Design, Fabrication and Performance Evaluation of a Low-Cost Batch Bioethanol Distillation System for Small-Scale Renewable Fuel Production

• Author(s): Samuel Obadiah Anzaku; Nnorom Achara; Abdulazeez Haruna; Mary Samuel; Aisha Sa’ad; Muhammad Mahmud Jamil; Owolabi Babatope Layi; Shuaibu Ahmed; Wilson Oduwa Uwuigbusun; Monday Imafedia Amodu
• Paper ID: 1719587
• Page: 731-735
• Published Date: 08-07-2026
• Published In: Iconic Research And Engineering Journals
• Publisher: IRE Journals
• e-ISSN: 2456-8880
• Volume/Issue: Volume 10 Issue 1 July-2026
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.64388/IREV10I1-1719587

Abstract

The growing demand for sustainable energy and the increasing cost of fossil fuels have intensified the need for affordable technologies for biofuel production. Although bioethanol is a promising renewable fuel, its large-scale adoption in developing countries is constrained by the limited availability of low-cost distillation systems for producing fuel-grade ethanol. This study presents the design, fabrication, and performance evaluation of a low-cost batch bioethanol distillation system for small-scale renewable fuel production. A 5 L stainless steel distillation unit comprising a reboiler, packed distillation column, shell-and-tube condenser, and temperature control system was designed using AutoCAD and fabricated from locally available materials at a total cost of ₦336,500. The system was evaluated using 4 L of fermented sugarcane bagasse mash containing 8–10% (v/v) ethanol. Performance evaluation showed that the developed unit achieved a 39% distillation efficiency, producing 3.0 ± 0.2 L of distillate per batch with an ethanol purity of 91 ± 0.8% (v/v), which was subsequently upgraded to greater than 99.5% (v/v) using molecular sieves. Fuel characterization confirmed that the distilled bioethanol satisfied the requirements of ASTM D4806 for fuel ethanol. Furthermore, engine performance evaluation of an E10 bioethanol-gasoline blend demonstrated reductions of 18% in carbon monoxide (CO) and 12% in nitrogen oxides (NOₓ) emissions compared with conventional gasoline. The developed distillation system provides an efficient, affordable, and locally manufacturable technology for small-scale bioethanol production, offering a practical pathway for renewable fuel development, agricultural waste utilization, and reduced dependence on fossil fuels in developing countries.

Keywords

Bioethanol, Distillation System, Renewable Energy, Fuel Ethanol, Sugarcane Bagasse, Small-Scale Production, Sustainable Fuel.

Citations

IRE Journals:
Samuel Obadiah Anzaku, Nnorom Achara; Abdulazeez Haruna, Mary Samuel; Aisha Sa’ad, Muhammad Mahmud Jamil; Owolabi Babatope Layi; Shuaibu Ahmed, Wilson Oduwa Uwuigbusun; Monday Imafedia Amodu "Design, Fabrication and Performance Evaluation of a Low-Cost Batch Bioethanol Distillation System for Small-Scale Renewable Fuel Production" Iconic Research And Engineering Journals Volume 10 Issue 1 2026 Page 731-735 https://doi.org/10.64388/IREV10I1-1719587

IEEE:
Samuel Obadiah Anzaku, Nnorom Achara; Abdulazeez Haruna, Mary Samuel; Aisha Sa’ad, Muhammad Mahmud Jamil; Owolabi Babatope Layi; Shuaibu Ahmed, Wilson Oduwa Uwuigbusun; Monday Imafedia Amodu "Design, Fabrication and Performance Evaluation of a Low-Cost Batch Bioethanol Distillation System for Small-Scale Renewable Fuel Production" Iconic Research And Engineering Journals, vol. 10, no. 1, Jul. 2026, doi: https://doi.org/10.64388/IREV10I1-1719587

APA:
Samuel Obadiah Anzaku, Nnorom Achara; Abdulazeez Haruna, Mary Samuel; Aisha Sa’ad, Muhammad Mahmud Jamil; Owolabi Babatope Layi; Shuaibu Ahmed, Wilson Oduwa Uwuigbusun; Monday Imafedia Amodu (2026). Design, Fabrication and Performance Evaluation of a Low-Cost Batch Bioethanol Distillation System for Small-Scale Renewable Fuel Production. Iconic Research And Engineering Journals, 10(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.64388/IREV10I1-1719587

MLA:
Samuel Obadiah Anzaku, Nnorom Achara; Abdulazeez Haruna, Mary Samuel; Aisha Sa’ad, Muhammad Mahmud Jamil; Owolabi Babatope Layi; Shuaibu Ahmed, Wilson Oduwa Uwuigbusun; Monday Imafedia Amodu "Design, Fabrication and Performance Evaluation of a Low-Cost Batch Bioethanol Distillation System for Small-Scale Renewable Fuel Production" Iconic Research And Engineering Journals, vol. 10, no. 1, Jul. 2026. Crossref, https://doi.org/10.64388/IREV10I1-1719587

BibTeX

@article{1719587,
author = {Samuel Obadiah Anzaku, Nnorom Achara; Abdulazeez Haruna, Mary Samuel; Aisha Sa’ad, Muhammad Mahmud Jamil; Owolabi Babatope Layi; Shuaibu Ahmed, Wilson Oduwa Uwuigbusun; Monday Imafedia Amodu},
title = {Design, Fabrication and Performance Evaluation of a Low-Cost Batch Bioethanol Distillation System for Small-Scale Renewable Fuel Production},
journal = {Iconic Research And Engineering Journals},
year = {2026},
volume = {10},
number = {1},
pages = {731-735},
issn = {2456-8880},
url = {https://www.irejournals.com/formatedpaper/1719587.pdf},
abstract = {The growing demand for sustainable energy and the increasing cost of fossil fuels have intensified the need for affordable technologies for biofuel production. Although bioethanol is a promising renewable fuel, its large-scale adoption in developing countries is constrained by the limited availability of low-cost distillation systems for producing fuel-grade ethanol. This study presents the design, fabrication, and performance evaluation of a low-cost batch bioethanol distillation system for small-scale renewable fuel production. A 5 L stainless steel distillation unit comprising a reboiler, packed distillation column, shell-and-tube condenser, and temperature control system was designed using AutoCAD and fabricated from locally available materials at a total cost of ₦336,500. The system was evaluated using 4 L of fermented sugarcane bagasse mash containing 8–10% (v/v) ethanol. Performance evaluation showed that the developed unit achieved a 39% distillation efficiency, producing 3.0 ± 0.2 L of distillate per batch with an ethanol purity of 91 ± 0.8% (v/v), which was subsequently upgraded to greater than 99.5% (v/v) using molecular sieves. Fuel characterization confirmed that the distilled bioethanol satisfied the requirements of ASTM D4806 for fuel ethanol. Furthermore, engine performance evaluation of an E10 bioethanol-gasoline blend demonstrated reductions of 18% in carbon monoxide (CO) and 12% in nitrogen oxides (NOₓ) emissions compared with conventional gasoline. The developed distillation system provides an efficient, affordable, and locally manufacturable technology for small-scale bioethanol production, offering a practical pathway for renewable fuel development, agricultural waste utilization, and reduced dependence on fossil fuels in developing countries.},
keywords = {Bioethanol, Distillation System, Renewable Energy, Fuel Ethanol, Sugarcane Bagasse, Small-Scale Production, Sustainable Fuel. },
month = {July}
}