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Membrane processes for alcohol-water separation: Improving the energy efficiency of biofuel production
Citation:
VANE, L. M. Membrane processes for alcohol-water separation: Improving the energy efficiency of biofuel production. Presented at the Asia Pacific Confederation of Chemical Engineering (APCChE), JTC Summit, SINGAPORE, February 21 - 24, 2012.
Impact/Purpose:
To inform the EPA
Description:
The economics and environmental impact of producing fuels and chemicals biologically can be a strong function of the efficiency with which the fermentation products are removed from the biological media. Due to growth inhibition by some fermentation products, including ethanol and butanol, concentrations of these products in fermentors are generally on the order of 1 to 10 percent by weight. These low concentrations greatly increase product recovery costs using traditional separation processes, such as distillation. Furthermore, the removal of trace water from the fermentation products to meet commercial specifications may require relatively large amounts of energy.
