A method is disclosed for improving the energy efficiency of biorefinery drying operations through integration of a dryer that utilizes the heat of condensation of process vapors to dry material whose emissions are captured with energy recovery. The dryer separates clean process vapors (e.g., ethanol) and steam from vapors containing volatile organic compounds and entrained materials, to minimize the need for vapor cleanup. An indirect dryer condenses vapors in a tube dryer similar to a steam tube dryer, but utilizing compressed process vapors, transferring the heat to wet material undergoing drying. The resulting exhaust vapors are either directed to a process stage that requires heat (e.g., distillation) and minimizes the need for vapor cleanup or to an out-of-contact heat exchanger that produces vapors for process use, or to another dryer as an additional effect. Mechanical-vapor recompression or thermal-vapor recompression are employed to produce vapors that optimize overall energy recovery.

A process for converting steam cracking products into an alcohol composition consisting essentially of 2-propanol and butanols is disclosed. The process includes steam cracking and recovery of a stream including propene and butenes, which are next converted catalytically in the presence of water to 2-propanol and butanols respectively.

A process for converting steam cracking products into an alcohol composition consisting essentially of 2-propanol and butanols is disclosed. The process includes steam cracking and recovery of a stream including propene and butenes, which are next converted catalytically in the presence of water to 2-propanol and butanols respectively.

The present invention relates to a method for preparing saturated C.sub.n- and C.sub.2n-alcohols, wherein the separation of the C.sub.n-alcohols and the C.sub.2n-alcohols is effected by means of at least one two-column system or by means of at least one dividing wall column.

The present invention relates to a method for preparing saturated C.sub.n- and C.sub.2n-alcohols, wherein the separation of the C.sub.n-alcohols and the C.sub.2n-alcohols is effected by means of at least one two-column system or by means of at least one dividing wall column.

The present invention relates to a method for preparing saturated C.sub.n- and C.sub.2n-alcohols, wherein the separation of the C.sub.n-alcohols and the C.sub.2n-alcohols is effected by means of at least one two-column system or by means of at least one dividing wall column.

The present invention aims to improve the production capacity of alcohol in a method of producing high concentration alcohol using a distillation column and an adsorption-desorption column. The method is a method of producing high concentration alcohol by dehydration of a water-alcohol mixture, including: a distillation step of introducing a water-alcohol mixture into a distillation column to obtain crude alcohol; and an adsorption-desorption step of introducing a part of the crude alcohol into an adsorption-desorption column to obtain high concentration alcohol; wherein a further part of the crude alcohol is introduced into a dehydration apparatus to obtain high concentration alcohol.

The present invention aims to improve the production capacity of alcohol in a method of producing high concentration alcohol using a distillation column and an adsorption-desorption column. The method is a method of producing high concentration alcohol by dehydration of a water-alcohol mixture, including: a distillation step of introducing a water-alcohol mixture into a distillation column to obtain crude alcohol; and an adsorption-desorption step of introducing a part of the crude alcohol into an adsorption-desorption column to obtain high concentration alcohol; wherein a further part of the crude alcohol is introduced into a dehydration apparatus to obtain high concentration alcohol.

Process for the production of ethanol from acetic acid and hydrogen, said process comprising: reacting in an esterification reaction vessel methanol with acetic acid in the presence of an esterification catalyst and an entrainer to form a product comprising entrainer, methyl acetate and water, and in a distillation column, recovering from the product an overhead product fraction comprising methyl acetate, methanol and water, feeding the overhead product fraction, together with hydrogen, into a hydrogenation unit containing a copper based hydrogenation catalyst, to produce a hydrogenation product stream comprising ethanol, methanol, unreacted methyl acetate, unreacted hydrogen, ethyl acetate and water, cooling the hydrogenation product stream; separating the cooled hydrogenation product stream into a liquid phase which comprises the majority of the methanol, ethanol, methyl acetate, ethyl acetate and water, and a gaseous phase which comprises the majority of the unreacted hydrogen; recycling at least part of the gaseous phase to the hydrogenation unit; separating a lower boiling product stream comprising methanol, methyl acetate and ethyl acetate, and a higher boiling product stream comprising ethanol, water, from the liquid phase; recycling at least part of the lower boiling product stream to the esterification reaction vessel; and, optionally removing water from the higher boiling product stream.

Process for the production of ethanol from acetic acid and hydrogen, said process comprising: reacting in an esterification reaction vessel methanol with acetic acid in the presence of an esterification catalyst and an entrainer to form a product comprising entrainer, methyl acetate and water, and in a distillation column, recovering from the product an overhead product fraction comprising methyl acetate, methanol and water, feeding the overhead product fraction, together with hydrogen, into a hydrogenation unit containing a copper based hydrogenation catalyst, to produce a hydrogenation product stream comprising ethanol, methanol, unreacted methyl acetate, unreacted hydrogen, ethyl acetate and water, cooling the hydrogenation product stream; separating the cooled hydrogenation product stream into a liquid phase which comprises the majority of the methanol, ethanol, methyl acetate, ethyl acetate and water, and a gaseous phase which comprises the majority of the unreacted hydrogen; recycling at least part of the gaseous phase to the hydrogenation unit; separating a lower boiling product stream comprising methanol, methyl acetate and ethyl acetate, and a higher boiling product stream comprising ethanol, water, from the liquid phase; recycling at least part of the lower boiling product stream to the esterification reaction vessel; and, optionally removing water from the higher boiling product stream.