ALCOHOL CONCENTRATION PLANT FOR PHARMACEUTIC INDUSTRY
The feedstock, normally, contains heat-sensitive proteins and the plant must avoid any reaction that could affect the quality of the final product. The plant is, therefore, designed to work on a two-effect basis. The feed is pumped from storage to the first column (stripping), which operates under vacuum at a very low temperature in the bottom section.
This column is heated by the latent heat of the condensing alcohol vapour from the second column (rectification), operating at atmospheric pressure.
The multi-pressure design offers the following benefits:
- Low energy consumption
and consequently low operating costs. - High distillation yields.
In addition, the columns are equipped with patented self-cleaning “double load valve trays.” These special devices, together with the low distillation temperature in the first column, shall prevent scaling formation due to the high proteins content of the feed.
Due to these design precautions, a simple chemical cleaning of the stripping column every 4-6 months will normally be required to maintain the plant in full operating conditions.
The distillation process is performed in two steps:
- > Stripping
(under vacuum) - > Concentration of the ethanol stream stripped to a final proof of 95% vol. or higher