Efficient distillation of ethanol

A heat capture system for an ethanol distillation plant including a beer column driven by energy sources from the plant, which system includes:

• a distillers dried grains (DDG) dryer with an exhaust;
• a regenerative thermal oxidizer (RTO) receiving DDG dryer exhaust and configured for removing organic impurities therefrom to produce treated gas;
• a scrubber vented to the atmosphere and configured for receiving said treated gas;
• said scrubber further configured for contacting a warm water return from said plant, heating said warm water return and supplying hot water to said plant;
• wherein the DDG dryer is configured for producing the DDG dryer exhaust to said RTO;
• said DDG dryer receiving steam from said ethanol plant;
• a finish evaporator configured for receiving said warm water stream and feeding same to said scrubber;
• said beer column is configured for receiving beer from said ethanol plant;
• a reboiler connected to said beer column and configured for providing steam to said ethanol plant;
• a centrifuge connected to said beer column and configured for receiving a bottom stream from said beer column and providing said solids cake to said DDG dryer;
• a condenser connected to the beer column;
• rectifier system connected to a condenser;
• said rectifier system configured for splitting ethanol vapors between a molecular sieve system and a vapor condensing system;
• said vapor condensing system is configured to condense vapors and boil steam condensate to produce steam vapors;
• a first effect main evaporator configured for being driven with said steam vapors;
• a reboiler connected to said beer column and configured for being driven with said steam vapors;
• the beer column configured for receiving a hot water stream from said plant, and returning warm water to said scrubber;
• an evaporator configured for receiving low solids centrate from said centrifuge process;
• and
• said evaporator configured for supplying vapors to said beer column.