[Gasification] Cellulosic ethanol: an alternative route...

[Dick Glick]

Hello -- 

Lets do the math -- pardon the use of chemical formulas -- and formula 
weights -- but we need the data.

1 ton of glucose derived in all cases from formula weights:

Glucose

12 x 6 = 72

16 x 6 = 96

12 x 1 = 12

12 + 96 + 72 =   180



Ethanol

12 x 2 = 24

1 x 6 = 6

16 x 1 = 16

24 + 6 + 16 = 46



Carbon dioxide

12 x 1 = 12

16 x 2 = 32

12 + 32 = 44



C6H12O6 = 2C2H6O + 2CO2



1 ton of C6H12O6 = 46/90 ton of C2H6O + 44/90 ton of CO2



1 gallon of C2H6O weighs 6.59 lbs



1 ton of C6H12O6 produces (2000 x (46/90))/6.59 = 155 gallons of C2H6O



Ok -- if you had biomass where all the cellulosic fraction could be 
converted to ethanol -- the best choice would be sugarcane and assuming a 
dry ton -- sugarcane contains about 950 pounds of sucrose -- and assuming 
all will be converted and about 450 pounds of cellulosic -- and all could be 
converted -- the best you could expect is 108 gallons.  That's 100% 
conversion, right?



Someone else needs to do the calculation for switchgrass and come up with 
the max gallons.  Most likely it would be far less than 100 gallons -- in a 
real world circumstance.



Best, Dick












----- Original Message ----- 
From: <LINVENT at aol.com>
To: <mark at ludlow.com>; <Rex at Process.co.za>; <bioenergy at listserv.repp.org>; 
<gasification at listserv.repp.org>
Cc: <earthmimic at yahoo.com>; <dennyh at bellsouth.net>
Sent: Tuesday, January 23, 2007 6:44 PM
Subject: Re: [Gasification] Cellulosic ethanol: an alternative route...


> If one does the math, 100 gallons/ton of feedstock is around $170-300/ton
> value, depending upon the ethanol value and more with the tax credits. I 
> doubt if
> any fuel usage would compete with this type of conversion rate.
>
> One has to read the press release real carefully to see the weaknesses
> between the lines. There is a lot more about the real status of this 
> process.
>
>
>
> Sincerely,
> Leland T. Taylor
> Leland T."Tom" Taylor
> President
> Thermogenics Inc.
> 7100-F 2nd St. NW Albuquerque, NM 87107
> Phone:505-463-8422 Fax:505-268-9206 (call first)
> Web:thermogenics.com
> _______________________________________________
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