In a bioethanol production plant the separation unit performs the recovery of the ethanol from the raw fermentation beer to produce high purity ethanol. Although different separation techniques are available, distillation or distillation combined with other unit operations, remains the main technology considered for the ethanol purification. The formation of a homogeneous minimum-boiling azeotrope limits the purity allowable employing a simple distillation unit. The classical configuration for the separation of an ethanol-water mixture by extractive distillation employs three columns: the pre-concentrator, the extractive column and a stripping section. Starting from this configuration, new separation sequences are obtained applying the thermal coupling principle. Then, the column sections were rearranged taking into account the limits imposed by the recycle streams. The new arrangements were simulated considering a typical broth composition and ethylene glycol as a solvent. The new sequences report capital and energy cost reductions compared to the classical separation sequence proposed in the literature.

New distillation sequences for bioethanol production by extractive distillation

ERRICO, MASSIMILIANO;
2012-01-01

Abstract

In a bioethanol production plant the separation unit performs the recovery of the ethanol from the raw fermentation beer to produce high purity ethanol. Although different separation techniques are available, distillation or distillation combined with other unit operations, remains the main technology considered for the ethanol purification. The formation of a homogeneous minimum-boiling azeotrope limits the purity allowable employing a simple distillation unit. The classical configuration for the separation of an ethanol-water mixture by extractive distillation employs three columns: the pre-concentrator, the extractive column and a stripping section. Starting from this configuration, new separation sequences are obtained applying the thermal coupling principle. Then, the column sections were rearranged taking into account the limits imposed by the recycle streams. The new arrangements were simulated considering a typical broth composition and ethylene glycol as a solvent. The new sequences report capital and energy cost reductions compared to the classical separation sequence proposed in the literature.
2012
978-0-444-59431-0
File in questo prodotto:
Non ci sono file associati a questo prodotto.

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11584/76600
 Attenzione

Attenzione! I dati visualizzati non sono stati sottoposti a validazione da parte dell'ateneo

Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 2
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 1
social impact