol is made by fermentation or by reacting ethene with steam.
Ethanol from fermentation
- Fermentation uses yeast to turn sugars into ethanol and carbon dioxide.
- It happens at about 30-40°0C without high pressure.
- It uses renewable resources like sugar from plants.
- It produces a low concentration of ethanol (about 15%).
Advantages of fermentation
- Fermentation uses renewable materials, helping the environment.
- The process uses simple equipment and low temperature.
- It produces food and drink products like beer and wine.
- It is less energy-intensive, reducing costs.
Disadvantages of fermentation
- Fermentation produces ethanol slowly and in low concentrations.
- It needs purification by distillation, using extra energy.
- It depends on crops, which can affect food supply and prices.
- It cannot produce very pure ethanol quickly.
Ethanol from steam addition to ethene
- This method uses ethene and steam over a catalyst at 300°C and 60-70 atmospheres pressure.
- It produces high-purity ethanol quickly.
- It needs ethene from crude oil or natural gas, which are non-renewable.
Advantages and disadvantages of steam addition
- Advantages:
- Produces pure ethanol fast
- Efficient for large-scale production
- Disadvantages:
- Uses non-renewable resources
- High temperature and pressure increase energy costs
- Requires expensive catalysts
- This method is common in industry due to large production capacity.,
Test yourself on Advantages & Disadvantages of Ethanol Manufacture
Fermentation typically occurs at what temperature range?