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Ethanol refineries

Ethanol and ethyl alcohol is derived from starch and sugar-based feed and it was one of the first attempts that tried a value-adding process. There are two production processes that ethanol refineries use to produce ethanol. The ethanol refineries use the dry milling method to produce ethanol gasoline and other products using the various phases of the distillation process.

In the dry milling method used by ethanol refineries, all of the kernel of corn is ground into a flour meal substance. Other methods typically separate this part of the corn from other parts of the grain before processing at ethanol refineries. When this meal is mixed with water it forms a mash, in which enzymes are added to convert the starch to a simple sugar base. It is at this point that ethanol refineries add ammonia to the mash to control ph levels, while also acting as a nutrient to the yeast.

Ethanol refineries use a high-temperature cooker to process the mash in an effort to reduce bacteria levels before the mash goes through a fermentation process. When the mash is cooled, ethanol refineries will then transfer the mash over to the fermenting vat where great quantities of yeast are used. This addition of yeast product starts the conversion cycle of sugar to ethanol and carbon dioxide.

The duration of the fermentation process is typically 40 to 50 hours at ethanol refineries. During this phase of the ethanol conversion process, the mash is rotated and mixed. This form of agitation and the cool storage areas that the ethanol refineries use in this part of the fermentation process helps to promote the enzyme activity of the yeast.

At ethanol refineries, the resulting beer from the fermentation process is sent to distillation columns. At this point, ethanol refineries will choose to separate the ethanol from the remnants of the sludge that is in the vat containers. Ethanol refineries have recorded a record ethanol level that is 190 proof in its concentrated form.

Using conventional distillation methods, ethanol refineries then dehydrate this ethanol product to approximately 200 proof in a molecular strainer system. Ethanol refineries take the distillation process a step further by blending the ethanol with about 5% of natural gasoline. This chemical addition will make the mixture undrinkable, and removes the government requirement that ethanol refineries are faced with upholding otherwise, of paying a beverage alcohol tax on the mixture.

At this point in the distillation process, ethanol refineries prepare the ethanol for shipment to gasoline retailer, or to gasoline terminals for storage. Ethanol refineries do not believe in wasting any of the corn mash residue. The corn sludge mixture is sent through a processor to separate the corn grain from the leftover mash materials. The ethanol refineries then create a syrup by concentrating this mixture to 30% solids through an evaporation process. Ethanol refineries use this mixture to create a quality livestock feed. The ethanol refineries also recapture the carbonation released during the fermentation process and sell it to companies that use it to carbonate soft drinks and other beverages.