How to make fuel ethanol: 9 steps (with pictures)

2023 Author: Jeremiah Simon | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-21 07:08

Ethanol is an alternative to gasoline. You can use it in your vehicle to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. In this article, you will learn how to make it yourself from organic waste using equipment that can easily be found online.

Steps

Step 1. Obtain the authorization to produce your ethanol yourself

You can inquire online at a government site for information on how to do this.

• Anyone wishing to distill alcohol on French territory must obtain legal authorization to do so. This rule applies even if alcohol is intended for use as fuel. If you live in the United States, you must complete the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) form for alcohol and tobacco.

  

• Learn about the rules you must follow when producing the biofuel yourself that you put in your vehicle's tank.

  

• You should only go into medium to long term production after you have obtained the right to do so.

  

Step 2. Dispose of your organic waste in a barrel that is reserved for this use

This container will receive all the leftover fruit that you have consumed.

• Obtain a larger amount of garbage by collecting those thrown away by the local grocer or anyone else who produces relatively large amounts of fruit waste. Collect rotten fruit as well as leftovers, as they can also be used to produce ethanol.

  

• Fill the barrel to a third. Do not exceed this limit to prevent its contents from overflowing during the fermentation process.

  

Step 3. Crush the waste with a large stick

You have to get a porridge.

Step 4. Add water and yeast to the barrel

• While you can use standard yeast, choose an ethanol-tolerant yeast that you can find at a store where wine producers stock.

  

• Pour a packet or two of yeast into the barrel.

  

Step 5. Cover the barrel with its lid to seal it tightly

Step 6. Regularly check the sugar content of the barrel

• Measure this rate at least once a day with a hydrometer.

  

• In about ten days, this rate should gradually decrease until there is no more sugar.

  

Step 7. Distill the fermented porridge using a still

You can buy this type of device online.

• Start this process as soon as your measurements indicate that there is no more sugar in the porridge. Do not waste time to avoid residues appearing in the fermented product, which could clog your vehicle's engine.

  

• Pour the fermented product into the body of the still (boiler).

  

• Distill the product using the still according to the instructions given by the supplier of the device.

  

Step 8. Filter the distilled product

• The ethanol produced after distillation is not pure because it contains water residues. To remove them, use a gasoline filter that does not allow water to pass and is made of a fabric specially designed to allow ethanol molecules to pass through.

  

Step 9. Add gasoline to your ethanol (optional)

• Depending on the vehicle model to be fueled with your fuel and the rules that apply to ethanol production in the area where you live, add the correct amount of gasoline to your ethanol. Ethanol (designated E85) sold in some service stations is made up of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline.