[Gasification] Cellulosic Ethanol a dead end

[LINVENT at aol.com]

Termites also break down cellulose and other cellulose materials as part of 
wood. However, breaking it down is not the only requirement, it has to proceed 
down a path which allows for conversion to alcohol, not just other compounds 
which may pass up the ethanol opportunity. This is the tricky part of enzymatic 
conversion of cellulose and why it is so difficult. It is like making a 
cannon big enough to tear through a castle wall, but not kill anyone inside. 

There is a facility in Italy which takes cellulose and converts into 
livulenic acid which is more valuable than ethanol using acid hydrolysis, pure 
sulfuric acid mixed into various cellulosic feeds. The vessels are of exotic 
materials and extremely expensive which would preclude it's use for ethanol production 
as far as I know. Others have used acid hydrolysis to convert cellulose to 
sugar then ferment the sugar to produce alcohol and one group had their tank 
blow up due to a stuck pressure relief valve and kill two people. NERL continues 
to pursue the general avenue of enzymatic conversion for some reason. 



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




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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