SIMULTANEOUS PRODUCTION OF SUGAR AND ALCOHOL FROM SUGARCANE

摘要

This paper describes the current production of sugar and alcohol from sugarcane in Brazil, with emphasis in pointing out the advantages of simultaneous production of both products. The idea of the study is to provide a basis for convincing people in other sugar countries to begin making ethanol as a feasible and profitable activity. The data presented were collected in the factories that belong to the Cooperative (Copersucar). It can be concluded that the Brazilian way for making sugar and alcohol simultaneously has some advantages compared to other sugar countries because less energy is used, the quality of the products is better, and the yields attained are greater (stoichiometric ethanol yield 91%), with lower costs (about $US 0.20/litre ethanol).