The production of biofuel is currently a hot research topic that many scientific groups around the world are vigorously pursuing.
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Distillation tower for pure alcohol from industrial alcohol at the Oil Refinery Technology Research Center, Ho Chi Minh University of Technology – Photo: Quoc Thanh |
In Vietnam, the research team led by Associate Professor Dr. Tran Khac Chuong from the Ho Chi Minh University of Technology has recently announced the successful development of a technological process capable of producing chemicals for biofuel production from the country’s inexpensive raw materials…
Dr. Chuong affirmed that the biofuel production research he leads can indeed move toward producing this type of fuel right in Vietnam.
The primary raw materials for producing biofuel are 100% pure industrial alcohol (also known as ethanol) and a portion of fossil fuel. Global scientists have demonstrated that when a certain amount of alcohol is mixed with gasoline at a ratio of about 10%, 20%, or even higher, engines still operate effectively.
Dr. Chuong stated that Vietnam is also a market consuming millions of tons of gasoline and oil each year while having zero self-sufficiency. If we merely mix 10% of pure industrial alcohol into gasoline, it could potentially save a significant amount of foreign currency by reducing the volume of gasoline that needs to be imported and reducing environmental pollution from vehicle emissions.
Simultaneously, this would open up a new industry primarily reliant on agricultural raw materials, providing long-term output solutions for farmers. However, according to Dr. Chuong, there is an even greater benefit for Vietnam, which is the ability to utilize agricultural waste, such as low-quality rice, to produce the alcohol mixed into gasoline. “Therefore, we believe that the production of biofuel in Vietnam will yield dual benefits,” Dr. Chuong said.
Of course, to produce biofuel that meets the standards, it is essential to have 100% alcohol (absolute alcohol) and cannot use 95.5% alcohol (which still contains water). If alcohol containing water is mixed with gasoline, the engine may not function properly due to the alcohol-water mixture creating another mixture that burns at high temperatures. However, producing 100% pure alcohol on an industrial scale is not a simple task.
According to Dr. Chuong’s research team, there are currently at least three technical solutions for producing 100% pure alcohol, specifically: dehydrating alcohol with lime, anhydrous calcium chloride; dehydrating alcohol through a simultaneous distillation process of three components (alcohol, water, and added benzene); and dehydrating alcohol using a special chemical adsorbent (also known as a molecular sieve adsorbent). Among these three technical solutions, the third one is considered the most advanced and economical for Vietnam at present.
The big question is whether Vietnam can produce a cheap chemical to help create 100% pure alcohol? “Our research team has found the answer not long ago, and this chemical is produced from raw materials available in Vietnam. We named this chemical BK-X1…” Dr. Chuong said.
Dr. Chuong further revealed that the raw material for producing BK-X1 is kaolin from Lam Dong, which has a large and relatively abundant reserve. This BK-X1 chemical has a special molecular structure, containing pores capable of “trapping” water molecules. Therefore, when this chemical is added to alcohol containing water (95.5%), it will absorb all the water present in the alcohol, helping to make the alcohol 100% pure.
Currently, Dr. Chuong’s research team has announced that they have completed the technological process and designed a pilot model for producing 100% absolute alcohol, achieving a capacity of approximately 100 kg per day using the chemical developed by their group.
Dr. Chuong confirmed that once the issue of producing 100% pure alcohol on an industrial scale using domestic technology is resolved, the formulation of reasonably priced biofuel is well within the capabilities of Vietnamese scientists. The remaining question is whether the government will have policies to encourage and accelerate this inevitable process.
GIANG HUONG
