US 11,458,413 B2Granted

Energy-efficient systems including vapor compression for biofuel or biochemical plants

AssigneeEnergy Integration, Inc.

InventorsLynn Allen Crawford, William Bryan Schafer, III

Life of this patent

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Abstract

Processes and systems are provided to compress vapors produced in distillation and recover the heat of condensation through vapor compression and to derive mechanical, thermal, and electrical energy from a combined heat and power system, while maintaining the plant's original ability to operate. The plant's existing distillation system, steam generation, and electrical demand determine the design basis for the retrofit system that is targeted at an optimized combination of energy usage, energy cost, and environmental impact. Vapor compression (by mechanical vapor recompression and/or thermal vapor recompression) minimizes the total energy usage. Optionally, combined heat and power provides a means of converting energy between fuel, electricity, and thermal energy in a manner that best complements plant requirements and energy economics and minimizes inefficiencies and energy losses.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A distillery or biorefinery, wherein said distillery or biorefinery is capable of converting biomass into a biofuel or biochemical, said distillery or biorefinery comprising:

(i) a biomass-conversion sub-system configured to convert said biomass into sugars;
(ii) a fermentation sub-system configured to ferment said sugars into said biofuel or biochemical;
(iii) a distillation sub-system configured to purify said biofuel or biochemical via distillation and to generate stillage, wherein said distillation sub-system includes one or more distillation units;
(iv) at least one separation sub-system configured to further process said biofuel or biochemical and/or to further process said stillage;
(v) a vapor compression sub-system comprising a mechanical vapor recompression (MVR) unit and/or a thermal vapor recompression (TVR) unit, wherein said vapor compression sub-system is configured to compress distillation vapors exiting said one or more distillation units, thereby providing compressed distillation vapors with an increased boiling point and preserving latent heat of said compressed distillation vapors from said one or more distillation units, wherein said latent heat from said distillation sub-system is integrated with at least one distinct distillery or biorefinery process unit that (a) is not configured for distillation, (b) is not part of said distillation sub-system, (c) is not part of said vapor compression sub-system, and (d) generates a distinctly different vapor stream than said compressed distillation vapors, wherein said compressed distillation vapors are condensed to cascade said latent heat of said compressed distillation vapors to said distinct distillery or biorefinery process unit and provide a reduction in process thermal energy usage in said distillery or biorefinery;
and
(vi) a source of power configured to provide mechanical, electrical, and/or thermal energy for driving said vapor compression sub-system.

4 more elements

A method of integration in a distillery or biorefinery, wherein said distillery or biorefinery converts biomass into a biofuel or biochemical, said method comprising:

(i) providing said biomass and converting said biomass into sugars;
(ii) fermenting said sugars into said biofuel or biochemical;
(iii) purifying said biofuel or biochemical in one or more distillation units, wherein stillage is generated;
(iv) in one or more separation units, further processing said biofuel or biochemical and/or further processing said stillage;
(v) introducing a vapor compression unit comprising a mechanical vapor recompression (MVR) unit and/or a thermal vapor recompression (TVR) unit to compress distillation vapors exiting said one or more distillation units, thereby providing compressed distillation vapors with an increased boiling point and preserving latent heat of said compressed distillation vapors from said one or more distillation units, wherein said latent heat from said one or more distillation units is integrated with at least one distinct distillery or biorefinery process step that (a) is not a distillation step and (b) generates a distinctly different vapor stream than said compressed distillation vapors, wherein said compressed distillation vapors are condensed to cascade said latent heat of said compressed distillation vapors to said distinct distillery or biorefinery process step and provide a reduction in process thermal energy usage in said distillery or biorefinery;
and
(vi) introducing a source of power to provide mechanical, electrical, and/or thermal energy for driving said vapor compression unit.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/711,699Filed 21 Sep 2017 · continuation in part
Priority: 28 Mar 2016
Published: US 2018/0028934 A11 Feb 2018
Granted: 4 Oct 2022
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification13 codes

B01D 1/2856
Special features relating to the compressed vapour: the compressed vapour is used for heating a reboiler or a heat exchanger outside an evaporator
B01D 1/2843
Special features relating to the compressed vapour: the compressed vapour is divided in at least two streams
B01D 1/2887
With vapour compression: the compressor is integrated in the evaporation apparatus
B01D 3/001
Distillation or related exchange processes in which liquids are contacted with gaseous media, e.g. stripping: processes specially adapted for…

Family

Application62/314,358Us provisional application · filed 28 Mar 2016
Application62/330,847Us provisional application · filed 3 May 2016
Application62/414,165Us provisional application · filed 28 Oct 2016
Application15/453,881Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 8 Mar 2017
US 2018/0028934 A1Pre-grant publication · published 1 Feb 2018
US 9,925,476 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 2017/0274297 A1Published application
US 11,458,413 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.