Molecular sieve depressurization recovery method
AssigneeIntegroEnergy Group, Inc.
InventorsDaniel W. Sonnek, Gregory W. Loest
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of depressurizing a molecular sieve used in ethanol production is provided. The ethanol production system includes a plurality of on-line molecular sieve bottles for removing water from ethanol production. When the molecular sieve bottle becomes saturated with water it is taken off-line to depressurize it. The depressurization and removal of water is done from the product discharge end resulting in an approximately 5% to 10% reduction in external energy required to run the ethanol production line.
Claims7
A method of depressurizing a molecular sieve used in ethanol production comprising:
- providing an ethanol production system, said ethanol production system including a plurality of on-line molecular sieve columns for removing water from said ethanol production, said molecular sieve columns having a product input end and a product discharge end and including a media therewithin;
- taking at least one of said plurality of molecular sieve columns off-line to depressurize it when said media becomes saturated, said off-line molecular sieve column containing anhydrous ethanol located at the product discharge end and water in the remainder of the bottle;
- extracting at least a portion of said anhydrous ethanol from said product discharge end;
- routing said at least a portion of said anhydrous ethanol to a sweeten off condenser;
- discharging said at least a portion of said anhydrous ethanol to a flash vessel;
- combining said at least a portion of said anhydrous ethanol with other anhydrous ethanol produced by said ethanol production system;
- and routing said combination of anhydrous ethanol to a storage tank.
A method of depressurizing a molecular sieve used in ethanol production comprising:
- providing an ethanol production system, said ethanol production system including a rectifier for producing 190-proof ethanol vapor;
- a condenser for condensing the 190-proof ethanol;
- an economizer for heating the 190-proof ethanol;
- a vaporizer for vaporizing the 190-proof ethanol;
- a plurality of on-line molecular sieve columns for removing water from said 190-proof ethanol, said molecular sieve columns having a product input end and a product discharge end and including a media therewithin;
- taking at least one of said plurality of molecular sieve columns off-line to depressurize it when said media becomes saturated, said off-line molecular sieve column containing anhydrous ethanol located at the product discharge end and water in the remainder of the column;
- extracting at least a portion of said anhydrous ethanol from said product discharge end;
- routing said at least a portion of said anhydrous ethanol to a sweeten off condensing heat exchanger;
- discharging said at least a portion of said anhydrous ethanol to a flash vessel;
- combining said at least a portion of said anhydrous ethanol with other anhydrous ethanol produced by said ethanol production system;
- and routing said combination of anhydrous ethanol to a storage tank.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.