Multi-Stage Membrane Filtration for Ethanol Concentration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for producing high ethanol content solutions, such as reverse osmosis and distillation, face inefficiencies in concentrating ethanol while removing other compounds, leading to suboptimal ethanol recovery and increased operational costs.
Innovation Solution
A method involving multiple passes of reverse osmosis filtration, nanofiltration, or ultrafiltration processes with specific membrane characteristics and operating conditions to enrich ethanol content, coupled with optional distillation to produce high-proof ethanol solutions, while minimizing the presence of other compounds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If reverse osmosis and distillation are used to concentrate ethanol, then ethanol concentration increases, but operational costs increase and ethanol recovery efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The process is divided into multiple sequential membrane filtration passes (first pass, second pass, third pass) with progressively tighter molecular weight cutoffs. Each pass removes progressively smaller constituents, segmenting the purification process into stages that collectively achieve high ethanol concentration without proportionally increasing costs or reducing recovery efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the parameter of molecular weight cutoff across different filtration passes. The first pass uses a cutoff of 100-30,000 g/mol, the second pass uses 20-30,000 g/mol, and the third pass uses 10-30,000 g/mol. This parameter change allows progressive removal of constituents by size, achieving concentration efficiency
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple filtration passes are used to remove constituents, then purity of ethanol increases, but process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention employs membrane filtration units with defined porous structures characterized by molecular weight cutoffs. These porous membranes physically separate constituents based on size, achieving high ethanol purity through the inherent separation capability of the porous material without requiring complex chemical treatment or multiple unit operations
Solution Approach 2:
By systematically changing the molecular weight cutoff parameter across filtration passes (100-30,000 g/mol, then 20-30,000 g/mol, then 10-30,000 g/mol), the process achieves progressive purification. This parameter-based approach simplifies process design compared to using multiple different membrane types or complex separation mechanisms
3Productivity
If pressure is increased in membrane filtration units, then filtration efficiency increases, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The filtration process is segmented into multiple passes with progressively tighter molecular weight cutoffs. Each pass operates at optimized pressure levels appropriate to its specific separation task, rather than applying high pressure throughout. This segmentation allows efficient filtration at moderate pressures across stages, reducing total energy consumption compared to single-pass high-pressure filtration
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach effectively increases ethanol concentration from 1% to 60% by weight, reduces operational costs, and enables the co-production of non-alcoholic beverages, offering a cost-effective and efficient method for producing high ethanol content solutions.
Implementation Method 1
supplying the liquid feed to a reverse osmosis separation system having at least a first pass, wherein (i) each pass of the system has at least one reverse osmosis membrane filtration unit
Implementation Method 2
deriving the liquid feed as a permeate resulting from at least one pass of a process selected from the group consisting of reverse osmosis filtration, nanofiltration, ultrafiltration
Implementation Method 3
deriving the liquid feed as a permeate resulting from at least one pass of a process selected from the group consisting of reverse osmosis filtration, nanofiltration, ultrafiltration
Implementation Method 4
the method further includes distilling the retentate from the retentate outlet of the first pass, so as to form an ethanol distillate
Data Source
AI summary
A method for producing an ethanol solution includes obtaining, from a starting liquid, a liquid feed having less than by weight of constituents and having 3% to 25% by weight of ethanol, supplying the liquid feed to a feed stream inlet of a reverse osmosis separation system having a first pass, wherein (i) each pass has an reverse osmosis membrane filtration unit, each membrane filtration unit having an ethanol rejection percentage of between 50% to 99%, and (ii) each pass has the feed stream inlet for a feed stream, a permeate stream outlet for a permeate stream, and a retentate stream outlet for a retentate stream, operating the system to maintain pressure in one of the membrane filtration units in a range of 1,200 to 4,000 psi, and obtaining retentate that is enriched with ethanol, the retentate differs from the starting liquid by absence of the removed constituents.