ABSTRACT
This chapter presents and discusses the processing of vinasse as a by-product which can be used as a fertilizer considering its content in potassium and other essential elements to the sugarcane growth and the recycling of these elements to soil. Vinasse fertirrigation in sugarcane plantations is a widespread practice among Brazilian mills and distilleries. Vinasse contains a large portion of soluble inorganic material originally present in sugarcane juice as well as those used in their processing to sugar or ethanol. Reduction of vinasse volume is important from environmental viewpoint, also in terms of reduction of water use in ethanol production and reducing the cost of vinasse final processing or fertirrigation. Some actions such as indirect heating during distillation stage, operation of the fermentation process at higher ethanol strength and vinasse recycling have a strong impact on vinasse volume reduction. Recycling of vinasse in the fermentation process is an alternative to contribute to the reduction of volume of final vinasse.
