Ethanol production Flashcards
What are the two ways to make ethanol?
Hydrating alkenes and fermenting sugars
What is the standard industrial method for producing alcohols?
Hydrate an alkene
What are the conditions for hydrating an ethene?
Hydrate using steam
Acid catalyst - solid phosphoric acid catalyst concentrated
300 degrees Celsius
60 atm
What is the general equation for a hydration of an alkene?
CnH2n + H2O + (acid catalyst) -> CnH2n+1OH
What is hydration the opposite mechanism of?
Dehydration
What is the equation for the hydration of ethene?
CH2=CH2 + H2O -> CH3CH2OH
Is the hydration of an alkene reversible or irreversible?
Reversible
Although the yield of the hydration of an alkene is low (5%), what can be done to improve this?
The unreacted ethene gas can be recycled which causes the yield to become 95%
Why will producing ethanol by fermentation become important in the future?
Ethene comes from crude oil and supplies may run out in the future
What type of process is fermentation?
Exothermic
What carries out fermentation?
Yeast in anaerobic conditions
What is the equation for fermentation?
C6H12O6(aq) -> 2C2H5OH (aq) +2CO2 (g)
What condition is needed for fermentation?
Anaerobic conditions
How does fermentation work?
The yeast produce enzymes which convert glucose into ethanol and carbon dioxide
What is the optimum temperature for the enzymes in fermentation to work at?
30-40 degrees celsius