The Science of Ethanol

This book covers all facets involving the production and use of ethanol. Topics include the optimization of raw materials, energy, capital, process model-based computer control, and human resources to produce ethanol. It compares and contrasts processes to prepare ethanol using biotechnology processes to prepare ethanol from chemical synthesis. Matters of optimization of ethanol use as fuel/fuel components are addressed based on thermodynamics, kinetics, and usage. It also discusses pollutants produced from ethanol and mixtures containing ethanol, the status of ways to control these pollutants, and what can be done to minimize the harm to the earth’s ecosystems due to ethanol and gasoline reactions.

Dr. Walter E. Goldstein is President of Goldstein Consulting Company, offering services in chemical engineering and biotechnology (see www.goldconsul.com). He is called upon to improve processes and products in health care, consumer products, food, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and biofuels. He provides expertise to analyze product and process components, material defects, construction practice defects, and analyses of accidents causing injury.

Many of his projects involve biotechnology processes that include mammalian cell, bacterial, and fungal/yeast propagation. He has extensive background in fermentation technology and development of products and processes in this field. He is also President and co-founder of a research and development firm with an active patent. Its objective is to produce universal blood from stem cells in a bioreactor process thereby avoiding use of donor blood for transfusion.

He has been involved in bioprocess energy-related projects throughout his career. He was instrumental in leading research and development resulting in a commercial facility to produce ethanol (New Energy of Indiana, $180 million capital investment, 100 million gallons per year facility). His involvement in this book stems from his desire to impact on the alternative energy field in a manner that is synergistic with protecting the environment and helping businesses.

Dr. Goldstein was Vice President for Biotechnology Research for Miles, Inc., a former division of Bayer, Inc. from 1982 to 1987. He was also Vice President and Director of Research for ESCA genetics Corporation, a plant sciences biotechnology company from 1988 to 1994. He founded Goldstein Consulting Company in 1994 and has been engaged in several entrepreneurial enterprises since that time. He founded and developed a forensic sciences DNA profiling training laboratory at the University of Nevada Las Vegas from 2003 to 2008. His past publications for Taylor and Francis are Sick Building Syndrome and Related Illness: prevention and remediation of mold contamination in 2011; and Pharmaceutical Accumulation in the Environment: prevention, control, health effects, and economic impact in 2014.

He obtained his MBA from Michigan State University in 1968, and is a Registered Professional Engineer. Dr. Goldstein received his Doctorate’s in chemical engineering from the University of Notre Dame in 1973. He is a member of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, and Sigma Xi.

He and his wife, Paula, reside in Las Vegas, Nevada. They have two children and four grandchildren.