DISTILLATION

Short Description:There are seven distillation column in

this industry for separating the alcohol.These are1.Analyser column
2.Aldehyde column
3.Pre Rectifying Column(PRC)
4.Purifying Column(PC)
5.Rectifying Column(RC)
6.Impure Separation Column(ISP)
7.Simmering Column
Among these 7 columns analyser,aldehyde,PRC and PC are
kept at pressure less than atmospheric.RC is kept at high
pressure mainly in between 2.1 and 2.2 atm and ISP and
simmering are kept at atmospheric pressure.

Purpose of distillation in IFB :

to separate ena (extra neutral alcohol) and rs (rectified
spirit) from fermented mash.

Feed: The fermented mash which is produced by

fermentation process.
Feed temp : 72.7 degree C
Feed rate : 22000 lph (litre per hour)

Process Flow Diagram:

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Individual Distillation Column Analysis :

1.ANALYSER :
Feed : fermented mesh.
Temperature :
Upper section temp:69.5 degree C
By

Lower section temp:85.6 degree C.

Pressure :2.108 kg/cm^2

PROCESS DESCRIPTION :
1. Fermented mash coming at a temp. 35 degree C
is heated upto 72.7 degree C in a phe(plate heat
exchanger).
2. The heated mash is fed to the analser column.
3. From this column the overhead product is fed
to the aldehyde column for removal of
aldehyde.
4. Bottom product is sent to decanter for further
processing
5. From middle section the liquid is taken out and
certain fraction of the liquid is recycled back to
the column and the rest which contains 75%
alcohol is sent to the PRC.
6. The gases that comes from this column is
passed through the degasifier where CO2 is
removed.

Process Diagram:

2.ALDEHYDE COLUMN :
Feed: overhead product of analyser.
Temperature:
Upper section:53.4 degree C
Lower section:60.1 degree C.

Pressure: 3.115 kg/cm^2.

PROCESS DESCRIPTION :
1. Analyser overhead product is fed to the
column.
2. From overhead product (aldehyde vapour) a
certain portion is refluxed to this column
and the other part which contains 95%
aldehyde is taken out as product.
3. Bottom product containing mixer of
alcohols is send to PRC.

Process diagram:

3.PRE RECTIFICATION COLUMN:

Feed: the combined mixture of alcohol from analyser
and aldehyde column.

Temp:
Upper section:49.5 degree C
Lower section:79.5 degree C

Pressure:0.261 kg/cm^2

PROCESS DESCRIPTION:
1. Overhead product of this column that is
liquid alcohol is transferred to PC.
2. From middle section LFO(light fusel oil)
and HFO(higher fusel oil) is removed and
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sent to the ISP.maximum fraction of fusel oil

from the alcohol is removed in this section.
3. The bottom product is passed through the
flash tank where steam is generated.This
steam is used to increase the temperature of
analyser column.

PROCESS DIAGRAM:

4.PURIFICATION COLUMN:
Feed:the overhead product(higher concentrated alcohol
mixture) of PRC.

Temp:
Upper section:65 degree C
Lower section:68.3 degree C

PROCESS DESCRIPTION:

1. In this column hydrostatic distillation is

carried out.
2. A mixer of high boiling point knows as
technical cut is taken out as overhead
product.
3. Bottom product having low boiling point is
sent to the RC.
4. From middle section ester is removed from
alcohol which is the main purpose of this
column.
5. Higher concentration of ester in alcohol
makes it sweet so its removal is necessary.

PROCESS DIAGRAM:

5.RECTIFYING COLUMN:
Feed:bottom product of PC.
Temperature:
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Upper section:98.6 degree C

Lower section:105.3 degree C

Pressure:2.095 kg/cm^2

PROCESS DESCRIPTION:
1. Overhead product is sent to the reboiler
where it is heated up and this heated steam
is passed through flash tank where sufficient
amount of steam is generated.this steam is
used as heating source of analyser column.
2. A portion of the bottom product is recycled
to PC (lees) and the other portion is drained
with level maintanace.
3. From middle section ENA , LFO and HFO
is taken out.ENA is sent to the simmering
column where as LFO and HFO is sent to
the ISP column.
4. ENA taken out from this column has lower
ethyle alcohol percentage so further
processing is needed.

PROCESS DIAGRAM:

6.Impure Separation Column :

Feed: technical cut, ester, and all the HFO and LFO that
is removed from other columns.
Temperature :

Upper section :78.7 oC

Lower section :107.7 oC

PROCESS DESCRIPTION :
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1. Rectified spirit (RS) is obtained as overhead

product.
2. From middle of the column product is sent
to the decanter where fusel oil is completely
separated.and another portion of mixer from
decanter is recycled back to the column.
3. Bottom product is drained out through
scrubber so that the trace amount of alcohol
can be removed.

PROCESS DIAGRAM:

7.SIMMERING COLUMN:
Feed:ena from RC.
Temperature:
Upper section:79.1o C
Lower section:85.2o C.

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 PROCESS DESCRIPTION:
1. Methanol, diacetyle, and propanol is taken
out as overhead product.
2. ENA (95% ethyle alcohol concentration) is
obtained as bottom product which is the
main yield of the distillation.
3. This column is the only column which can
separate the impurities as mentioned above.

PROCESS DIAGRAM:

Production Rate :
ENA rate : 60000 LPD (litres per day)
RS : 6000 LPD.
TOTAL rate :66000 LPD.

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