This disclosure describes processes for using a single cellulosic feedstock or a combination of two or more different cellulosic feedstocks with a starch component to produce a fermented product. The process includes separating the components of the cellulosic feedstocks with fractionation, pretreating a component with wet fractionation with chemicals, hydrolysis and fermenta-tion of the pretreated feedstock(s) to produce cellulosic biofuel. The process may include combining the cellulosic feedstock(s) with other components to a cook and/or a fermentation process, distilling and dehydrating the combined components to produce the biofuel. The process may also include producing a whole stillage stream from the feedstock(s) and mechanically processing the whole stillage stream to produce a high-value protein animal feed.

This disclosure describes processes for using a single cellulosic feedstock or a combination of two or more different cellulosic feedstocks with a starch component to produce a fermented product. The process includes separating the components of the cellulosic feedstocks with fractionation, pretreating a component with wet fractionation with chemicals, hydrolysis and fermentation of the pretreated feedstock(s) to produce cellulosic biofuel. The process may include combining the cellulosic feedstock(s) with other components to a cook and/or a fermentation process, distilling and dehydrating the combined components to produce the bio fuel. The process may also include producing a whole stillage stream from the feedstock(s) and mechanically processing the whole stillage stream to produce a high-value protein animal feed.

A hydrogen sulfide adsorption distiller using pure copper of the present invention has advantages in that, while alcohol vaporized in a heating vessel 100 sequentially passes through a retention tube 120, which is formed of pure copper having a catalytic reaction, a vertical tube 130, a spiral coil 132, a cooling vessel 140, and a liquid collecting vessel 150 until distilled liquor C of condensed liquefied alcohol is completed, vaporization process is facilitated, and at the same time, hydrogen sulfide of the vaporized alcohol and the condensed liquefied alcohol is adsorbed, and thus, hydrogen sulfide, which (adversely) affects the organoleptic flavour properties of distilled liquor C, is removed as much as possible, thus improving liquor quality.

Systems and methods in accordance with the present invention provide for the efficient distillation of ethanol in an ethanol plant including a beer column. Heat is captured in the distillation process and utilized to drive operations in the ethanol plant.

The present disclosure provides processes and systems for ethanol production. In one embodiment, a first beer column receives a first portion of a feed mixture including ethanol and water to form a first beer column bottom stream and a first beer column vaporous overhead stream. A beer column receives a second portion of the feed mixture. A first portion of the first beer column bottom stream is forwarded to a first beer column reboiler. A second portion of the first beer column bottom stream is forwarded to a plurality of evaporators. A condensed portion of the first beer column vaporous overhead stream is forwarded to a stripper column. The stripper column forms a feed stream, which is contacted with a separation system, thereby forming a permeate and a retentate. The permeate is forwarded directly to at least one selected from the first beer column and the stripper column.

The system and methods described are directed to a distillation system and method having an evaporator tank with a wall surrounding an interior evaporator tank area. A non-oxidizing gas line is disposed at least partially outside the evaporator tank in communication with the interior evaporator tank area, wherein the non-oxidizing gas line introduces a non-oxidizing gas into the interior evaporator tank; the interior evaporator tank area is generally at or above an ambient atmospheric pressure.

The present disclosure provides systems and methods for purifying ethanol.

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 aims at providing a method for producing a high-concentration alcohol from a water-alcohol mixture, in which the overall process is efficient and the present invention relates to a production method of a high-concentration alcohol, including a water adsorption step of adsorbing water of a water-alcohol mixture on an adsorption column to obtain a first concentrated alcohol, a water desorption step of introducing an alcohol to obtain a hydrous alcohol, and a membrane separation step of introducing the hydrous alcohol into a membrane separation unit provided with a membrane composite containing zeolite having an SiO.sub.2/Al.sub.2O.sub.3 molar ratio of 5 to 15 to obtain a second concentrated alcohol.

The present disclosure provides processes and systems for ethanol production. In one embodiment, a first beer column receives a first portion of a feed mixture including ethanol and water to form a first beer column bottom stream and a first beer column vaporous overhead stream. A beer column receives a second portion of the feed mixture. A first portion of the first beer column bottom stream is forwarded to a first beer column reboiler. A second portion of the first beer column bottom stream is forwarded to a plurality of evaporators. A condensed portion of the first beer column vaporous overhead stream is forwarded to a stripper column. The stripper column forms a feed stream, which is contacted with a separation system, thereby forming a permeate and a retentate. The permeate is forwarded directly to at least one selected from the first beer column and the stripper column.