Abstract: An energy-efficient extractive distillation process for producing anhydrous ethanol from aqueous/ethanol feeds containing any range of ethanol employs an extractive distillation column (EDC) that operates under no or greatly reduced liquid reflux conditions. The EDC can be incorporated into an integrated process for producing anhydrous ethanol used for gasoline blending from fermentation broth. By using a high-boiling extractive distillation solvent, no solvent, is entrained by the vapor phase to the EDC overhead stream, even under no liquid reflux conditions. The energy requirement and severity of the EDC can be further improved by limiting ethanol recovery in the EDC. In this partial ethanol recovery design, ethanol which remains in the aqueous stream from the EDC is recovered in a post-distillation column or the aqueous stream is recycled to a front-end pre-distillation column where the ethanol is readily recovered since the VLE curve for ethanol/water is extremely favorable for distillation.

Abstract: For a race or contest in which a predetermined number of entries compete for winning position wherein for each of the entries respective predetermined odds of winning are given, a method is provided for determining a plurality of wagers wherein each of the wagers is to be placed on a respective one in a subset of the entries. In accordance with such method, initial criteria that all of the wagers must satisfy is established. Next, a maximum wager total being a sum of all of the wagers is determined. Finally, each of the wagers is calculated in accordance with the criteria and the maximum wager total.