Open AccessEXPERIENCES ON VINASSE DISPOSAL: Part III: COMBUSTION OF VINASSE-# 6 FUEL OIL EMULSIONS
Author(s) -
Luı́s Augusto Barbosa Cortez,
Lorena Espinoza Pérez
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
brazilian journal of chemical engineering/brazilian journal of chemical engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.313
H-Index - 52
eISSN - 1678-4383
pISSN - 0104-6632
DOI - 10.1590/s0104-66321997000100002
Subject(s) - vinasse , waste management , combustion , chemistry , distillation , environmental science , fuel oil , pulp and paper industry , engineering , food science , chromatography , organic chemistry , fermentation
Vinasse, a residual substance left after sugarcane alcohol distillation, represents a major environmental problem for the ethanol industry. No one has found a convenient and economical disposal solution for this black-reddish (Vinasse presents a light brown color and a low total solids content, from 2-4%, when it is obtained from straight sugarcane juice and a black-reddish color and total solids ranging from 5-10% when it is obtained from sugarcane molasses, which is the case of the vinasse used in this study.), viscous, high B.O.D. and acid material which is produced in quantities up to 15 times larger than those of the alcohol itself. This research investigated and developed the basic technology of on-site disposal of vinasse by combustion. Besides the clean ecological benefit, this method promotes energy savings and extra benefits when rich potassium vinasse ash is commercialized. Basic research was conducted using the facilities in the Combustion Laboratory (Mechanical Engineering Dept. at the Louisiana State University Campus in Baton Rouge). This research on vinasse combustion consisted of determining heating values, composition, and flame characteristics through combustion tests. Initially only vinasse was used in different solid concentrations and later emulsions were prepared using vinasse and # 6 fuel oi