Fuel vs Chemical vs Food Grade Alcohol
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Basics
- This page goes over the relevant distinctions between:
- Fuel Alcohol
- Food Grade Ethanol and similar Distilled Drinks
- Alcohols or co-produced products for use as chemicals
Fuel Alcohol
- In most cases (short of jet/rocket engines where small variations in composition can have major consequences) this is the lowest concern variety
- Composition/Contaminates are of little issue, outside of perhaps effecting Energy Density , and possibly creating unusual Pollutants (if chlorine or some metal is introduced somehow etc)
- Water Content is the main issue
Food Grade Ethanol
- This is probably one of the most strict specification (along with medical use/aerospace fuel) due to the fact that if errors are made, major health issues such as Methanol Poisoning can occur
- Also keeping things clean and sterile is important
Chemistry Grade Alcohol (And Co-Products)
- Similar in process to Food Grade
- Main difference is the desire for chemical purity
- This can be done via post processing, mainly:
- More distillation (in a Cascade or in a batch system (see Double Distilled Water ) )
- Vacuum Distillation
- Molecular Sieve