Abstract: An environmentally-safe system and process for recovering solvents and disposing of contaminants released by regeneration of one or more solvent-laden air (SLA) adsorbers. The process begins with regeneration of the carbon in the adsorbers with low-pressure steam, and condensation/cooling of the resulting steam and reclaimed solvent/contaminant mixture. The mixture flows by gravity to a decanter for separation into two layers. From the decanter, the upper solvent-plus-contaminant layer flows to intermediate storage prior to further purification in a liquid extraction unit. The lower water-plus-contaminant layer flows to a water layer tank for further purification in a combined stripping and rectification system and, finally, either to the sewer or to an optional steam regeneration unit. The contaminants released by stripping and rectification are concentrated and then cleanly and essentially completely incinerated in a thermal oxidation system to produce environmentally safe incineration exhaust gases.

Abstract: A process for producing alcohol and dried distillers grain from a source material containing starch or sugar by cooking, by saccharification, fermentation, evaporation, distillation, and wherein the distillers grain is dried by heat produced by flash cooling of effluent from cooking of the source material and by air heated by heat exchange with the overhead vapor from the distillation operation, the process resulting in reducing the external energy required to effect drying of the distillers grain.