# US 11,439,924 B2 · Method for improving water balance and/or efficiency in ethanol production

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- Number: US 11,439,924 B2
- Document ID: US11439924B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/230,609
- Filed: 2021-04-14
- Published: 2021-10-14
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2020-04-14
- Assignees: Kinergetics, Inc.
- Applicants: Kinergetics LLC
- Inventors: Charles Thomas Tucker, Jr.
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11439924B2

## CPC

- B01D 1/14: with heated gases or vapours {or liquids} in contact with the liquid
- B01D 1/065: {by film evaporating}
- B01D 1/16: by spraying (B01D1/22 takes precedence)
- B01D 3/002: {by continuous methods}
- C07C 29/78: by condensation or crystallisation
- C12F 3/10: from distillery slops
- 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)
- C07C: ACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
- C12F: RECOVERY OF BY-PRODUCTS OF FERMENTED SOLUTIONS (removal of yeast from wine or sparkling wine C12G1/08); DENATURED ALCOHOL; PREPARATION THEREOF

## Abstract

A method and system for balancing water content in a liquid mixture is described. The method includes using an direct column contact evaporator to reduce the water content in the liquid mixture. The liquid mixture is provided in the open column direct contact evaporator with relatively dry air. The dry air evaporates excess water from the liquid mixture to concentrate the liquid mixture while at the same time reducing the energy required for water evaporation elsewhere in the plant.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for processing stillage water formed in ethanol production, the method comprising:
providing thin stillage formed during ethanol production into a direct contact evaporator to form a concentrated thin stillage.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method for processing stillage water formed in ethanol production of claim 1, further comprising providing the concentrated thin stillage into a falling film evaporator.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method for processing stillage water formed in ethanol production of claim 1, further comprising providing the concentrated thin stillage into a falling film evaporator to form a syrup from the concentrated thin stillage.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method for processing stillage water formed in ethanol production of claim 3, wherein the syrup is concentrated using a second direct contact evaporator.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method for processing stillage water formed in ethanol production of claim 1, wherein the direct contact evaporator is an open column direct contact evaporator.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method for processing stillage water formed in ethanol production of claim 5, further comprising providing the concentrated thin stillage into a falling film evaporator.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The method for processing stillage water formed in ethanol production of claim 5, further comprising providing the concentrated thin stillage into a falling film evaporator to form a syrup from the concentrated thin stillage.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method for processing stillage water formed in ethanol production of claim 7, wherein the syrup is concentrated using a second direct contact evaporator.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method for processing stillage water formed in ethanol production of claim 1, whereby the direct contact evaporator forms the concentrated thin stillage using waste or excess heat formed in ethanol production.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The method for processing stillage water formed in ethanol production of claim 7, whereby the second direct contact evaporator forms the syrup using waste or excess heat formed in ethanol production.