Bio-ethanol Fuel Science Fair Projects with Tofu & Rice Waste

Purpose: To find a way to use tofu and rice waste to make an alterative fuel source.

Hypothesis:
a) We can get a better result with the tofu waste, because it contains more protein (N)
b) We can get the alcohols after the first distillation.

Tools
a) 3 empty places for the waste.
b) Filter
c) Spoon
a) d) Tins
b) e) Distillation tools
c) f) Alcohol meter

Materials
a) Tofu waste
b) Cooked rice waste
c) Inoculum (Yeast)
d) d) Water
e) e) Plastics

Procedure Step-by-Step:

1. Put the tofu waste, rice waste, and the mixture of those waste in each tin. Give a label.
2. Add the Inoculum (Yeast) to each tin. Make sure that you have ground it so it can do the fermentation process easily.
3. Then cover the tins with plastics. It is used for checking whether the fermentation process is done or not. There will be teardrops on the plastics, and if it happens then the fermentation process is successful. A fermentation process produces water (H2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2)
4. Wait until next day.
5. If the plastics are blown up and there are teardrops on the plastics, you can open the cover.
6. Fill the tins with water; the amount is twice the waste. Stir it using the spoon.
7. Do the same things like in point C, D, and E.
8. Now it’s the time to do the filtration process. You can use the filtration tools to remove all of the waste and take the solutions.
9. Do the distillation process to the solutions. Do it repeatedly until you get the alcohol (it can be measured by using the alcohol meter), then you will get the bio-ethanol.

Results

Notes	Tofu Waste	Tofu Waste II	Tofu + Rice Waste I	Tofu + Rice Waste II	Rice Waste I	Rice Waste II
Distillation	2 times	2 times	1 time	1 time	1 time	2 times
Alchohol	0%	0%	0%	6%	0%	0%

Conclusion

The conclusions of this experiment are:

1. a) Tofu and rice waste can be used to make a bio-ethanol, which can reduce the amount of air pollution caused by carbon from burning process.
2. b) Inoculum (Yeast) needs both protein and carbohydrate. The tofu waste didn’t work properly because there was too much protein in that matter. While the rice waste contains more carbohydrate, so the Inoculum (Yeast) didn’t get much protein. The mixture of tofu waste and the rice waste worked better, with stronger smell and the as the result, because it contains both protein and carbohydrate in a balanced proportion.
3. c) Longer we wait for the fermentation process, more alcohol we get, but we should not wait too long because the Inoculum (Yeast) can change the waste into acid.

What Would We Do Differently Next Time

1. a) Wait a bit longer for the fermentation process, because it lets the Inoculum (Yeast) to change more
carbohydrate.
2. b) Do the distillation process repeatedly, not only once, to move the water and get the alcohol.