Biobutanol is a an alcoholic (bio)fuel that can be used as a direct gasoline substitute in unmodified internal combustion engines. Butanol is far less corrosive than ethanol and can be shipped and distributed through existing pipelines and filling stations. Butanol solves the safety problems associated with the infrastructure of the hydrogen supply. Reformed butanol has four more hydrogen atoms than ethanol, resulting in a higher energy output and is used as a fuel cell fuel. Butanol is an industrial commodity, with a 370 million gallons per year market with a selling price of $3.75 per gallon.
- Butanol is a pure alcohol with an energy content similar to that of gasoline.
- It does not have to be stored in high pressure vessels like natural gas, and can be but does not have to be blended (10 to 100 percent) with any fossil fuel.
- Butanol can be transported through existing pipelines for distribution.
- Butanol can help solve the hydrogen distribution infrastructure problems faced with fuel cell development.
- can be blended with petrodiesel and with vegetable oils (where it also reduces the gel temperature point and the viscosity) to produce biodiesel. Consequently, butanol is a very versatile fuel and fuel extender in both gasoline and diesel engines.
Biobutanol is superior to ethanol in its lower vapor pressure and increased water contamination tolerance.[verification needed] [verification needed]
Production
Biobutanol can be produced using the A.B.E. process which uses the bacterium Clostridium acetobutylicum. It can also be made using Ralstonia eutropha H16. This process requires the use of a electro-bioreactor and the input of carbon dioxide and electricity.[1][2]
Biobutanol is produced from sugar beets, corn, sorghum, wheat, sugar cane, and cassava. It can be used as is or blended with gasoline and ethanol. Biobutanol is produced from sugar beets, corn, sorghum, wheat, sugar cane, and cassava.
The production of biobutanol is good for farmers because it supports the production of agriculture feedstocks that are used in biofuel production.
Projects
- http://www.osti.gov/energycitations/product.biblio.jsp?osti_id=5250695
- http://web.archive.org/web/20110820035358/http://sleekfreak.ath.cx:81/3wdev/VITAHTML/SUBLEV/EN1/WOODWAST.HTM
- http://web.archive.org/web/20110619074146/http://www.fao.org:80/ag/AGA/AGAP/frg/lrrd/lrrd10/1/doel101.htm
- http://www.fao.org/documents/show_cdr.asp?url_file=/docrep/T0115E/T0115E0h.htm
- http://web.archive.org/web/20081118193908/http://www.arapahoe.edu/aboutacc/assessment/CHE/05S-06P.pdf
References
External links
- Acetone-butanol-ethanol fermentation
- Wikipedia: Butanol
- Wikipedia: Acetone-butanol-ethanol fermentation
- PESwiki: Butanol
- Wikipedia: Clostridium acetobutylicum
- Article: BIOBUTANOL - PRODUCTION AND PURIFICATION METHODS
- Company: Green Biologics - a lot of proprietary stuff
- Wikipedia:Biobutanol
