A process for dealcoholizing a starting liquid (F) containing water and
alcohol, in particular
ethanol, as well as flavorings and / or nutrients, by means of a first membrane separation unit (1), in particular a
diafiltration unit (10), comprising at least one separation membrane (12), wherein the starting liquid (F) is introduced under
overpressure into a primary-side chamber (13) of the first membrane separation unit (1), in the secondary-side chamber (14) of which downstream of the at least one separation membrane (12) a lower pressure prevails than in the primary-side chamber (13), wherein water and
alcohol pass through the at least one separation membrane (12) into the secondary-side chamber (14) as an
alcohol-containing liquid permeate (P1), wherein water or a water-containing liquid is added directly or indirectly as a
diluent (V) to a retentate (R1) retained by the at least one separation membrane (12) in the primary-side chamber (13).The
system is characterized by the fact that the alcohol-containing liquid permeate (P1) is post-treated in a
pervaporation unit (20) of a second membrane separation unit (2), wherein the alcohol-containing liquid permeate (P1) is first introduced into a primary-side chamber (23) of the
pervaporation unit (20), where the alcohol evaporates in at least one
pervaporation membrane (22) and enters as alcohol-containing gaseous permeate (P2) into a secondary-side chamber (26) of the pervaporation unit (20) downstream of the at least one
pervaporation membrane (22), and wherein the water of the alcohol-containing liquid permeate (P1) is retained as retentate (R2) in the primary-side chamber (23) of the pervaporation unit (20) and reused.