EXTRACTION OF FUSEL ALCOHOLS FROM ETHANOL FERMENTATION PRODUCTS

摘要

An improved process for extracting fusel alcohols and/or fusel alcohol esters from an ethanol fermentation product involves adding to the fermentation product an extractant solvent selected from amyl alcohols, amyl acetates, and mixtures thereof to produce a two-phase system including a water and alcohol phase, and an immiscible second phase comprised of amyl alcohols, amyl acetates or a mixture thereof. Thereafter, the first and second phases can be separated to obtain a first phase depleted of fusel alcohols and/or esters of fusel alcohols and a second phase containing fusel alcohols and/or esters of fusel alcohols extracted from the first phase.

主权项

1. A process for recovering amyl alcohol from a product stream of an ethanol distillation apparatus, comprising:
(a) conveying a first fluid stream from an ethanol distillation apparatus to an extractor, the first fluid stream consisting of a first fluid phase comprising amyl alcohol in admixture with an ethanol in water solution; (b) conveying a second fluid stream to the extractor, the second fluid stream being immiscible with the first fluid stream and consisting of a second fluid phase comprising at least one extractant solvent selected from the group consisting of an amyl alcohol and an amyl alcohol acetate; (c) contacting the first fluid phase with the second fluid phase in the extractor, thereby extracting the amyl alcohol from the first fluid phase into the second fluid phase; (d) separating the immiscible fluid phases; and (e) separating the extractant solvent from the second fluid phase.