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.

The present invention relates to processes of recovering oil after liquefaction and/or from thin stillage and/or syrup/evaporated centrate from a fermentation product production process by adding a thermostable protease to the whole stillage, thin stillage and/or syrup.

The present disclosure provides processes and systems for heat integration in ethanol production. In one embodiment, a feed mixture is distilled with one or more distillation units to remove at least a portion of the water, and form a distillation unit bottom stream, a vaporous overhead stream, and a fusel oil stream. Molecular sieve units are regenerated by vacuum or a combination of vacuum and optionally a portion of the product stream to form one or more regenerate streams. A feed tank is configured to receive at least one selected from a condensed portion of the regenerate streams and a portion of a vaporous depressure stream, to form a feed stream. The energy contained in the depressure vapor is recovered by the depressure vapor contacting the feed tank and heating up at least one stream forwarded into the feed tank.

A distillation system/method for distilling finished beer and beer residues into spirits or non-alcoholic concentrates employs distillation under low temperature(s) via vacuum pressure to beneficially prevent degradation of the base product to further beneficially capture volatile compounds that are distinctly of beer (or indicative of other base compounds) aroma and flavor in the final distilled product. The system also distills and separates valuable volatile components, such as hop oils, from beer waste without degradation or contamination of the flavors, thus allowing for their use, reclamation and repurposing. The system/process maintains the quality of beer through the entire distillation process, thus creating spirits and concentrates of higher quality that contain the distinct character of the beers (or other base compound) from which they originate.

Disclosed is a process to produce a purified vapor comprising dialkyl-furan-2,5-dicarboxylate (DAFD). Furan-2,5-dicarboxylic acid (FDCA) and an alcohol in an esterification zone to generate a crude diester stream containing dialkyl furan dicarboxylate (DAFD), unreacted alcohol, 5-(alkoxycarbonyl)furan-2-carboxylic acid (ACFC), and alkyl furan-2-carboxylate (AFC). The esterification zone comprises at least one reactor that has been previously used in an DMT process.

A method of recovering an extraction aid from distillers corn oil, by directing stillage containing distillers oil and an extraction aid to a centrifugal separator, recovering a light phase from the centrifugal separator, the light phase containing at least a portion of the distillers oil and at least a portion of the extraction aid, cooling the light phase and causing a precipitate to form, and recovering a precipitate from the cooled light phase containing at least a portion of the extraction aid. A method of recovering distillers oil.

Methods may include obtaining ketones and glycols from a fermentation process, the method including: collecting an off-gas and/or a fermented broth from the fermenter, wherein the off-gas comprises a ketone, and wherein the fermented broth comprises one or more of glycol or ketone; and performing at least one of: transferring the off-gas from the fermenter to a ketone recuperation module; or transferring the fermented broth to a fluid separating module; and isolating one or more of: the ketone from the off-gas; and the glycol from the fermented broth.

There is provided a method and system of treating lignocellulose biomass for extraction of target chemical products therefrom. The method comprises pretreating the lignocellulose biomass with at least one diol in the presence of at least one acid, and optionally, water; and separating the pretreated mixture into solid and liquid products.

Disclosed is a purified dialkyl furan dicarboxylate (DAFD) vapor composition containing at least 99.5 wt. % DAFD; 5-(alkoxycarbonyl) furan-2-carboxylic acid (ACFC) that, if present, is present in an amount of not more than 1000 ppm, alkyl-5-formylfuran-2-carboxylate (AFFC) that, if present, is present in an amount of not more than 1000 ppm, 5-(dialkoxymethyl)furan-2-carboxylic acid (DAFCA) that if present, is present in an amount of not more than 1000 ppm, and alkyl 5-(dialkoxymethyl)furan-2-carboxylate (ADAFC) that if present, is present in an amount of not more than 1000 ppm, in each case based on the weight of the DAFD vapor composition.

The invention is directed to a method for recovering at least one product from a fermentation broth. The invention relates to the use of a vacuum distillation vessel to recover products, such as ethanol, from a fermentation broth, where the fermentation broth comprises viable microbial biomass, and where the recovery of the product is completed in such a manner to ensure the viability of the microbial biomass. The invention provides for product recovery at an effective rate so as to prevent the accumulation of product in the fermentation broth. To ensure the viability of the microbial biomass, the invention is designed to reduce the amount of stress on the microbial biomass. By ensuring the viability of the microbial biomass, the microbial biomass may be recycled and reused in the fermentation process, which may result in an increased efficiency of the fermentation process.