The production of ethanol from bananas
1986
McGaw, D.R. | Pilgrim, A.C. | Ameerali, N. (West Indies Univ., St. Augustine (Trinidad and Tobago). Dept. of Chemical Engineering)
The feasibility of producing fuel grade alcohol from the waste bananas rejected from the export trade in the Eastern Caribbean is evaluated. Banana pulp sugar content increases from 6 to 75 % dry weight during ripening whilst starch content reduces from 75 to 1 %. In laboratory scale fermentation studies on pureed and sliced ripe bananas using high ethanol tolerance yeasts (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), ethanol concentrations of 7.5 % by weight were produced in 60 hours. Production potential was demonstrated on a small pilot plant comprising a 250 litre fermenter centrifuge and matched atmospheric distillation column. The rate of fermentation was slightly lower than in the bench scale experiment. The calculated expected yield was from 80 to 120 litres of ethanol/tonne of bananas
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