Cleaner Production Assessment in The Ethiopian Alcohol Industries A Case Study in The Sebata Alcohol & Liquor Factory

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Date

2007-07

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Addis Ababa University

Abstract

Sebeta Alcohol and Liquor Factory (SALF) is a sister company of National Alcohol and Liquor Enterprise (NALE). The factory was established in 1914 in Sebeta town and uses molasses as raw material for the production of potable and technical alcohols. It consists of a distillery and filling plants. Its installed daily production capacity is 2500 liters of potable alcohol and about 5000 liters of various liquors. The current production capacity was found to be on average 2100 liters of 95.7oGL potable (fine) and 250 liters of 93oGL technical alcohols per day when the factory was running normally. Water balance, material balance and energy balance were drawn only for the distillery plant for the filling section was under maintenance during sampling. The molasses, water and energy consumption were found to be 6.3 kg, 168 liters and 22.12 MJ liters per liter of 96oGL alcohol. The average BOD, COD and TDS in the wastewater were 20,866, 53,514 and 19000 mg/l respectively. The total alcohol loss from the fermentation, decantation and distillation process units was significant with the value of 13.22 %. The stillage from mash column is found a severe source of water pollution. The fermentation efficiency (78.02%), alcohol recovery at distillation unit (83.3%) and overall alcohol conversion efficiency (65.0%) were found to be low compared to values of similar technologies in India, South Africa and Brazil. The steam generation and distribution systems were studied and the boiler combustion efficiency was found extremely low (29%) resulting from excess air supply. Similarly, other sources of heat loss were identified and carefully examined The cleaner production options were generated, selected and evaluated for the distillery plant. CO2 Recovery, Cooling water recycling, lost heat recovery in the stillage and spent lee, indirect heating, generation of methane and fertilizer from stillage were considered for improving resource utilization and reducing pollution loads. Other GHK practices were recommended to bring overall efficiency in the plant.

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Keywords

Cleaner Production, Sebata Alcohol & Liquor Factory, Production Assessment

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