Step One: . . . The Conversion Process
We have to break down carbohydrate sugars, such as the starch from corn. Create it into “Mash”. Grind or crush the feedstock (corn, soybeans, wheat, etc…). Then dilute and add an enzyme (alpha amylase) to turn the mixture into a liquid. Once liquified a second enzyme is added(glucoamylase) to convert the starch into sugar. (If the source is mainly sugar, i.e…rotten fruit, molasses, etc…, the conversion step can be skipped.
Step Two: . . . Fermentation
Add yeast and make it into a beer (wine) type solution.
Step Three: . . . Distillation
The beer (wine) type solution needs to be run through a still to extract the alcohol from the solution.
Step Four: . . . Filtration
The ethanol now needs to be filtered to get rid of excess organic volatiles.
Step Five: . . . Dehydration
The ethanol needs to be “dried”. After the distillation process there will be a certain amount of water in the ethanol you have just created – this can be dried running the ethanol through Zeolite a readily available product for drying ethanol.
Step Six: . ....