Bioethanol Production From Cotton Gin Trash: A New Process Route

BioEThanol production from cotton gin trash: A NEW PROCESS ROUTE

Sergio Capareda, Jersson Escobar and Tahmina Imam

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department, Texas A&M University

College Station, Texas

Abstract

                                                        

A unique process was developed at Texas A&M University to produce bioethanol from cotton gin trash. In this new process, cotton gin trash underwent mechanical and physical pre-treatment process using ultra-sonication and mild temperature and pressure treatment followed by the use of enzymes that have the ability to breakdown lignin components in biomass. The process is expected to generate more sugars from cotton gin trash and convert these into bioethanol.

This study presents conversion efficiencies from cotton gin trash into sugars and bioethanol. This study will report maximum ethanol production per dry ton of cotton gin trash and compare this with other conventional processes. Simple kinetic studies on enzymatic hydrolysis will also be reported to show reaction rates when using various enzymes and enzyme combinations.