Processes and systems for alcohol production and recovery
First Claim
1. A method for improving the product profile of an ethanol production plant comprising modifying the plant to produce one or more biofuel products other than ethanol wherein modifying the plant comprisesadding a mixing device and a separation system to an external cooling loop of a fermentor, adding one or more separation units,separating a feedstock slurry prior to fermentation to form streams:
- (i) an aqueous solution comprising fermentable sugars, (ii) a wet cake comprising undissolved solids, and (iii) an oil stream,adding one or more extractant columns and/or extractant separation units,repurposing an ethanol beer column for distillation of an alcohol other than ethanol, and reconfiguring an evaporation train,wherein the modifications allow the plant to be reverted to ethanol production.
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Abstract
The present invention relates to processes for recovering butanol produced in a fermentative process using, for example, an ethanol production plant which has been reversibly-retrofitted for butanol production, that is, the ethanol production plant may be converted for butanol production, but can also revert to an ethanol production. The present invention also relates to processes for recovering butanol produced in a fermentative process in a butanol production plant that may be converted to ethanol production plant.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method for improving the product profile of an ethanol production plant comprising modifying the plant to produce one or more biofuel products other than ethanol wherein modifying the plant comprises
adding a mixing device and a separation system to an external cooling loop of a fermentor, adding one or more separation units, separating a feedstock slurry prior to fermentation to form streams: - (i) an aqueous solution comprising fermentable sugars, (ii) a wet cake comprising undissolved solids, and (iii) an oil stream,
adding one or more extractant columns and/or extractant separation units, repurposing an ethanol beer column for distillation of an alcohol other than ethanol, and reconfiguring an evaporation train, wherein the modifications allow the plant to be reverted to ethanol production. - View Dependent Claims (2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 21, 22)
- (i) an aqueous solution comprising fermentable sugars, (ii) a wet cake comprising undissolved solids, and (iii) an oil stream,
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3. A method for improving the product profile of an ethanol production plant comprising modifying the plant to produce one or more biofuel products other than ethanol wherein modifying the plant comprises
adding a mixing device and a separation system to an external cooling loop of a fermentor, adding one or more separation units, separating a feedstock slurry prior to fermentation to form streams: - (i) an aqueous solution comprising fermentable sugars, (ii) a wet cake comprising undissolved solids, and (iii) an oil stream,
adding one or more flash units and/or condensation units, repurposing an ethanol beer column for distillation of an alcohol other than ethanol, and reconfiguring an evaporation train, wherein the modifications allow the plant to be reverted to ethanol production. - View Dependent Claims (4, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 23, 24)
- (i) an aqueous solution comprising fermentable sugars, (ii) a wet cake comprising undissolved solids, and (iii) an oil stream,
Specification