PROCESS FOR PRODUCING ETHANOL AND FOR ENERGY RECOVERY
First Claim
1. An integrated continuous process for the production of ethanol and self generating energy on a commercial scale after an initial process start-up, said integrated continuous process comprising the steps of:
- (a) fermenting a mash in an aqueous medium to produce a beer;
(b) distilling said beer to produce commercial scale quantities of ethanol and a remainder;
(c) digesting a mixture containing said remainder anaerobically in a digester tank to produce commercial scale quantities of a biogas and a residue;
(d) combusting said biogas to produce electricity and steam;
(e) utilizing steam produced by said the if combustion during the steps of fermenting and distilling to produce said ethanol; and
(f) utilizing electricity produced by said combustion during the step of fermenting the mash;
said commercial scale of biogas being defined to include up to 11.6 million BTUs of methane per dry ton of said remainder anaerobically digested with the steam produced by step (d) being sufficient to provide, after said initial start up of said integrated continuous process, all the steam of step (e) used to produce said ethanol and said remainder of step (b).
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Abstract
The present invention is directed to a process for the production of ethanol and energy. The process includes the steps of fermenting a corn mash in an aqueous medium to produce a beer. Next, the beer is distilled to produce ethanol and a whole stillage. The whole stillage is anaerobically digested to produce a biogas and a residue. The biogas is combusted to produce electricity and steam. The electricity and steam are used during the fermentation and distillation process. The residue may further be separated into a liquid fertilizer and top soil residue.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. An integrated continuous process for the production of ethanol and self generating energy on a commercial scale after an initial process start-up, said integrated continuous process comprising the steps of:
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(a) fermenting a mash in an aqueous medium to produce a beer; (b) distilling said beer to produce commercial scale quantities of ethanol and a remainder; (c) digesting a mixture containing said remainder anaerobically in a digester tank to produce commercial scale quantities of a biogas and a residue; (d) combusting said biogas to produce electricity and steam; (e) utilizing steam produced by said the if combustion during the steps of fermenting and distilling to produce said ethanol; and (f) utilizing electricity produced by said combustion during the step of fermenting the mash; said commercial scale of biogas being defined to include up to 11.6 million BTUs of methane per dry ton of said remainder anaerobically digested with the steam produced by step (d) being sufficient to provide, after said initial start up of said integrated continuous process, all the steam of step (e) used to produce said ethanol and said remainder of step (b). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An integrated system for the production of ethanol and self generating energy on a commercial scale after an initial process start-up, the integrated system comprising:
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an ethanol facility producing commercial scale quantities of ethanol, wherein the production of commercial scale quantities of ethanol include at least fermenting and distilling to produce commercial scale quantities of ethanol and a stillage by-product; an anaerobic digester facility having at least an anaerobic digester, wherein the stillage by-product from the ethanol facility is included in a mixture digested by the anaerobic digester to produce commercial scale quantities of biogas and a residue; a generator facility for combusting biogas to produce electricity and steam; utilizing steam produced by said generator facility in the ethanol facility during fermentation and distillation; and utilizing electricity produced by said generator facility in the ethanol facility during fermentation, the commercial scale of biogas being defined to include up to 11.6 million BTUs of methane per dry ton of the stillage by-product anaerobically digested with the steam produced being sufficient to provide, after said initial start up of the process, all the steam used to produce the ethanol and stillage by-product. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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Specification