The disclosure relates to a system and method for preflash processing used in dry mill ethanol facilities, including routing beer to a baffled flash tank, in which the beer is processed and then separated into a vapor stream and liquid beer. Preheating the beer via preflash processing efficiently recovers energy within the system, thereby reducing the need for additional energy input.

A system and method for expanding the production capacity of an existing ethanol production facility including: a source of fermented mash (beer); a first beer column configured for receiving beer input from the source and for producing overhead comprising alcohol vapor and water vapor; and a first rectifier receiving an alcohol and water mixture from said first beer column. The system includes a second beer column, first and second condensers receiving overhead from the beer columns and a second rectifier receiving condensed overhead from the second condenser and bottoms from the first rectifier. A processing component receives bottoms from the first and second beer columns and steam condensate. The method includes the steps of retrofitting an existing ethanol production facility with a second beer column, first and second condensers and a second rectifier.

The present invention pertains in general to a system and method for the separation alpha-acids and other desirable compounds from post-process fermentation solids which are otherwise subject to discard after being used for a fermentation process such as the brewing of beer. The system and method, although described surrounding use with alpha-acids as associated with a beer brewing process, can be used in the extraction of soluble compounds from solids generically.

A method and system of depressurizing a molecular sieve used in ethanol production is shown and described. The method and system utilizes a vapor mixing condenser that receives a vapor sieve feed from the molecular sieve during the depressurization cycle. The vapor from the molecular sieve during the pressurization cycle is used to heat the 190-proof product flow. The heated product flow is diverted directly to the 190-proof product vaporizer, which increases the input product flow temperature to the vaporizer, thereby reducing the amount of heat needed to vaporize the 190-proof product flow. The reduction in heat needed reduces energy costs and increases equipment life.

The invention provides a non-naturally occurring microbial biocatalyst including a microbial organism having a 4-hydroxybutanoic acid (4-HB) biosynthetic pathway having at least one exogenous nucleic acid encoding 4-hydroxybutanoate dehydrogenase, succinyl-CoA synthetase, CoA-dependent succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase, or -ketoglutarate decarboxylase, wherein the exogenous nucleic acid is expressed in sufficient amounts to produce monomeric 4-hydroxybutanoic acid (4-HB). Also provided is a non-naturally occurring microbial biocatalyst including a microbial organism having 4-hydroxybutanoic acid (4-HB) and 1,4-butanediol (BDO) biosynthetic pathways, the pathways include at least one exogenous nucleic acid encoding 4-hydroxybutanoate dehydrogenase, succinyl-CoA synthetase, CoA-dependent succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase, 4-hydroxybutyrate:CoA transferase, 4-butyrate kinase, phosphotransbutyrylase, -ketoglutarate decarboxylase, aldehyde dehydrogenase, alcohol dehydrogenase or an aldehyde/alcohol dehydrogenase, wherein the exogenous nucleic acid is expressed in sufficient amounts to produce 1,4-butanediol (BDO). Additionally provided is a method for the production of 4-HB. The method includes culturing a non-naturally occurring microbial organism having a 4-hydroxybutanoic acid (4-HB) biosynthetic pathway including at least one exogenous nucleic acid encoding 4-hydroxybutanoate dehydrogenase, succinyl-CoA synthetase, CoA-dependent succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase or -ketoglutarate decarboxylase under substantially anaerobic conditions for a sufficient period of time to produce monomeric 4-hydroxybutanoic acid (4-HB). Further provided is a method for the production of BDO. The method includes culturing a non-naturally occurring microbial biocatalyst, comprising a microbial organism having 4-hydroxybutanoic acid (4-HB) and 1,4-butanediol (BDO) biosynthetic pathways, the pathways including at least one exogenous nucleic acid encoding 4-hydroxybutanoate dehydrogenase, succinyl-CoA synthetase, CoA-dependent succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase, 4-hydroxybutyrate:CoA transferase, 4-hydroxybutyrate kinase, phosphotranshydroxybutyrylase, -ketoglutarate decarboxylase, aldehyde dehydrogenase, alcohol dehydrogenase or an aldehyde/alcohol dehydrogenase for a sufficient period of time to produce 1,4-butanediol (BDO). The 4-HB and/or BDO products can be secreted into the culture medium.

The present invention relates to methods and systems for remediating one or more impurities (e.g., diacetyl) that are present in manufacturing an alcohol (e.g., ethanol) from cellulosic biomass. The methods and systems include reacting the one or more impurities with at least one treatment compound (e.g., an oxidizing agent, an alkali compound, or a mixture thereof) to form a reaction product that can be separated from the alcohol.

Provided is a device for producing ultra-low sulfur biodiesel. The device for producing ultra-low sulfur biodiesel is a two-stage processing device, comprising a two-stage purification unit, a two-stage enzyme reaction unit, a two-stage distillation unit, and a decompression rectification unit. The present invention is green and environment-friendly, effectively and completely removing sulfur-containing impurities from the raw material, eliminating the attack of a sulfur-containing group in the synthesis process on fatty acids, and providing sufficient conditions for obtaining ultra-low sulfur content methyl esters in the product section.

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.

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.

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.