Applications and prospects of membrane technology in the bioethanol industry
Lipnizki, Frank LU
and Nilsson, Mattias
LU
(2008)
11th Nordic Filtration Symosisum 2008
- Abstract
- Introduction
During 2008, the oil price climbed from one peak to the next. Despite the fact that high grain and sugar prices – the main feed stocks for bioethanol plant – are currently causing a slow down in the realisation of bioethanol projects, the interest for renewable fuels is still increasing. In the Nordic countries, Sweden and Finland are leading the development of bioethanol production, while Denmark and Norway have only started research initiatives. This trend is in line with the present European initiatives targeting a 10% blending of bioethanol with gasoline. The current bioethanol production in Europe is based on beet and imported cane sugar as well as starch crops. Under investigation is currently the use of cellulosic... (More) - Introduction
During 2008, the oil price climbed from one peak to the next. Despite the fact that high grain and sugar prices – the main feed stocks for bioethanol plant – are currently causing a slow down in the realisation of bioethanol projects, the interest for renewable fuels is still increasing. In the Nordic countries, Sweden and Finland are leading the development of bioethanol production, while Denmark and Norway have only started research initiatives. This trend is in line with the present European initiatives targeting a 10% blending of bioethanol with gasoline. The current bioethanol production in Europe is based on beet and imported cane sugar as well as starch crops. Under investigation is currently the use of cellulosic materials, e.g. straw, wood, garden residuals etc., as feedstock for the next generation of bioethanol plants. This paper will focus in the first part on potential membrane applications in the current bioethanol production, while the second part is investigating the use of membranes in the next generation of bioethanol plants.
First generation of bioethanol production processes
The applications and challenges for membranes in the bioethanol industry vary with feed stock and production concept. Considering a typical starch based process, microfiltration (MF) and ultrafiltration (UF) can be applied at the front end to polish the feed stock after liquification and sacchrification and before fermentation. In combination with fermentation, different concepts of integrating membranes either externally or submerged in the fermenter - for the constant product removal - are under consideration. After fermentation, pervaporation (PV) and vapour permeation (VP) can be combined with distillation in hybrid processes for the concentration of bioethanol to 99.5%. In the stillage handling, reverse osmosis (RO) can be applied to polish the evaporator condensate in the conventional DDGS (distiller dried grains with soluble) production. Further, UF can be used in front of the evaporator for a pre-concentration of the stillage. In an alternative concept, UF can be integrated as pre-concentration step before an anaerobic digester and in combination with a decanter for the treatment of sludge after the anaerobic digester. Related to the water loop of a bioethanol plant, nanofiltration and RO can be used for the pre-treatment of the water before entering the plant, e.g. preparation of boiler water. Additionally, membrane bioreactors (MBRs) can be applied for universal wastewater treatment from the bioethanol production process.
Second generation of bioethanol production processes
The wide availability of cellulosic materials – i.e. wood and straw – in the Nordic countries drives the development of the 2nd generation of bioethanol plants. Similar to the first generation plants, the opportunities for membranes ranging from in-take water preparation and wastewater treatment to the feed stock purification and stillage and ethanol concentration.
Outlook and conclusions
The aim of this presentation is to demonstrate membrane technology as a highly selective and energy-saving unit operation with a great potential in the bioethanol industry.
(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/ec4e5039-c222-4a89-b896-c26d6443b151
- author
- Lipnizki, Frank
LU
and Nilsson, Mattias
LU
- publishing date
- 2008
- type
- Contribution to conference
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Membrane separation, Bioethanol
- conference name
- 11th Nordic Filtration Symosisum 2008
- conference location
- Copenhagen, Denmark
- conference dates
- 2008-11-25 - 2008-11-26
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- no
- id
- ec4e5039-c222-4a89-b896-c26d6443b151
- date added to LUP
- 2018-10-18 08:06:57
- date last changed
- 2019-03-08 02:29:57
@misc{ec4e5039-c222-4a89-b896-c26d6443b151,
abstract = {{Introduction<br/>During 2008, the oil price climbed from one peak to the next. Despite the fact that high grain and sugar prices – the main feed stocks for bioethanol plant – are currently causing a slow down in the realisation of bioethanol projects, the interest for renewable fuels is still increasing. In the Nordic countries, Sweden and Finland are leading the development of bioethanol production, while Denmark and Norway have only started research initiatives. This trend is in line with the present European initiatives targeting a 10% blending of bioethanol with gasoline. The current bioethanol production in Europe is based on beet and imported cane sugar as well as starch crops. Under investigation is currently the use of cellulosic materials, e.g. straw, wood, garden residuals etc., as feedstock for the next generation of bioethanol plants. This paper will focus in the first part on potential membrane applications in the current bioethanol production, while the second part is investigating the use of membranes in the next generation of bioethanol plants. <br/><br/>First generation of bioethanol production processes<br/>The applications and challenges for membranes in the bioethanol industry vary with feed stock and production concept. Considering a typical starch based process, microfiltration (MF) and ultrafiltration (UF) can be applied at the front end to polish the feed stock after liquification and sacchrification and before fermentation. In combination with fermentation, different concepts of integrating membranes either externally or submerged in the fermenter - for the constant product removal - are under consideration. After fermentation, pervaporation (PV) and vapour permeation (VP) can be combined with distillation in hybrid processes for the concentration of bioethanol to 99.5%. In the stillage handling, reverse osmosis (RO) can be applied to polish the evaporator condensate in the conventional DDGS (distiller dried grains with soluble) production. Further, UF can be used in front of the evaporator for a pre-concentration of the stillage. In an alternative concept, UF can be integrated as pre-concentration step before an anaerobic digester and in combination with a decanter for the treatment of sludge after the anaerobic digester. Related to the water loop of a bioethanol plant, nanofiltration and RO can be used for the pre-treatment of the water before entering the plant, e.g. preparation of boiler water. Additionally, membrane bioreactors (MBRs) can be applied for universal wastewater treatment from the bioethanol production process. <br/><br/>Second generation of bioethanol production processes <br/>The wide availability of cellulosic materials – i.e. wood and straw – in the Nordic countries drives the development of the 2nd generation of bioethanol plants. Similar to the first generation plants, the opportunities for membranes ranging from in-take water preparation and wastewater treatment to the feed stock purification and stillage and ethanol concentration. <br/><br/>Outlook and conclusions<br/>The aim of this presentation is to demonstrate membrane technology as a highly selective and energy-saving unit operation with a great potential in the bioethanol industry. <br/>}},
author = {{Lipnizki, Frank and Nilsson, Mattias}},
keywords = {{Membrane separation; Bioethanol}},
language = {{eng}},
title = {{Applications and prospects of membrane technology in the bioethanol industry}},
year = {{2008}},
}