PRODUCTION AND QUALITY TEST OF BIOETHANOL FROM SIWALAN SAP (BORASSUS FLABELLIFIER LINN) WITH ZEOLITE ROCK ADSORBENT
Pertumbuhan sektor transportasi semakin besar sehingga dapat meningkatkan kebutuhan bahan bakar. Persentase produksi dan konsumsi bahan bakar di Indonesia berbanding terbalik, hal ini dapat menyebabkan persediaan bahan bakar semakin menipis dan kelangkaan bahan bakar, sehingga perlu dicari bahan bakar alternatif yaitu bioetanol. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk menganalisis ukuran mesh zeolit, menganalisis kualitas bioetanol dari nira siwalan sesuai dengan kadar yang ditetapkan oleh Dirjen EBTKE Nomor 722K/10DJE/2013 dan kelayakan secara ekonomis bahan baku bioetanol dari nira siwalan.
Penelitian ini menggunakan metode eksperimen dengan bahan nira siwalan yang memiliki kandungan gula sebanyak 10-20%. Proses pembuatan bioetanol dilakukan melalui proses fermentasi dan distilasi bertingkat. Bahan baku nira siwalan sebanyak 1000 ml dipasteurisasi selama 30 menit pada suhu 62°C. Kemudian di fermentasi selama 2 hari menggunakan ragi saccharomyces cerevisiae 60 gram, urea 0,6 gr dan distilasi bertingkat (1, 2, 3, 4 dan 5) pada suhu 78°C. Pada distilasi 1 dan 2 dilakukan tanpa menggunakan adsorben, sedangkan distilasi 3, 4 dan 5 menggunakan adsorben batuan zeolit dengan hasil kadar etanol tertinggi variasi ukuran mesh 60, 70 dan 80 pada suhu pemanasan zeolit 140°C. Pengujian karakteristik bioetanol mengacu pada standar ASTM (kadar etanol ASTM D5501, nilai kalor ASTM D240, titik nyala ASTM D93, densitas ASTM D1298, dan viskositas ASTM D445) yang telah ditentukan oleh Dirjen EBTKE Nomor 722K/10DJE/2013. Hasil dari penelitian mendapatkan ukuran mesh yang optimal dengan mesh 80 menghasilkan kadar etanol tertinggi yaitu 92%. Pengujian karakteristik bioetanol nira siwalan menghasilkan kadar etanol 99,06%, densitas 0,7976 g/cm3, viskositas 1,16 cSt, nilai kalor 6872 kkal/kg, titik nyala 15°C. Perhitungan nilai ekonomis bioetanol nira siwalan sebesar Rp. 233.369 per liter.
The growth of the transportation sector is getting bigger, so it can increase the need for fuel. The percentage of fuel production and consumption in Indonesia is inversely proportional; this can lead to dwindling fuel supplies and fuel scarcity, so it is necessary to look for alternative fuels, namely bioethanol. The purpose of this study was to analyze the size of the zeolite mesh, the quality of bioethanol from siwalan sap in accordance with the levels set by the Director General of EBTKE Number 722K/10DJE/2013, and the economic feasibility of bioethanol raw materials from siwalan sap. This study used an experimental method with siwalan sap, which has a sugar content of 10–20%. The process of making bioethanol is carried out through multilevel fermentation and distillation processes. As much as 1000 ml of siwalan sap is pasteurized for 30 minutes at 62°C. Then fermented for 2 days using 60 grams of Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast, 0.6 grams of urea, and multilevel distillation (1, 2, 3, 4, and 5) at 78°C. Distillations 1 and 2 were carried out without using an adsorbent, while distillations 3, 4, and 5 used a zeolite rock adsorbent with variations in mesh sizes of 60, 70, and 80 at a zeolite heating temperature of 140°C. Testing the characteristics of bioethanol refers to ASTM standards (ethanol content ASTM D5501, calorific value ASTM D240, flash point ASTM D93, density ASTM D1298, and viscosity ASTM D445-97), which have been determined by the Director General of EBTKE Number 722K/10DJE/2013. The results of the study obtained from measurements indicate that optimal mesh with mesh 80 produces the highest ethanol content of 92%. Testing the characteristics of palm sap bioethanol produced an ethanol content of 99.06%, a density of 0.7976 g/cm3, a viscosity of 1.16 cSt, a heating value of 6872 kcal/kg, and a flash point of 15°C. Calculation of the economic value of bioethanol siwalan sap at Rp. 233.369 / liter.