Dual-process solvent and sugar production plants

An alcohol production system, comprising:

• an evaporator system;
• a fermentation section;
• a distillation section;
• a distillation column;
• a dehydration unit;
• and
• piping, arranged to selectively configure:
• the evaporator system to receive a juice stream providing a mixture of sugar, water, and solids;
• the fermentation section to receive, from the evaporator system, a concentrated juice stream having a lower concentration of water than the juice stream;
• the distillation section to receive, from the fermentation section, a wine providing a mixture of sugar, water, solids, and alcohol;
• the distillation column to receive, from the distillation section, a first overhead stream produced by the distillation section having a lower concentration of sugars and solids and a lower concentration of water than the wine;
• and
• the dehydration unit to receive, from the distillation column, a second overhead stream produced by the distillation column having a lower concentration of water than the first overhead stream and to output a retentate stream having a higher concentration of alcohol than the second overhead stream.

A dual-process solvent and solids production system, comprising:

• a first evaporator system, configured to receive a feed stream including a dissolved solid and water;
• a solids production system, comprising:
• a second evaporator system;
• and
• a first separation system;
• a solvent production system, comprising:
• a fermentation section;
• a distillation section;
• and
• a solvent separation section, including a distillation column, a dehydration unit;
• and
• piping, arranged to selectively configure:
• the second evaporator system to receive, from the first evaporator system, a first portion of an evaporated feed stream having a higher concentration of the dissolved solid than the feed stream;
• the solids production system to receive syrup from the second evaporator system having a higher concentration of the dissolved solid than the evaporated feed stream;
• the fermentation section to receive, from the first evaporator system, a second portion of the evaporated feed stream;
• the distillation section to receive, from the fermentation section, a solvent stream including a solvent produced from the evaporated feed stream;
• the distillation column to receive, from the distillation section, a first overhead stream having a higher concentration of the solvent than the solvent stream and to receive, from the dehydration unit, a permeate stream having a higher concentration of water than the first overhead stream;
• and
• the distillation section to receive, from the distillation column, a second overhead stream having a higher concentration of the solvent than the first overhead stream and to output a retentate stream having a higher concentration of the solvent than the second overhead stream.

A method, comprising:

• receiving, at a first evaporator system, a juice providing a mixture of sugar, water, and solids;
• producing, at the first evaporator system, an evaporated juice having a higher concentration of sugar than the juice;
• receiving, at a second evaporator system from the first evaporator system, a first portion of the evaporated juice;
• producing, at the second evaporator system, a syrup having a higher concentration of sugar than the evaporated juice;
• receiving, at a sugar separation section from the second evaporator system, the syrup;
• producing, at the sugar separation section, a crystalized sugar and a molasses;
• receiving, at a fermentation section, the molasses and a second portion of the evaporated juice;
• fermenting, at the fermentation section the molasses and the evaporated juice to produce a wine including an organic solvent;
• receiving, at a distillation section from the fermentation section, the wine;
• heating, at the distillation section operating between 1-2 bar of pressure, the wine to produce a first overhead stream having a higher concentration of the organic solvent than the wine;
• receiving, at a distillation column from the distillation section, the first overhead stream;
• separating, at the distillation column, a second overhead stream from the first overhead stream that has a higher concentration of the organic solvent than the first overhead stream and that is less than or equal to 60% by weight of the organic solvent;
• receiving, at a dehydration unit from the distillation column, the second overhead stream;
• and
• separating, at the dehydration unit, the second overhead stream into a retentate stream having a higher concentration of the organic solvent and the second overhead stream and into a permeate stream, having a lower concentration of the organic solvent than the second overhead stream.