System and method for enhanced ethanol production
AssigneeICM, Inc.
InventorsDavid VanderGriend, Wayne Clutter, John Freidig
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for producing ethanol comprises a rectifier column that receives a first process stream comprising from about 42% to about 60% ethanol, wherein the rectifier column purifies the first process stream to provide an ethanol product stream that is at least about 90% ethanol, and one or more evaporators configured to evaporate water from a second process stream, wherein the one or more evaporators generate vapor, and wherein at least a portion of the vapor supplies heat energy for separation of ethanol from water in the rectifier column.
Claims17
A system for producing ethanol, the system comprising:
- a plurality of at least four columns arranged in fluid communication in series, the plurality of at least four columns comprising:
- a beer column;
- a first rectifier column that receives a first process stream via the fluid communication from the beer column wherein the first rectifier column purifies the first process stream to provide first ethanol product stream that is a fuel-grade ethanol;
- one or more molecular sieves in fluid communication with the first rectifier column to receive a second process stream from the first rectifier column, wherein the one or more molecular sieves are in second fluid communication with the first rectifier column to pass a regens stream back to the first rectifier column from the one or more molecular sieves;
- a side stripper that receives a third process stream via the fluid communication with the first rectifier column, and a fourth process stream that includes a vapor;
- and
- a second rectifier column that receives a fifth process stream via the fluid communication from the side stripper, wherein the second rectifier column is in fluid communication with the one or more molecular sieves and receives a sixth process stream from the one or more molecular sieves;
- one or more evaporators configured to evaporate water from a seventh process stream, wherein the one or more evaporators generate the vapor;
- wherein at least a portion of the vapor supplies heat energy for separation of ethanol from water in the side stripper;
- and
- wherein the second rectifier column purifies the fifth process stream and the sixth process stream to provide a second ethanol product stream that is a high-grade ethanol.
A system for producing ethanol, the system comprising:
- a plurality of at least four columns arranged in fluid communication in series, the plurality of at least four columns comprising:
- a beer column;
- a first rectifier column that receives a first process stream via the fluid communication from the beer column wherein the first rectifier column purifies the first process stream to provide a first ethanol product stream that is a fuel-grade ethanol;
- one or more molecular sieves in fluid communication with the first rectifier column to receive a second process stream from the first rectifier column, wherein the one or more molecular sieves are in second fluid communication with the first rectifier column to pass a regens stream back to the first rectifier column from the one or more molecular sieves;
- a side stripper that receives a third process stream via the fluid communication with the first rectifier column;
- and
- a second rectifier column that receives a fourth process stream via the fluid communication from the side stripper, wherein the second rectifier column is in fluid communication with the one or more molecular sieves and receives a fifth process stream from the one or more molecular sieves;
- wherein the second rectifier column purifies the fourth process stream and the fifth process stream to provide a second ethanol product stream that is a high-grade ethanol.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.