Design of a separation section in an ethanol-to-butanol process. (February 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Michaels, Wesley; Zhang, Hanyu; Luyben, William L.; Baltrusaitis, Jonas
• Is Part Of: Biomass and bioenergy. Volume 109(2018)
• Page Start: 231
• Page End: 238
• Publication Date: 2018-02
• Subjects: Biomass energy -- Periodicals; Biomass -- Periodicals; Energy-Generating Resources -- Periodicals; Bioénergie -- Périodiques; 333.9539
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biombioe.2017.12.031
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0961-9534

Abstract

Abstract: A complete separation scheme has been designed for the effluent of a high-pressure ethanol-to-butanol catalytic reactor, producing 250, 000 tonnes of n-butanol per year. The effluent contains water, hydrogen and a diverse range of C2-C4 oxygenates: unconverted ethanol, n-butanol, acetaldehyde, ethyl acetate, and acetal. Fundamental phase equilibrium relationships suggested use of conventional, extractive, and heterogeneous azeotropic distillation units to perform the separations. All reactor effluent species exit the separation process at mole purities of at least 99%. Separation costs are estimated to range from 9.0 to 10.6 MJ/kg n-butanol, which is comparable with the separation costs of n-butanol obtained from established acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) separation process. Highlights: Process design of a separation section in an ethanol-to-butanol process performed. Separation costs are estimated to be 7.9–10.6 MJ/kg n-butanol. Energy consumption affected by splitter column influent composition. Energy consumption affected by catalyst ability to use aqueous ethanol.