Process for making anhydrous alcohol for mixing with gasoline to make gasohol motor fuel
This patent describes a process for making an anhydrous fraction from a fermented feed material or beer. The process consists of contacting the fermented feed material or beer directly with steam vapor volatilizing the alcohol in the feed or beer and producing an alcohol free bottom. The alcohol vapor is conducted through a oneway flow mechanism into a column provided with trays located one above the other, refluxing the alcohol vapor over the trays and concentrating the alcohol vapor to high-proof alcohol. The reflux and vapor are utilized to concentrate additional alcohol from a dilute aqueous gasoline-containing recycle. The net total water bottoms are contacted from the concentration step with direct steam prior to discharge to sewer, feeding the concentrated alcohol with recovered gasoline from the recycle as contaminant along with additional gasoline. The gasoline is optimally heated to eliminate light ends, into a drying column, heating the alcohol gasoline feed with heat from a reboiler and vaporizing overhead the azeotropic fractions containing alcohol, gasoline and water. The azeotropic fractions are condensed and form two liquid phases. The gasoline phase returns as reflux to the drying column, recycling the water phase as initiator prior to the alcohol concentrating column, cooling and subcooling the anhydrous alcohol-gasoline bottoms. This process produces a final product which is completely denatured alcohol ready for removal from premises and containing the entire component of the originally added gasoline.
- Assignee:
- NOV; EDB-86-076979
- Patent Number(s):
- US 4568356
- OSTI ID:
- 6131076
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
020500* -- Petroleum-- Products & By-Products
090221 -- Alcohol Fuels-- Chemical Synthesis-- (1976-1989)
10 SYNTHETIC FUELS
ALCOHOLS
AZEOTROPE
BIOCONVERSION
BOILERS
CHEMICAL PREPARATION
COOLING
DEHYDRATION
DISTILLATION
DRYING
EVAPORATION
FERMENTATION
FUELS
GASOHOL
GASOLINE
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
LIQUID FUELS
MIXING
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
RECYCLING
SEPARATION PROCESSES
STEAM
SUBCOOLING
SYNTHESIS
WATER