Evaluation and measurement of bioethanol extraction from melon waste (Qassari cultivar)

Abstract

As the world progresses, more energy is required to get along with everyday changes. Using bio-ethanol as one of the most important bio-fuels is an appropriate response to those changes. Much agricultural waste is being produced in Iran and the combination of such waste can turn it into a good source for the production of bio-ethanol. Thus, in this study, the amount of bioethanol extracted from melon waste was measured and evaluated. To do so, considering the 15 kg capacity of the device's fermenter, 12 kg of refined melon sugar syrup and three kilograms of water (with the standard ratio of 4 to 1), i.e. a total of 15 kg of substrate with the brix degree of 20, as well as 75 gr of saccharomyces cervisiae yeast, cultured in standard conditions (5 grams of yeast for each kilogram of substrate) were transferred into the fermenter. The tests were conducted in 35 hours with three replications and at three different rotation speeds of the fermenter's mixer. Sampling took place every five hours. Fermentation temperature was set as 30 degrees centigrade and distillation temperature was set to be 75 degrees centigrade which is the standard temperature of bioethanol's boiling point. The results showed that about 60.5 grams of bioethanol was obtained from each kilogram of melon. In addition, considering the alcohol produced and in order to optimize energy consumption, it was observed that the best speed for the mixer in the device's fermenter was 120 rpm.