# US 11,028,031 B2 · Method for producing high-concentration alcohol

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- Number: US 11,028,031 B2
- Document ID: US11028031B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/407,217
- Filed: 2019-05-09
- Published: 2019-08-29
- Granted: 2021-06-08
- Earliest claimed: 2014-10-30
- Assignees: Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
- Applicants: Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
- Inventors: Kazuhide Maeda; Koichi Yamazaki; Hiroyuki Kakiuchi; Takeshi Tahara; Takahiko Takewaki
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11028031B2

## CPC

- C07C 29/76: by physical treatment
- B01D 3/005: {Combined distillation and rectification}
- B01D 3/145: {One step being separation by permeation}
- B01D 17/0202: {by ab- or adsorption}
- B01D 61/362: {Pervaporation}
- B01D 67/0051: {by controlled crystallisation, e,.g. hydrothermal growth}
- B01D 71/0281: {Zeolites}
- B01D 2311/04: Specific process operations in the feed stream; Feed pretreatment
- B01D 2323/12: Specific ratios of components used
- C07C: ACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
- B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28)

## Abstract

The present invention aims at providing a method for producing a high-concentration alcohol from a water-alcohol mixture, in which the overall process is efficient and the present invention relates to a production method of a high-concentration alcohol, including a water adsorption step of adsorbing water of a water-alcohol mixture on an adsorption column to obtain a first concentrated alcohol, a water desorption step of introducing an alcohol to obtain a hydrous alcohol, and a membrane separation step of introducing the hydrous alcohol into a membrane separation unit provided with a membrane composite containing zeolite having an SiO2/Al2O3 molar ratio of 5 to 15 to obtain a second concentrated alcohol.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of concentrating ethanol, comprising
introducing a hydrous ethanol into a membrane separation unit that comprises a zeolite membrane comprising a zeolite with an SiO2/Al2O3 molar ratio of 5 to 15 to obtain a concentrated ethanol having a concentration of at least 80% by mass of ethanol, wherein the membrane separation unit has a permeation of flux of water of 0.1 kg/(m2·h) or more; and
dehydrating the concentrated ethanol with an LTA-type zeolite membrane.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the zeolite having an SiO2/Al2O3 molar ratio of 5 to 15 is CHA-type zeolite.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the hydrous ethanol is obtained from alcohol fermentation with fermentative bacteria.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the hydrous ethanol further comprises an acid.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the concentrated ethanol has from 85% to 99.5% by mass of ethanol.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the concentrated ethanol has from 90% to 99.0% by mass of ethanol.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the concentrated ethanol has from 95% to 98.0% by mass of ethanol.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the membrane separation unit has a permeation of flux of water of 2.0 kg/(m2 ·h) or more.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the membrane separation unit has a permeation of flux of water of 5.0 kg/(m2·h) or more.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the hydrous ethanol further comprises an acid and the concentrated ethanol has from 85% to 99.5% by mass of ethanol.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the hydrous ethanol further comprises an acid,
the concentrated ethanol has from 85% to 99.5% by mass of ethanol, and the membrane separation unit has a permeation of flux of water of 2.0 kg/(m2·h) or more.