ETHOS Technical Reports
Document Type
Report
Publication Date
8-20-2008
Abstract
In many undeveloped regions of the world, cooking with solid fuels, such as wood, results in hazardous indoor air pollution. Exposure to pollutants such as CO, nitrous oxides, and carcinogens severely increases the risk of respiratory diseases like pneumonia and acute lower respiratory infections. One alternative clean-burning fuel source is ethanol. It was an initial goal to sustainably produced ethanol through the fermentation and micro-distillation of local sugarcane in the rural region of north central Ecuador to be used to fuel small stoves for cooking in homes. However, upon arrival in the rural regions of Ecuador it was determined that almost all families relied on inexpensive government subsidized propane gas to fuel small cooking stoves. The scope and goals of the project then shifted to helping a local host family produce alcohol to sell for drinking in the most efficient and economic manner. A cement tank was built in a surrounding jungle area creek and approximately one kilometer of piping was used to supply the necessary water for the distillation process. Once the family had a consistent water source, the project focus turned to observing the process as well as gathering information necessary to estimate production rates and capacities. Based on the observations made and the estimated rates, an economic plan was constructed along with several simple recommendations with potential to increase the alcohol production of the family. Unfortunately, due to family obligations and economic circumstances the family was unable to implement any of the plan during the groups stay there. However, the plan offered the family a guideline for future improvements on the process to allow for a more efficient and productive alcohol business.
eCommons Citation
Latta, Mark; Wolff, Nathan; and Hilgefort, Kyle, "Ecuador: Alcohol Production" (2008). ETHOS Technical Reports. 2.
https://ecommons.udayton.edu/ethos_reports/2
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