Ethanol Purification through Distillation Method: Effect of Height and Packing Types on Ethanol Concentration

Abstract

Energy demand is increasing every year along with the growing global population. Ethanol can be synthesized through the fermentation of sucrose or carbohydrates with the assistance of microorganisms. Ethanol produced from fermentation often does not have the desired concentration; hence purification such as distillation is necessary. This study aims to investigate distillation using packing materials and packing height to enhance ethanol purity. The materials used in this study are 30% ethanol, distilled water, pumice, and ginger coral. The purification process begins with understanding the characteristics of the packing through SEM characterization, followed by the distillation process. Based on the research, ginger coral exhibits complex crystal patterns and varying porosity, while pumice shows different porosity and fibrous structure. The ethanol concentration with ginger coral packing can increase by 66.27%, and with pumice packing, it can increase by 65.09%. Additionally, the optimum ethanol concentration is achieved with the highest packing fill. This is due to the surface area of the packing, enabling more efficient mass transfer.