# US 2014/0360376 A1 · Recovery of higher alcohols from dilute aqueous solutions > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0360376 A1 - Document ID: US20140360376A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/465,557 - Filed: 2014-08-21 - Published: 2014-12-11 - Earliest claimed: 2007-12-27 - Assignees: Gevo, Inc. - Applicants: Gevo, Inc. - Inventors: William A. Evanko; Aharon M. Eyal; David A. Glassner; Fudu Miao; Kent Evans; Andrew C. Hawkins; Aristos A. Aristidou; Patrick R. Gruber - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140360376A1 ## CPC - C12M 43/00: {Combinations of bioreactors or fermenters with other apparatus} - C07C 29/80: by distillation - C07C 29/86: by liquid-liquid treatment - C12C 11/11: Post fermentation treatments, e.g. carbonation, or concentration (methods for reducing the alcohol content after fermentation C12H3/00; methods for increasing the alcohol content after fermentation C12H6/00) - C12M 45/20: {Heating; Cooling (heating or cooling apparatus for laboratory uses B01L7/00)} - C12P 7/04: acyclic - C12P 7/16: Butanols - Y02E 50/10: Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel - Y10T 29/49826: Assembling or joining - C12M: APPARATUS FOR ENZYMOLOGY OR MICROBIOLOGY; {APPARATUS FOR CULTURING MICROORGANISMS FOR PRODUCING BIOMASS, FOR GROWING CELLS OR FOR OBTAINING FERMENTATION OR METABOLIC PRODUCTS, i.e. BIOREACTORS OR FERMENTERS} - C07C: ACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS - C12C: BEER; PREPARATION OF BEER BY FERMENTATION (ageing or ripening by storing C12H1/22; methods for reducing the alcohol content after fermentation C12H3/00; methods for increasing the alcohol content after fermentation C12H6/00; venting devices for casks, barrels or the like C12L9/00); PREPARATION OF MALT FOR MAKING BEER; PREPARATION OF HOPS FOR MAKING BEER - C12P: FERMENTATION OR ENZYME-USING PROCESSES TO SYNTHESISE A DESIRED CHEMICAL COMPOUND OR COMPOSITION OR TO SEPARATE OPTICAL ISOMERS FROM A RACEMIC MIXTURE {(brewing of beer C12C; producing vinegar C12J; producing specific peptides or proteins C07K; producing enzymes C12N9/00; DNA or RNA concerning genetic engineering, vectors, e.g. plasmids, or their isolation, preparation or purification C12N15/00; measuring or testing processes involving enzymes or microorganisms C12Q; measuring or testing processes involving nucleic acid amplification reactions C12Q1/6844; fermentation processes to form a food composition, A21 or A23; compounds in general, see the relevant compound class, e.g. C01, C07)} - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract This invention is directed to methods for recovery of C3-C6 alcohols from dilute aqueous solutions, such as fermentation broths. Such methods provide improved volumetric productivity for the fermentation and allows recovery of the alcohol. Such methods also allow for reduced energy use in the production and drying of spent fermentation broth due to increased effective concentration of the alcohol product by the simultaneous fermentation and recovery process which increases the quantity of alcohol produced and recovered per quantity of fermentation broth dried. Thus, the invention allows for production and recovery of C3-C6 alcohols at low capital and reduced operating costs. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A retrofit ethanol production plant comprising: a. a feedstock pretreatment unit; b. one or more fermentation units; c. one or more liquid-liquid separation vessels; and d. a beer still; wherein said retrofit ethanol production plant is configured to produce a C3-C6 alcohol. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The retrofit ethanol production plant of claim 1, further comprising a flash tank. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The retrofit ethanol production plant of claim 1, where said C3-C6 alcohol is isobutanol. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The retrofit ethanol production plant of claim 1, further comprising one or more distillation columns. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The retrofit ethanol production plant of claim 2, wherein said flash tank is fluidly coupled to said one or more fermentation units. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The retrofit ethanol production plant of claim 5, wherein said flash tank is configured to receive a liquid feed stream comprising said C3-C6 alcohol from said one or more fermentation units. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The retrofit ethanol production plant of claim 6, wherein said flash tank is configured to flash vaporize said liquid feed stream comprising said C3-C6 alcohol and provide: (i) a vapor stream enriched in said C3-C6 alcohol relative to said liquid feed stream; and (ii) a liquid stream depleted in said C3-C6 alcohol relative to said liquid feed stream. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The retrofit ethanol production plant of claim 7, further comprising a condenser fluidly coupled to said flash tank and configured to receive and condense said vapor stream. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The retrofit ethanol production plant of claim 8, wherein said one or more liquid-liquid separation vessels are fluidly connected to said condenser and are configured to receive said condensed vapor stream. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The retrofit ethanol production plant of claim 7, wherein said liquid stream depleted in said C3-C6 alcohol is conducted from said flash tank to said one or more fermentation units. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The retrofit ethanol production plant of claim 9, wherein said condensed vapor stream forms a C3-C6 alcohol-rich liquid phase and a water-rich liquid phase, and said one or more liquid-liquid separation vessels are configured to separate said C3-C6 alcohol-rich liquid phase and a water-rich liquid phase. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The retrofit ethanol production plant of claim 11, wherein said beer still is fluidly coupled to said one or more liquid-liquid separation vessels and said beer still is configured to receive said water-rich liquid phase. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The retrofit ethanol production plant of claim 12, wherein said beer still is configured to provide: (i) an overhead vapor stream enriched in said C3-C6 alcohol relative to said water-rich liquid phase; and (ii) a bottoms liquid stream depleted in said C3-C6 alcohol relative to said water-rich liquid phase. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The retrofit ethanol production plant of claim 13, wherein said beer still is fluidly coupled to a dryer unit. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The retrofit ethanol production plant of claim 14, wherein said dryer unit is configured to receive said bottoms liquid stream and provide: (i) a stream comprising dried solids; and (ii) a vapor stream comprising water. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The retrofit ethanol production plant of claim 11, further comprising one or more distillation columns fluidly coupled to said one or more liquid-liquid separation vessels, wherein said one or more distillation columns are configured to receive said alcohol-rich liquid phase. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The retrofit ethanol production plant of claim 16, wherein said one or more distillation columns are configured to provide: (i) an overhead vapor stream depleted in said C3-C6 alcohol relative to said C3-C6 alcohol-rich liquid; and (ii) a bottoms liquid stream enriched in said C3-C6 alcohol relative to said C3-C6 alcohol-rich liquid. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The retrofit ethanol production plant of claim 17, wherein said bottoms liquid comprises at least 90 wt % C3-C6 alcohol. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The retrofit ethanol production plant of claim 17, wherein said bottoms liquid comprises at least 95 wt % C3-C6 alcohol. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The retrofit ethanol production plant of claim 17, wherein said bottoms liquid comprises at least 98 wt % C3-C6 alcohol. ### Claim 21 (depends on 2) The retrofit ethanol production plant of claim 2, wherein said flash tank is configured to operate at a pressure of from about 0.025 bar to about 10 bar. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The retrofit ethanol production plant of claim 1, wherein the output of the retrofit ethanol production plant is at least about 90% of the C3-C6 alcohol equivalent of the ethanol maximum output of the ethanol production plant before retrofit. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) The retrofit ethanol production plant of claim 1, wherein the output of the retrofit ethanol production plant is at least about 95% of the C3-C6 alcohol equivalent of the ethanol maximum output of the ethanol production plant before retrofit. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) The retrofit ethanol production plant of claim 1, further comprising a vent system collection system fluidly coupled to one or more process units in said retrofit ethanol production plant configured to receive one or more vent streams from said one or more process units. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The retrofit ethanol production plant of claim 24, wherein said vent system collection system is configured to condense C3-C6 alcohol vapor from said one or more vent streams. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) The retrofit ethanol production plant of claim 24, wherein said vent system collection system is configured to capture CO2 from said one or more vent streams. ### Claim 27 (depends on 1) The retrofit ethanol production plant of claim 1, configured to operate and produce C3-C6 alcohol continuously. ### Claim 28 A retrofit ethanol production plant comprising: a. a feedstock pretreatment unit; b. one or more fermentation units; c. a flash tank; d. a liquid-liquid separation vessel; e. a beer still; f. one or more distillation columns; g. a vent collections unit; and f. a dryer unit; wherein said retrofit ethanol production plant is configured to produce isobutanol. ### Claim 29 (depends on 1) A method for constructing the retrofit ethanol production plant of claim 1, comprising installing said one or more liquid-liquid separation vessels in an ethanol production plant. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The method of claim 29, further comprising installing a flash tank in said ethanol production plant.