Abstract: Provided is a method which allows, for example, suppression of foaming in the purification step such as distillation and continuous operation, as well as direct treatment of a waste liquid (can liquid) without having to subject the same to an extra purification treatment by removing the microorganisms, nitrogen compounds, and phosphorous compounds at once from an organic substance-containing liquid obtained from microbial fermentation. Also disclosed is a method for producing an organic substance, comprising a microbial fermentation step, a separation step, a liquefaction step, and a second purification step, wherein the concentration of the nitrogen compound in the second can liquid is 0 to 150 ppm based on the total mass of the second can liquid, and the concentration of the phosphorous compound in the second can liquid is 0 to 5 ppm based on the total mass of the second can liquid.

Abstract: One exemplary embodiment can be a system for separating a plurality of naphtha components. The system can include a column, an overhead condenser, and a side condenser. Generally, the column includes a dividing imperforate wall with one surface facing a feed and another surface facing at least one side stream. Typically, the wall extends a significant portion of the column height to divide the portion into at least two substantially vertical, parallel contacting sections. Typically, the overhead condenser receives an overhead stream including a light naphtha from the column. Usually, a side condenser receives a process stream from the column and returns the stream to the column to facilitate separation. A cooling stream may pass through the overhead condenser and then the side condenser.

Abstract: In order to separate and concentrate a liquid component from a liquid multi-component mixture formed of several liquid components with different boiling temperatures, e.g. an ethanol-water mixture, a concentration apparatus (3) is proposed, with its separation section and concentration section designed as separate columns (5, 7) with different operating energy requirements. The column (7) with the higher operating energy requirements is designed for a lower temperature difference between the boiling temperature of the top of the column (29) and the boiling temperature of the bottom of the column (21) than the column (5) with lower operating energy requirements. Separate mechanical vapour compressors (15, 27) are assigned to the two columns (5, 7), said vapour compressors compressing the vapours from the top of the associated column (5, 7) and supplying the operating energy to the bottom region (11, 21) of the respective column (5, 7) by means of separate sump evaporators (9, 23) which act as, reboilers.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for water purification and desalination. The systems have a preheater, a degasser, multiple evaporation chambers with demisters, heat pipes, and a control system, wherein the control system permits continuous operation of the purification and desalination system without requiring user intervention or cleaning. The system is capable of recovering heat from each distillation stage, while removing, from a contaminated water sample, a plurality of contaminant types including: microbiological contaminants, radiological contaminants, metals, salts, volatile organics, and non-volatile organics.

Abstract: Processes and systems for purifying ethylene oxide, including introducing a feed stream including ethylene oxide to a heat exchanger to heat the feed stream, feeding the heated feed stream to a distillation apparatus base below a first stage, removing from the distillation apparatus an impurity fraction as a top exit stream from the distillation apparatus located at a top take-off on the distillation apparatus, removing from the distillation apparatus an ethylene oxide stream of 99.7 weight percent purity, based on the total weight of the ethylene oxide stream, from the distillation apparatus, and removing from the distillation apparatus an aldehyde enriched fraction as a bottom stream from the distillation apparatus, where the aldehyde enriched fraction is fed directly to a glycol reactor.

Abstract: A water treatment system including a filter, an aerator, a hydrogen absorption manifold, a first treatment container, a second treatment container, a boiler, a superheater, a fractional distillation separator and a condenser. The filter is adapted for removing chloride ions and transmutated chlorine ions; while the hydrogen absorptive manifold is designed for absorbing hydrogen ions and reducing the pH of the water. The boiler and superheater may be utilized to convert the water to a superheated steam, while the fractional distillation separator is adapted for condensing and separating elements, including radioactive elements, from the superheated steam. A method for treating contaminated water using the water treatment system is also provided.

Abstract: This invention provides a system for removing ammonia from landfill leachate. The system comprises: an economiser 22 for producing high pressure hot water in a hot water circuit from heat exchange with a hot gas stream carrying waste heat; a boiler 26 which is heated by the high pressure hot water to produce steam; and an ammonia stripper 32. The ammonia stripper 32 has a leachate inlet 56 connected to a leachate flow path, and an ammonia containing gas outlet 36, at an upper end thereof. A leachate discharge outlet 72 is provided which is connected to a leachate discharge flow path 74, and a steam inlet 70 is provided which is connected to the boiler 26 by a conduit. At a lower end of the ammonia stripper there is a forced air inlet 68. A randomly packed bed 60, 64 located between the upper end and the lower end. In use there is a flow of steam and air in one direction and of leachate in the opposite direction which releases ammonia from the leachate.

Abstract: The invention provides systems and methods for the pre-concentration of a target molecule from feed solution comprising a low concentration of the target molecule.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system comprising an evaporation unit comprising a first heat exchanger in fluid communication with a second heat exchanger; where the first heat exchanger is operative to heat an effluent stream comprising an amine solvent and/or amine byproducts and water and to discharge the effluent stream to the second heat exchanger; where the second heat exchanger is operative to convert the effluent stream into a distillate stream and a concentrate stream; and a reverse osmosis unit in fluid communication with the evaporation unit; where the reverse osmosis unit comprises a first reverse osmosis unit that is operative to receive the distillate stream and to separate water from byproducts of the amine solvent such that the water has a purity of greater than 95%, based on the weight of the distillate stream.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method for producing ethanol and a device for producing ethanol that are suitable to the recycled use of an enzyme. The device is configured from: a vacuum distillation tower (11) into which an ethanol-fermented liquid generated by saccharification fermentation of a biomass starting material is introduced, and with the interior in a state that is at a lower pressure than atmospheric pressure, that subjects the ethanol-fermented liquid to distillation, distilling ethanol vapor that contains water vapor, and removing as a bottom product the enzyme-containing concentrated waste liquid that is roused for saccharification fermentation of the biomass starting material; and a fractionating tower (12) for fractionating the ethanol vapor distilled from the vacuum distillation tower (11).

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for recovery of organic compounds and drying organic mass. The apparatus comprises a dryer incorporating a dryer vessel equipped with a material inlet nozzle, a material outlet nozzle and a gas discharge nozzle. The apparatus comprises a column communicating with the gas discharge nozzle of the dryer vessel for feeding discharge gas exiting via the gas discharge nozzle of the dryer vessel to the column in order to concentrate in the column the discharge gas or the portion of the discharge gas at least partially condensed. To the gas discharge nozzle is connected a boiler for transferring the thermal energy of the discharge gas flowing through the gas discharge nozzle at least partially to the column.

Abstract: A water purification system having an oil and vapor separation subsystem for removing many heavy duty and toxic contaminants from the water. The subsystem removes volatile vapors from the feed water, heats the feed water, and by imparting a swirling vortex action to the heated water, the oils are separated from the water. The water separated from the oil is pumped by a high pressure pump through a helical coil that is heated to a high temperature by the burner. The high temperature, hot water is then fed to an expansion nozzle in an expansion chamber to flash the hot water into steam. The steam is passed through a condenser which converts the steam to purified water.

Abstract: There is provided a method for a purification of trichlorosilane, the method including: performing a pretreatment for separating a chlorosilane mixture from reaction products of a trichlorosilane production reaction; performing a first purification for separating the chlorosilane mixture into a first top stream and a first bottom stream; performing a second purification for separating the first top stream into a second top stream and a second bottom stream; and performing a third purification for separating the second bottom stream into a third top stream and a third bottom stream, wherein the performing of the third purification is carried out under pressure conditions higher than those of the performing of the second purification, and a heat exchange is generated between the second bottom stream and the third top stream.

Abstract: A fluid delivery apparatus is provided for supplying a fluid mixture to a distillation column or reactor. The apparatus can be used to enhance the heat duty, the flow and/or the flow stability of an existing thermosiphon reboiler which supplies a heated fluid to the column or reactor. The apparatus includes an integrated eductor which receives and increases the fluid velocity of a supplemental fluid into which the heated fluid is aspirated to form a fluid mixture then delivered to the column or reactor. A process and a system utilizing the apparatus are also disclosed, as well as a method of retrofitting an existing system with the apparatus.

Abstract: The invention provides a process and apparatus for the separation of a gaseous feed comprising a mixture of hydrocarbons and nitrogen gas, the process comprising the steps of: (i) cooling and at least partially condensing the gaseous feed; (ii) feeding the cooled and at least partially condensed feed from step (i) to a fractionation column comprising reboil to produce an overhead hydrocarbon vapour stream enriched in nitrogen and a condensed hydrocarbon product stream low in nitrogen, wherein prior to the fractionation, the feed stream is divided into at least two streams including: a) a first stream which is expanded and fed to the fractionation column; b) a second stream which is expanded, heated and fed to a lower stage of the fractionation column than the first stream, (iii) removing a hydrocarbon product stream low in nitrogen from the fractionation column; and (iv) removing a hydrocarbon vapour stream enriched in nitrogen from the fractionation column.

Abstract: A system for treating feedwater includes a fluidized bed heat exchanger unit connected to receive feedwater and a flash concentrator column connected to receive feedwater discharged from the fluidized bed heat exchanger unit. A spray dryer is provided to receive a solids/liquid slurry discharged from the flash concentrator column. Feedwater can be treated by converting dissolved solids in the feedwater to suspended solids, vaporizing a portion of the feedwater to produce a solids/liquid slurry, and separating solids from the solids/liquid slurry.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for separating a fluid into some or all of boiling point components comprising an opened-loop heating circuit or a closed-loop heating circuit both comprising a rotary heating device, such as a water brake, or a closed-loop direct-fired boiler heating circuit, or an electric heater circuit; and systems and methods for separating a fluid.

Abstract: A desalinization plant and process utilizes solar radiation to produce steam from seawater which is then used to generate freshwater and electricity.

Abstract: One exemplary embodiment can be a system for separating a plurality of naphtha components. The system can include a column, an overhead condenser, and a side condenser. Generally, the column includes a dividing imperforate wall with one surface facing a feed and another surface facing at least one side stream. Typically, the wall extends a significant portion of the column height to divide the portion into at least two substantially vertical, parallel contacting sections. Typically, the overhead condenser receives an overhead stream including a light naphtha from the column. Usually, a side condenser receives a process stream from the column and returns the stream to the column to facilitate separation. A cooling stream may pass through the overhead condenser and then the side condenser.

Abstract: Processes and systems for purifying ethylene oxide, including introducing a feed stream including ethylene oxide to a heat exchanger to heat the feed stream, feeding the heated feed stream to a distillation apparatus base below a first stage, removing from the distillation apparatus an impurity fraction as a top exit stream from the distillation apparatus located at a top take-off on the distillation apparatus, removing from the distillation apparatus an ethylene oxide stream of 99.7 weight percent purity, based on the total weight of the ethylene oxide stream, from the distillation apparatus, and removing from the distillation apparatus an aldehyde enriched fraction as a bottom stream from the distillation apparatus, where the aldehyde enriched fraction is fed directly to a glycol reactor.

Abstract: A new distillation process of simultaneous evaporation and condensation distillation that enables efficient transfer of heat energy and allows binary fluids to attain different concentrations and temperatures in the stripper and rectifier stages is disclosed. The process utilizes preferential evaporation of the more volatile component in the stripper while in the rectifier the less volatile component condenses first allowing for concentration of the more volatile component in subsequent stages. The rectifier operates at correspondingly hotter temperatures than the stripper allowing energy transfer from the rectifier to the stripper.

Abstract: A system and method for removing water from a liquid desiccant such as a glycol used to dry cooled air in order to restore the desiccant to a purity up to around 97% in a closed continuous flow process. Liquid desiccant can be sprayed into cooled air in a conditioner where it gains moisture. The wet or gained desiccant can be optionally preheated in an economizing heat exchanger and then routed into a concentrator. Desiccant pure to around 97% can be removed from the concentrator, passed through an economizing heat exchanger to provide the preheating and returned to the conditioner holding area. The concentrator can be heated by steam or other means such as natural gas to boil the wet desiccant causing mixed vapor to enter a vertical distillation column where most of the glycol condenses out on the column packing or plates and returns to the concentrator.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for the purification of an aqueous solution of an organic acid having a boiling point at atmospheric pressure of less than 450° C., which-further has approximately 275 g carboxylate ions/1 or less, preferably 250 g carboxylate ions/1 or less, and preferably less than 1% by weight ionic impurities, calculated on the basis of the total solution. In particular, the invention relates to a method and a device for the continuous purification and concentration, on an industrial scale, of an aqueous solution of an organic acid having a boiling point at atmospheric pressure of less than 450° C. According to the method, this solution is subjected to two or more distillation steps, the first distillation step being carried out at a temperature of from 80° to 150° C. and a pressure of from 50 to 250 mbar, and the second distillation step being carried out at a temperature of from 80° to 200° C. and a pressure of from 0.01 to 50 mbar.

Abstract: Apparatus and process for distilling a fluid mixture using low temperature glide heat are disclosed. A substantial portion of the glide heat is at a temperature lower than the peak distillation temperature. The disclosure achieves a maximal amount of distillative effect from a given heat source. Applications include absorption refrigeration and absorption power cycles. Referring to FIG. 1, column 104 and desorber 105 distill fluid in conduit 101 using low temperature glide heat. Divider 108 proportions fluid between them.

Abstract: An improved continuous process and apparatus for treating an impure liquid to produce purified liquid, particularly, water, the process having an electrically activating a thermoelectric module to provide a first heated surface and a cooler surface; feeding the impure liquid to the first heated surface to produce vapour of the liquid; and transferring the vapour to the cooler surface to effect heat transfer to the cooler surface, the improvement being directing a minor portion of the vapour to the cooler surface to maintain the cooler surface at a temperature at or near the boiling point of the liquid; and transferring a major portion of the vapour to a condenser remote from the module to effect heat transfer and condensation of the vapour to produce the purified liquid and collecting the purified liquid from the condenser. The process is continuous in that it does not need to be intermittently stopped, or require auxiliary cooling of the module.

Abstract: A system and method to improve the efficiency of delayed coker charge heating by effecting and controlling the temperature of a coker process fluid, prior to its introduction to a coker charge heater. In its preferred embodiment, the instant invention strategically positions and controls a pre-heater to automatically stabilize and minimize delayed coker charge heater firing rates. Said pre-heater's set point is derived by a feed forward control system that allows for the detection of process fluid temperature within a combination tower bottom, and communicates that temperature value to a pre-heater. Based upon the temperature value communicated to the pre-heater, the pre-heater intensifies, maintains, or decreases its firing to effect an operationally consistent combination tower bottoms temperature. By maintaining nearly constant combination tower bottoms temperature, a delayed coker charge heater derives enhanced operational efficiency and increases its life expectancy.

Abstract: A process for purifying argon to obtain a high-purity argon from argon gas containing at least nitrogen, carbon monoxide, oxygen, and methane, including a first step of adding air or oxygen to the argon gas in an amount sufficient to oxidize the contained carbon monoxide into carbon dioxide in the presence of a catalyst while maintaining a temperature sufficient to oxidize the contained carbon monoxide without substantially oxidizing the methane, a second step of adding hydrogen into the argon gas obtained in the first step and reacting the contained oxygen with the hydrogen into water in the presence of a catalyst, a third step of removing the carbon dioxide and the water from the argon gas obtained in the second step by use of an adsorbent, and a fourth step of cooling the argon gas obtained in the third step, introducing the argon thus cooled into a distillation column and performing distillation by use of a reflux containing argon as a main component to remove nitrogen, hydrogen, and methane, thereby reco

Abstract: An apparatus for oligomerization of C.sub.4 and C.sub.5 isoolefins or the etherification thereof with C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alcohols wherein the reactants are contacted first in a partial liquid phase reactor (boiling point reactor) with a fixed bed acid cation exchange resin catalyst at an LHSV of 5 to 20, pressure of 0 to 400 psig and temperature of 120.degree. to 300.degree. F., at a pressure to maintain the reaction mixture at its boiling point whereby at least a portion but less than all of the reaction mixture is vaporized and the entire reaction stream is directed to a catalytic distillation column reactor for further reaction of the reactants, where the improvement is having a decoupling drum between the boiling point reactor and the catalytic distillation column reactor. The addition of a decoupler drum allows the reactors to operate at a pressure independent of each other.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for stripping volatiles from a feed stream and concentrating the volatiles in the overhead vapors forming a condensate product and simultaneously producing a low percent volatiles outlet stream as a concentrate product. The volatiles separator and concentrator, ("VSC"), unit has many applications in the reduction and the concentration of voiatiles in the beverage, fuel, and industrial alcohol industries, as well as in chemical applications for removing or stripping volatiles from heat sensitive feed substrates which require low temperatures and a short residence time to prevent degradation of the product. For heat sensitive applications, the VSC unit utilizes a short feed stream preheat contact time in combination with turbulent high velocity flow to separate and concentrate volatile and nonvolatile components at temperatures below 100.degree. F. utilizing flash vaporization for volatiles separation with reboil capability to adjust volatiles concentration in the residue and product.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for stripping volatiles from a feed stream and concentrating the volatiles in the overhead vapors forming a condensate product and simultaneously producing a low percent volatiles outlet stream as a concentrate product. The volatiles separator and concentrator, ("VSC"), unit has many applications in the reduction and the concentration of volatiles in the beverage, fuel, and industrial alcohol industries, as well as in chemical applications for removing or stripping volatiles from heat sensitive feed substrates which require low temperatures and a short residence time to prevent degradation of the product.The preferred embodiment of the VSC unit utilizes a short feed stream preheat contact time in combination with turbulent high velocity flow at temperatures below 100.degree. F. to provide flash aporization for volatiles separation with reboil capability to adjust volatiles concentration in the residue and product. The application of high vacuum in the range of 27" to 28.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for stripping a volatile component from a liquid. The volatile component is destroyed by exothermic reaction with an active component in the gas phase, typically over a catalyst. Heat generated by the reaction of the volatile and active components is transferred to a fluid contact zone in which the organic component is stripped from the liquid stream by a stripping gas. Transfer of heat to the fluid contact zone increases the equilibrium partial pressure of the volatile component in the gas phase and thus increases the driving force for mass transfer in the stripping operation. Preferably, the volatile component is reacted with the active component in a regenerative heat transfer reaction system.

Abstract: An improved packed column distillation system, which may be particularly advantageous for use with cryogenic distillation such as the cryogenic distillation of air, wherein external heat is provided at the column wall, especially at a stripping section of the column, to vaporize liquid formed on the inner surface of the column wall resulting in improved separation efficiency with lower packed bed height.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for recovering and disposing of volatile organic contaminants, from water contaminated with organics, which system includes a pump to feed water from the body of contaminated water to the system, with indirect heat exchange and direct steam addition to raise the temperature of the water, a stripping vessel to strip the heated water with gas to strip the volatile contaminants from the water, gas supply to provide stripping gas to the vessel conduits to pass the removed volatile contaminants to a vessel containing a bed of adsorbent selective for the removal organics and regenerating the near-saturated bed by stripping with ambient air heated by heat exchange with the exhaust gas from a fuel-fired heater, passing the contaminant-containing regenerating gas from the regenerating bed to said fuel-fired heater, and combusting the contaminants in said fuel-fired heater.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for reprocessing waste piranha containing contaminated H.sub.2 SO.sub.4 from, for example, a semiconductor processing operation is described. The apparatus and method include a first distillation flask which is maintained under a substantial vacuum. The first distillation flask includes a first column packed with a column packing material and an input pipe for refluxing to retard loss of H.sub.2 SO.sub.4 in the first distillation. The second distillation flask boils off substantially pure H.sub.2 SO.sub.4 and provides for a continuous automatic purge of the contaminants from the second distillation flask thus improving the purity of the H.sub.2 SO.sub.4. The substantially pure H.sub.2 SO.sub.4 flows through a column which is coupled to a condenser which condenses substantially pure H.sub.2 SO.sub.4.

Abstract: A counter-current contacting device which includes a number of features which increase the efficiency and/or increase the pressure differential across the device is disclosed. Systems for reducing the alcohol content of an alcohol containing beverage or wine, for stripping aroma and flavor from a fruit juice and for desulphuring a liquid containing dissolved sulphur dioxide are also disclosed. Each of these systems incorporate a counter-current contact device of the invention.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for reprocessing waste piranha containing contaminated H.sub.2 SO.sub.4 from, for example, a semiconductor processing operation is described. The apparatus and method include a first distillation flask which are maintained under a substantial vacuum. The first distillation flask includes a first column with a column packing means and a reflux means to retard loss of H.sub.2 SO.sub.4 in the first distillation. The second distillation flask boils off substantially pure H.sub.2 SO.sub.4 through a column which is coupled to a condenser which condenses substantially pure H.sub.2 SO.sub.4.

Abstract: A steam distillation apparatus is provided which has a column body, a head connected to one end of the column body which has a diameter larger than the column body, a sump connected to the other end of the column body and contact elements disposed within the column body which are positioned and arranged to avoid formation of preferential pathways for the steam passing through the column body while providing for ready flow of the material being steam distilled through the column body. The connection of the head and column body may be frustoconical in shape such that its diameter diminishes from a diameter corresponding with that of the head at its connection with the head to a diameter corresponding with that of the column body at its connection with the column body. A collar is positioned at the connection of the neck and column body and extends into the head to define an annular space between the neck and collar.

Abstract: The invention consists of an energy-saving circuit for rectification columns in continuously operated distillation plants and various embodiments of this circuit. Both the total dephlemation heat and the total waste heat of the depleted solution stream can be simultaneously utilized for preheating enriched initial solution by using this circuit, over a wide range of separations.This heat recovery is possible using a parallel-flow dephlegmator whose vapor sides are connected in parallel to the rectification column enrichment section and which is preferably cooled by a portion of the cold enriched initial solution stream. From a partial stream of the vapor mixture existing at the beginning of the rectification column stripping section, product vapor of the required purity and condensate reflux for the vapor side of the unloaded column enrichment section are obtained simultaneously, in this manner.

Abstract: The invention concerns a process for the degassing, dehydrating and lower boiling component separation during straight-run distillation of crude fatty acids. The crude fatty acids are degassed in the degassing stage at such temperatures and pressures in counter current flow with stripping steam that no appreciable dehydration or lower boiling component separation takes place at this stage, then the degassed crude fatty acid is then led to a precut column for dehydration and lower boiling component separation, whereby the falling film concentrator column operates as a partial condensation stage for the creation of the reflux of the fatty acids, which is necessary for the lower boiling component separation, and that the easily boiling component evaporates almost completely in the precut column and is led off from the precut column in vapor form, together with the water.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for simultaneously producing various forms of alcohol, including ethanol, which can likewise be withdrawn from the apparatus simultaneously. To this end, successive columns in the individual processing stages, each of which includes distillation, rectification, purification and dehydration are connected in parallel for product flow but in series for energy flow and conservation.

Abstract: A stripping column is comprised of one or more mixing channels situated in parallel arrangement, each channel in the form of a zigzag strip through which liquid cascades in a series of falls alternating with a corresponding series of pools. Simultaneously, vapor travels upwardly in a counter-current manner, intimately mixing with the liquid when forced through each successive pool. The column is especially useful in separating alcohol from fermented mash. The column is preferably employed with three other identical columns in a parallelogram structure to make a distillation unit of greater efficiency and capacity.

Abstract: A continuous process for reducing the arsenic content of phosphorus is described in which the impure phosphorus is continually passed through a heat exchanger and heated to vaporize a portion of the phosphorus at a temperature not above 200.degree. C., separating the vaporized phosphorus in a disengaging zone under subatmospheric pressure and introducing it into a fractionating zone under subatmospheric pressure, fractionating the phosphorus from the less volatile arsenic, condensing under subatmospheric pressure low-arsenic phosphorus rising from the fractionating zone, returning a portion of the low-arsenic phosphorus condensate as reflux to the column, removing high-arsenic liquid phosphorus as bottoms from the fractionating zone, and recovering the remaining portion of low-arsenic phosphorus condensate as product.

Abstract: A vapor compression distillation system for distillation of any two-component liquid mixture where separation of the more volatile from the less volatile component is required. This system achieves a very high efficiency through the use of vapor compression in conjunction with three heat exchangers: a reboiler which condenses the hot vapors compressed by a vapor pump and uses the heat given up by the condensing vapor to boil bottoms liquid to produce vapor within the stripper, a distillate heat exchanger which recovers heat from the distillate stream, and a bottoms heat exchanger which recovers heat from the outgoing bottoms effluent. This particular component configuration and process results in an exceptionally stable and reliable operation requiring the continuous control of only one parameter, reboiler temperature, while fixing all other process variables.

Abstract: An improved distillation method and apparatus are provided for recovering anhydrous ethanol from fermentation or synthetic feedstocks. The system includes at least one stripper-rectifier tower, a dehydrating tower, and an azeotropic agent stripping tower. Substantial energy savings are realized by operating the dehydrating tower, and preferably also the azeotropic agent stripping tower, at a higher pressure than the stripper-rectifier tower and by condensing the overhead vapors from the dehydrating tower (or dehydrating tower and azeotropic agent stripping tower) to provide the heat required in the stripper-rectifier tower. In a preferred embodiment, two stripper-rectifier towers are used, one operating at a higher pressure than the other, in which case the higher pressure tower is heated as just described and the overhead vapors from the higher pressure tower are condensed to supply the heat required in the lower pressure tower.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for producing alcohol fuel in an efficient and continuous manner are provided. The apparatus and method utilize otherwise lost heat to reduce the amount of heat required to convert feed stock into alcohol fuel. The apparatus and method utilize the supply of feed stock from a hopper through an auger to a cooker vessel, and then in turn to enzyme and fermenting tanks or vessels, which in turn discharge fermented mash to a strainer for separation of the alcohol beer from the mash. The beer is then discharged to a level controlled beer tank which regulates a residue valve controlling the amount of residue liquid returned to the apparatus and maintained under process. From the beer tank, the flow of the beer is regulated by passage through a non-clogging control valve into a reflux column.

Abstract: The latent heat of condensation released by condensing a process vapor is captured in a fluid contained in a latent heat recirculating system; the captured heat is returned by the fluid to the body of process liquid for continued vaporization.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for distillation wherein the heat of partial condensation and the heat of evaporation are incrementally utilized as produced thus guiding the gaseous phase of the distillation along the dew-point line of the enthalpy-concentration diagram and guiding the fluid phase along the bubble-point line of the enthalpy-concentration diagram of the mixture to be rectified.

Abstract: An improved distillation method and apparatus are provided for recovering hydrous ethanol from fermentation or synthetic feedstocks. Substantial energy savings are realized by utilizing a pair of stripper-rectifier towers in which overhead vapors from one tower operating at a higher pressure supply the heat required for the other tower operating at a lower pressure and by preheating the feedstock in multiple heat exchange steps. The feedstock is split into two portions of unequal size, the larger portion being supplied to the higher pressure tower and the smaller portion to the lower pressure tower.

Abstract: The rectifier having inserts for evaporation and condensation is constructed on the basis of modules (19). Each module has a distributor channel (5) for the liquid. The distributor channel (5) is positioned above the upper rim of an evaporater (1) inclined in the direction of the module axis. The evaporator (1) ends above a guide element (13) for the liquid. The guide element (13) is inclined in the direction of the module wall (14) and ends above the distributor channel (5) of the next module. The module is furthermore provided with a guide element (2) for the vapor and a condenser (10). The condenser (10) has drain elements (11, 15) for the condensate.

Abstract: An apparatus for continuously producing concentrated alcohol from beer comprises a plurality of concentrator cells and a plurality of salvage cells arranged in a line in side-by-side relation. Liquid beer, supplied to the first upstream concentrator cell through a supply conduit, flows through passages between adjacent cells in response to the volume of beer reaching a predetermined level in the adjacent upstream cell. A microwave ignition bulb is positioned in each cell to heat the liquid beer and boil or vaporize the alcohol content thereof. The gaseous alcohol is serially bubbled through a fluid passage from each concentrator cell to the next adjacent upstream cell until the gaseous alcohol reaches the first concentrator cell where the gaseous alcohol is concentrated and condensed in a column to a liquid solution containing approximately 95% alcohol and approximately 5% water.