The University of Tokyo

Nippon Steel & Sumikin Engineering Co., Ltd.

Nippon Steel & Sumkin Engineering Co., Ltd.

Ryohta Hidaka

Atsushi Tsutsumi

Yasuki Kansha

Takafumi Kiuchi

Yoichi Ishibashi

Yasuhiko Katoh

Tomonori Sumi

[Problem] To provide a membrane separation apparatus and a membrane separation method capable of reducing energy consumption, [Solution] A membrane separation apparatus () includes: a membrane separator () supplied with a fluid (X) containing a component (A) and a component (B) and separating the fluid (X) into a fluid (Y) having a higher concentration of the component (A) than the fluid (X) and a fluid (Z) having a lower concentration of the component (A) than the fluid (X) by using a separation membrane; a first compressor () adiabatically compressing the fluid (Y); a first heat exchanger () to which the fluid (Y) adiabatically compressed by the first compressor () is introduced as a heat source; and a second heat exchanger () to which the fluid (Z) is introduced as a heat source. The fluid (X) is divided and conveyed by first and second supply lines (), the divided fluids (X) are heated by the first and second heat exchangers (), respectively, then merged and supplied to the membrane separator ().

Ethanol/water vapor permeation membrane separation process with heat and energy recovery via temperature and flow control

Disclosed are a method for producing ethanol and a device for producing ethanol that are suitable to the recycled use of an enzyme. The device is configured from: a vacuum distillation tower () into which an ethanol-fermented liquid generated by saccharification fermentation of a biomass starting material is introduced, and with the interior in a state that is at a lower pressure than atmospheric pressure, that subjects the ethanol-fermented liquid to distillation, distilling ethanol vapor that contains water vapor, and removing as a bottom product the enzyme-containing concentrated waste liquid that is roused for saccharification fermentation of the biomass starting material; and a fractionating tower () for fractionating the ethanol vapor distilled from the vacuum distillation tower (). In this case, the energy of the ethanol vapor can be more efficiently taken advantage of if the device is provided with a first compressor () that adiabatically compresses the ethanol vapor distilled from the vacuum distillation tower (), and the ethanol vapor adiabatically compressed by the first compressor () is introduced into the fractionating tower ().

Device for producing ethanol and method for producing ethanol

Growing community of inventors

Fukuoka, Japan

Ryohta Hidaka