Will there be bio-fuel in Vietnam?

Bio-gasoline modulation is the study direction that many scientific groups in many countries are trying to pursue.

Pure alcohol distillation tower from industrial alcohol at the Research Center for Petrochemical Technology in Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology - Photo: Quoc Thanh

In Vietnam, the research group of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Khac Chuong, Polytechnic University (National University of Ho Chi Minh City), has just announced that he has successfully researched a technological process that can produce chemicals. serving the preparation of bio-gasoline from the cheap sources of Vietnamese materials .

Mr. Chuong affirmed that the research direction of bio-gasoline modulation he presided over could produce this fuel right in Vietnam.

The raw materials for bio-petrol production are 100% pure industrial alcohol (also known as ethanol) and a part of fossil fuel. Scientists around the world have demonstrated that when mixing a certain amount of alcohol into gasoline at a ratio of 10%, or 20% and even higher, the engines still work well.

Chuong said that Vietnam is also a market that consumes millions of tons of gasoline and oil each year, while its self-sufficiency is zero. Assuming that only 10% of pure industrial alcohol is mixed into gasoline, perhaps when calculating the right amount, it will save a large amount of foreign currency due to reducing the amount of petrol imported and reducing the environmental pollution caused by emissions. waste of vehicles.

At the same time this will open up new industries where the main raw materials are mainly from agriculture, solving long-term output for farmers. But for Vietnam, according to Chuong, there is an even greater benefit that it is possible to take advantage of agricultural residues, agricultural products such as poor quality rice . to produce alcohol mixed with gasoline. "Therefore, we believe that the production of bio-gasoline in Vietnam will bring dual efficiency" - Chuong said.

Of course, to produce qualified bio-gasoline, it is necessary to have 100% alcohol (absolute alcohol), but not 95.5% alcohol (this alcohol also contains water). Because if you use alcohol that contains water mixed with gasoline, the engine may not work because the alcohol - water mixture will create another mixture that burns at high temperatures. But producing 100% pure alcohol on an industrial scale is not a simple thing.

According to Chuong's team, there are currently at least three technical solutions in the world to produce 100% pure alcohol, namely: dehydration in alcohol with lime, anhydrous canxicloride (dry); dehydration in alcohol by simultaneous triple-distillation (three constituents) such as alcohol, water and addition of benzene; dehydration in alcohol with a special adsorbent (also known as molecular sorbent adsorbent). In these three technical solutions, the third solution is arguably the most advanced and most economical for Vietnam.

The big question is, can Vietnam produce a cheap chemical to help produce 100% pure alcohol? 'Our research team found the answer not long ago and this chemical was produced from the source of materials available in Vietnam. We named this chemical BK-X1 . '- Chuong said.

Mr. Chuong revealed more raw materials to be able to produce BK-X1, which is kaolin in Lam Dong with a large and plentiful reserve. This is the chemical BK-X1 has a special molecular structure, inside there are pores that can 'confine' water molecules. So when you put this chemical in alcoholic water (95.5%), they will 'eat' all the water in the alcohol, making it 100% pure.

Currently, Mr. Chuong's research group has announced to complete the technological process and design and manufacture pilot model to produce 100% absolute alcohol, reach a capacity of about 100kg / day and use chemicals of the group This research fabricated.

Mr. Chuong affirmed that once he solved the problem of 100% pure industrial alcohol production by domestic technology, the preparation of bio-petrol with reasonable price is a job within reach of Vietnamese scientific community. The remaining problem is whether the State has an incentive policy to promote this inevitable process in a faster way.

SANDALWOOD