Process and method for improving the water reuse, energy efficiency, fermentation, and products of an ethanol fermentation plant

• US 8,722,911 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2013
• Issued: 05/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Trucent, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Valicor, Inc.
• Inventors: Bleyer, James Robert, Czartoski, Thomas J, Chandra, Puneet
• Primary Examiner(s): Weber, Jon P
• Assistant Examiner(s): Knight, Teresa E
• Application Number:
  US13/870,261
• Publication Number:
  US 20130344554A1
• Time in Patent Office: 383 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 554/8
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 3/002 by continuous methods
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 3/14 Fractional distillation or use of a fractionation or rectification column
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/52 by flocculation or precipitation of suspended impurities C02F1/463 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2103/36 from the manufacture of organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/06 Ethanol, i.e. non-beverage
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/08 produced as by-product or from waste or cellulosic material substrate
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/10 Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel

Abstract

A method of processing stillage by hydrothermally fractionating stillage to create unique product fractions, by heating the stillage to a temperature of 250 degrees F. to 350 degrees F., and recovering a stickwater fraction from the stillage. Stickwater, oil, biomass, bio-products, extracts, metabolites, and treated water obtained from the method above. A method of performing ethanol fermentation by hydrothermally fractionating stillage to create unique product fractions by heating the stillage to a temperature of 250 degrees F. to 350 degrees F., separating the stillage into a ProFat fraction and a stickwater fraction, and recovering oil from the ProFat fraction.

Claims

1. A method of hydrothermally fractionating stillage, including the steps of:

heating the stillage obtained from corn ethanol fermentation to a temperature of 250 degrees F. to 350 degrees F.;

separating the heated treated stillage into a ProFat fraction and a stickwater fraction;

recovering the stickwater fraction from the heat treated stillage;

recycling all or a portion of the stickwater fraction to a fermentation process; and

enhancing fermentation through the addition of the recycled stickwater fraction.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said heating step is further defined as heating the stillage to a temperature of 280 degrees F. to 320 degrees F.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said heating step is further defined as holding the stillage at the temperature for 3 to 60 minutes.

4. The method of claim 1, further including a step of recovering a ProFat fraction from the heat treated stillage.

5. The method of claim 1, further including a separating step chosen from the group consisting of separating protein meal and fat from ProFat;

separating protein meal from ProFat;

separating oil from stickwater;

separating oil from protein meal;

separating stickwater from protein meal;

simultaneously separating oil, protein meal, and stickwater; and

combinations thereof.

6. The method of claim 5, further including prior to said separating step, a step of cooling the stillage to a temperature of less than 250 degrees F.

7. The method of claim 5, further including a step chosen from the group consisting of filtering at least a portion of the stickwater fraction with membranes, concentrating at least a portion of the stickwater fraction, adding agents to at least a portion of the stickwater fraction to precipitate components, and treating at least a portion of the stickwater fraction to remove fermentation inhibitors.

8. The method of claim 5, further including the steps of adding an organism chosen from the group consisting of algae, fungus, and microorganisms to the stickwater fraction;

using the stickwater fraction as a growth media; and

recovering biomass, bio-products, extracts, metabolites, and treated water.

9. The method of claim 1, further including a step of removing large solids from the stillage and obtaining a large solid wet cake and thick stillage before said heating step, wherein the thick stillage consists essentially of 4 to 8% suspended solids.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the stillage is thin stillage having 4% or less suspended solids.

11. The method of claim 1, further including the step of concentrating the stillage prior to said heating step.

12. A method of performing ethanol fermentation, including the steps of:

hydrothermally fractionating stillage obtained from corn ethanol fermentation by heating the stillage to a temperature of 250 degrees F. to 350 degrees F.;

separating the stillage into a ProFat fraction and a stickwater fraction;

recovering oil from the ProFat fraction;

recycling all or a portion of the stickwater fraction to a fermentation process; and

enhancing fermentation through the addition of the recycled stickwater fraction.

13. The method of claim 12, further including prior to said hydrothermal fractionation step, the step of concentrating the stillage.

14. A method of performing ethanol fermentation, including the steps of:

separating whole stillage obtained from corn ethanol fermentation into stillage and wet cake;

hydrothermally fractionating the stillage by heating the stillage to a temperature of 250 degrees F. to 350 degrees F.;

separating the stillage into ProFat and stickwater fractions;

recovering oil;

recovering a first stickwater fraction and a ProFat fraction;

dewatering the ProFat fraction, thereby obtaining a dewatered ProFat fraction and a second stickwater fraction, and adding the second stickwater fraction to the first stickwater fraction; and

further processing the first and second stickwater fractions by a process selected from the group including biological processing and chemical processing, using the first and second stickwater fractions as growth media in said processing step and enhancing growth through the addition of the stickwater fraction.

15. The method of claim 14, further including before said separating whole stillage step, the steps of:

cooking, fermenting, and distilling corn and obtaining ethanol; and

, after said further processing step, further including the steps of recovering biomass, bio-products, extracts, and treated water from the growth media, recycling treated water; and

drying the ProFat and obtaining dried distillers grains.