The distillation process of palm sap (Arenga pinnata MERR) to produce bioethanol

Abstract

Aren palm (Arenga pinnata MERR) is a type of palm tree that grows in tropical forests, especially in South and Southeast Asia. There are 3000 species of palm and they are categorized as multipurpose trees because they were used as raw materials for various products, such as brown sugar, palm syrup, palm wine, vinegar, alcohol, and bioethanol. This study aims to examine the distillation process to produce bioethanol from aren palm. The research sample was obtained from local farmers in Sasaot Lombok, Indonesia. The process used to produce bioethanol is multilevel distillation. The raw materials are first fermented using yeast, charcoal, and lime with a variety of compositions. The bioethanol produced is used as a substitute fuel for a 4-stroke motorbike engine. The results showed that the composition of the fermentation mixture of 250 grams of yeast, 100 grams of charcoal, and 100 grams of whiting produced the highest levels of ethanol, namely 93%. This level of ethanol cannot be used in a 4-stroke motorbike engine properly because the motor rotation is unstable.