Ethanol is becoming a very clear option for the alternative fuel market, as more and more countries start using and studying the ways to make ethanol use more popular, this is one kind of revolution that will change the fuel industry forever.

To have a better understanding of what ethanol distillation is, let’s get into the basics of ethanol.

Ethanol fast Facts

•Systematic Name: Ethanol •Other Names: Ethyl alcohol, grain alcohol, hydroxyethane, EtOH •Molecular Formula: E2H6O •Physically, ethanol may be described as a colorless, flammable, slightly toxic chemical compound that has a distinctive perfume-like smell. •It is produced from sugar cane and used as automotive fuel in Brazil. Ethanol made out of corn, on the other hand, is being used widely as a gasoline additive and direct fuel in the United States. Straw, meanwhile, is being used to manufacture ethanol as well. •Ethanol is currently the leading biofuel provider in Europe.

Ethanol Distillation

Most of us already have an idea on how distillation happens. Let’s have the production of distilled water as an example. When water is subjected to heat, it is expected that steam would conduct away from a tube. A tube looped and oriented downward and allowed to cool would yield condensed vapor and eventually, water.

For ethanol, simple distillation will not be enough. Fractional distillation would be the best choice. The latter is used for separating mixtures of liquids with varying boiling points - like water and alcohol.

To start the distillation of ethanol, consider the following steps:

1.Prepare a small beaker and/or a simple glass half-filled with the rather miscible mixture of water and alcohol.

2.Cover the beaker or the simple glass jug with a funnel or something similar, so that a balloon can be placed to suck air out of the beaker.

3.After some time, the alcohol vapor and the steam in the mixture just above the liquid in the beaker or glass will reach a state of equilibrium. This should be relative of temperature and even pressure of the environment.

4.With regard to equilibrium, change can no longer be observed in the vapor to liquid ratio in the water to alcohol ratio within either the vapor or liquid mixture.

5.However, because of alcohol’s higher volatility, the ratio of water to alcohol in the vapor state is greater than that of the ratio in liquid state.

6.The occurrence of liquid-against-vapor-states permits the distillation from an escalating concentration of alcohol from the water and alcohol mixture.

And finally, by having sequences of repeated evaporation as well as condensation, a higher alcohol concentration is achieved from the re-condensation of recent vapor state.

This is since the alcohol inside the vapor mixture is at a greater concentration than it was from the liquid mixture from which it was changed into a vapor state.

Waxes and sealants both provide valuable protection and enhance the shine of your vehicle’s paint. Waxes have long been the dominant form of protection but they are being replaced by new synthetic sealants. Sealants and waxes are both great products and knowing the differences between them can help you select what product or combination of products works best for you.

Waxes are primarily made from properties found in nature like carnauba wax. Waxes have fine water molecules in them, which make them more sensitive to heat than sealants. Once the clear coat temperature reaches 125 – 200 degrees the moisture inside the wax starts evaporate and the wax will melt, leaving the paint without protection. If a wax is melting it becomes soft and contaminates in the air can settle in the wax. As the wax cools the contaminates can become trapped in the wax. Natural waxes will generally protect your vehicle from 2 – 14 weeks. If you apply a wax to a dark colored vehicle and let it sit in direct sunlight continuously it will melt quickly, but if you have a lighter colored vehicle and store it in a garage you can get up to 3 months of protection.

Sealants are made in labs from artificial properties like polymers, resins, acrylics, etc. Creating a sealant basically takes ordinary polymers and removes properties that do not add more shine or protection to the formula by reducing the presence of water and other unnecessary elements. Sealants will only begin to melt at several hundred degrees and will last 3 – 12 months. Sealants are generally much more resistant to nature’s harsh elements and abrasions. Applying a sealant to your vehicle would be ideal to give it maximum protection for the winter months.

Sealants add a great shine and make the surface feel very slick. Sometimes right after applying a sealant the surface is so slick that moisture doesn’t really bead up it sheets off. Sealants tend to be very reflective. So why would anyone use a wax then if sealants provides such superior protection and a great shine? Waxes typically provide a deeper and glossier appearance that makes the paint look endlessly deep. This look is sometimes referred to as “wet” or “hard candy” and looks stunning when done right. Typically a pure carnauba wax is used to give off this effect and produce the deepest shine possible. When automobile manufacturers display new models they will often apply multiple coats of a carnauba wax so their vehicle is sure to be eye catching.

So now we must evaluate what form of protection works best for vehicle owners. If you have a daily driver we recommend applying a sealant to ensure that you have a strong layer of protection for months to come. If you detail your vehicle regularly (at least once a month) or you have a vehicle that’s not regularly driven you may want to just use a carnauba wax. With regular applications and/or light driving, the carnauba wax will give you the protection you need and the shine you want. To have the best of both worlds top off a coat of sealant with a layer of carnauba wax. This will give you the enduring protection of the sealant along with the rich and glossy appearance of a wax for a show car shine.

We hope this information helps you better understand waxes and sealants and the differences between them. Thank you for reading.

A popular joke in the 1960s at full service gas stations was "filler up with Ethel and change the air in my tires." Today with the price of gasoline approaching $3.00 per gallon, why not replace the air in your tires. Not with air but with nitrogen. Filling your tires with nitrogen rather than air will improve gas mileage, help maintain correct tire pressure, keep tires 25% cooler, improve handling and performance and prolongs the life of your tires. NASCAR drivers use nitrogen in their tires for safety reasons, you can too.

Why should you stop putting air in your tires! Compressed air you find at tire shops, gas stations and the compressor you use at home have a high concentrations of water vapor. Compressing air concentrates the water in it and unless really efficient air dryers are used chances are there is water vapors in your tires. Water vapor absorbs and holds heat. This wet air plus heat can increase the pressure in your tires, causing highway blow outs, and is one of the reason you should check your tire pressure when they are cold.

This article is not about the nitrogen. It’s really about reducing oxygen and water vapor in your tires. The air in our tires is composed of 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen and about 1% water vapor and other gases. When pure dry nitrogen is used to replace the air in your tires it improves fuel efficiency, handling and it will extend the life of steel rims or custom wheels and tires. By reducing oxygen and water vapor in your tires from 22% to less than 7%, your tires will maintain pressure three to four times longer. Plus it will keep you safer on the highway.

How does oxygen and water damage my rims and tires? Oxygen, especially at high temperatures and pressures, corrodes aluminum, steel wheels and rubber. This process is called oxidation. When oxidation occurs small particles of rust and aluminum oxidization in your steel or aluminum wheels can clog valve stems, causing them to leak. The oxidation can cause the surfaces of your wheel flange and tire beads not to seal properly causing another leak point.

Oxygen can also age the thin layer of rubber called the inner liner or radial ply. As the inner liner ages, more and more air migrates through the rubber, causing additional pressure losses. As oxygen migrates through rubber it can come in contact with steel belts and the steel bead causing them to rust.

While both nitrogen and oxygen can migrate through rubber, nitrogen does it much slower. It might take six months to lose a couple of pounds of nitrogen, compared to less than a month with wet compressed air. Dry nitrogen does not cause rust and corrosion on steel rims or aluminum custom wheels, and it does not degrade rubber like wet compressed air.

Where can I get nitrogen for my tires? Nitrogen is becoming very popular with long haul trucking. Some truck stops have nitrogen available for these big rigs either free or by paying a small fee. They use the same type pay stations that you see at gas stations except they are marked "Nitrogen". These nitrogen stations are then connected to large nitrogen cylinders near by.

You can also buy your own small inexpensive Nitrogen Tanks and have them filled at welding supply stores in your area. Another source for small nitrogen tanks is Paint Ball supply stores either local or on the internet. eBay is a good source. These small nitrogen tanks can be filled at welding supply stores and then easily plumbed to fill your tires. Use caution when handling these small nitrogen tanks as they can be filled to as much as 3000 psi. Also make sure the nitrogen tank you purchase has a regulator attached and it is set for about 50 psi.

Filling your own new tires with nitrogen is a simple process. Jack up one tire until it just clears the ground, remove the tire valve stem and allow the air in your tires to escape. Once all the air escapes install a new valve stem. Then simply fill your tires with nitrogen from your small nitrogen tank. Repeat the process with the other 3 tires. Do not forget your spare! Your tires should now have about 95% dry nitrogen and you have significantly reduced all the hazards and oxidation problems mentioned above.

If you own a tire store and would like to provide nitrogen for your customers buy a Ingersoll Rand Nitrogen Tire Inflation System.