Application of the Virtual Biorefinery Platform for Industrial Processes for the development of Heterogeneous Azeotropic Distillation (4th Technique) to obtain Anhydrous Fuel Ethanol (AFE)

• Grant number: 21/08610-9
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Innovative Research in Small Business - PIPE
• Start date: October 01, 2022
• End date: June 30, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering - Chemical Process Industries
• Principal Investigator: Elenise Bannwart de Moraes Torres
• Grantee: Elenise Bannwart de Moraes Torres
• Company: Elenise Bannwart de Moraes Torres
• CNAE: Fabricação de álcool ; Fabricação de máquinas e equipamentos de uso geral não especificados anteriormente ; Geração de energia elétrica
• City: Campinas
• Pesquisadores principais: Carlos Eduardo Vaz Rossell ; Daniel Ibraim Pires Atala
• Associated scholarship(s): 22/12503-6 - Application of the virtual biorefinery platform for industrial processes for the development of heterogeneous azeotropic distillation (4th Technique) to obtain Anhydrous Fuel Ethanol (AFE), BP.PIPE

Abstract

The RenovaBio program aims to expand the production based on the predictability of biofuels in Brazil, in order to meet environmental, economic and social sustainability, compatible with the growth in demand for biofuels expected in the coming years. Through this program, the National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP) is regulating the process of issuing the certificate of efficient and sustainable production of biofuels. In this way, the sugar cane production chain expects a significant increase in the demand for ethanol for the domestic and foreign markets, and the production efficiency will be a great differential to take advantage of the benefits of the RenovaBio program. On the other hand, there are the sugar cane mills, which seek to increase their profit margin through the optimization of the existing installations regarding the yield (production of sugar, ethanol and electricity) or by the incorporation of new technologies such as the production of biogas or ethanol from second generation, in short, any gain is very welcome. When we look at the ethanol dehydration process, in Brazilian industries, azeotropic distillation with cyclohexane is applied in the 1st Technique, extractive distillation with monoethylene glycol (MEG) and adsorption in molecular sieves. The main objective of this proposal is the Study of the 4th Technique (Melle-Guinot Heterogeneous Azeotropic Distillation) for obtaining Anhydrous Fuel Ethanol (AFE), as an alternative for up-grading in obtaining AFE. Therefore, based on the study of the 4th Technique, the retrofit of existing facilities to operate in this technique will be proposed, allowing for an increase in production capacity, a reduction in the consumption of steam in the process, a greater supply of electricity and a reduction in the consumption of cooling water. In addition, distilleries that currently produce only HFE (Hydrated Fuel Ethanol) would have the opportunity to produce AFE. Therefore, it would be an alternative to obtain AFE competitive with molecular sieves and extractive distillation with MEG, taking advantage of existing facilities. (AU)