Ethanol from Sugarcane

By Intratec Solutions

The process
Ethanol from sugarcane is traditionally
produced by yeast fermentation of sugarcane
molasses. Commonly, raw sugar is obtained
as a co-product, through crystallization of
sugarcane raw juice. The major process steps
in sugarcane ethanol production (Figure 1) are
as follows:
Milling. Sugarcane is delivered from the field
to the factory, where it is weighed, cut and
shredded before being conducted to the mills,
where the raw cane juice is extracted. Sugarcane bagasse is obtained as a residue, and it
is burned to generate steam and electricity to
supply process demands.
Juice treatment. The raw cane juice is clarified
by treatment with phosphate and lime leading
to mud formation, which is separated in a
clarifier. The clarified juice is then concentrated
under vacuum in a multiple-effect evaporator,
forming a sugar syrup.
Sugar crystallization. Sugar crystallization
is accomplished in two vacuum calandrias,
where water is evaporated from the syrup
and crystallization is induced by the addition of a seeding solution. This process forms
a massecuite, a mixture of liquor and sugar
crystals. Next, crystallization is completed by
cooling in a crystallizer. The raw sugar is cen-

800
trifuged, dried and sent to storage.
In a third calandria-crystallizer set,
700
a massecuite is formed that will become the seeding solution to be used
600
at crystallization, and also the molasses for subsequent fermentation.
500
Fermentation. The sugars contained
in the molasses are fermented to
400
ethanol by yeast. Gases released
from the fermentation are washed
300
with recycle water in a gas-washing
column. The final broth is centri200
fuged, and the yeast cells are treated
with sulfuric acid and recycled to
100
the first fermenter. Meanwhile, the
ethanol-containing wine is sent to a
0
distillation apparatus.
Total fixed investment
Other capital expenses
Distillation. The ethanol solution is
Working capital
heated and fed to the concentration
column. The overhead of this column FIGURE 2. Capital expentitures for a sugarcane ethanol
is sent to the gas-washing column
plant erected in Brazil
and the vapor-side product stream,
containing about 50% ethanol, is fed
The electricity surplus generated in the plant
to a rectifying column that generates a 90%
is sold to the electric grid
ethanol vapor stream and recycle water, which
The estimated capital investment (including togoes to the gas-washing column. The ethanol
tal fixed investment, working capital and other
product stream undergoes dehydration in a
capital expenses) is about $670 million.
molecular sieve unit, leading to a product that
The process reported here allows sugis 99.5% pure ethanol.
arcane ethanol manufacturers to balance
ethanol and sugar production yields accordEconomic performance
ing to demand, rendering the activity flexible
An economic evaluation of the process was
to market fluctuations.
conducted based on data from the fourth quarBrazil is the main sugarcane ethanol producer
ter of 2012 (Figure 2). The following assumpand experienced, in the rst semester of 2013,
tions were taken into consideration:
a 7% increase in fuel ethanol consumption when
A 6 million-ton/yr sugarcane processing
compared to the same period of 2012.
unit producing 270 million L of anhydrous
ethanol and 420,000 ton of raw sugar per
year built in Brazil (the process equipment
Editors Note: The content for this column is supplied
is represented in the simplified flowsheet
by Intratec Solutions LLC (Houston; www.intratec.us)
and edited by Chemical Engineering. The analyses
below in Figure 1)
and models presented herein are prepared on the
The unit operates 210 d/yr
basis of publicly available and non-confidential infor Storage capacity equal to 30 days of operamation. The information and analysis are the opinions
of Intratec and do not represent the point of view of
tion for sugar and ethanol
any third parties. More information about the method Sugarcane cultivation and harvesting costs
ology for preparing this type of analysis can be found,
were not considered
along with terms of use, at www.intratec.us/che.
$, million

thanol is a widely used commodity chemical with several applications, including

use as a solvent and as a gasoline blendstock in the fuel market. Globally, the major
portion of ethanol production is based on the
fermentation of sugars from crop feedstocks,
such as sugarcane, corn, cellulosic material
and others. World fuel ethanol production
is about 85 billion liters annually, with 60%
resulting from corn ethanol production in
the U.S., and another 25% from sugarcane
ethanol production in Brazil. In view of current
environmental issues, including greenhouse
gas emissions, fermentation-based ethanol is
considered an alternative to fossil fuels since it
originates from renewable resources.

Vent
gases

ST
1
Sugarcane

Bagasse

Electricity

1.
2.
3.

CW

14
To
waste
treatment

Lime
2
7

CW

ST

CW

10

12

CW

Phosphate

Ethanol

7
Mud

11

CW

4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

5
6

5
6

13.
14.

To
waste
treatment
Sulfuric acid

FIGURE 1. Traditional ethanol production process from sugarcane

11.
12.

ST

CW

13

CW
ST

Mills
Clarifier
Multiple-effect
evaporator
Vacuum calandrias
Crystallizers
Sugar centrifuges
Fermenters
Yeast centrifuge
Gas washing
column
Concentration
column
Rectifying column
Molecular sieve
unit
Cooling tower
Energy cogeneration unit
Cooling water
Steam