Enhanced Separation of Corn Oil from the Ethanol Manufacturing Process

Abstract

An ethanol production process and system for recovering high value oil products. The invention includes adding a heated lipid (oil) stream to a thin stillage stream to break the water/oil emulsion and free bound oil then recovering the oil. The lipid stream may be heated by use of existing process steam or other process energy source, or may be heated by the introduction of energy from an external source. The process uses oil as the heat transfer mechanism to increase both the volume and quality of the oil recovered.

1 . A process for the recovery of oil from an ethanol process comprising:
 processing a feedstock to create a process stream;   fermenting the process stream to create a post-fermentation process stream;   separating the post-fermentation process stream into an alcohol stream and a whole stillage stream;   separating a thin stillage stream from the whole stillage stream, wherein the thin stillage stream includes bound oil;   heating the lipid stream by means of indirect heat transfer;   obtaining an oil product from the oil flow stream.   
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the lipid stream is heated by use of heat exchangers. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the lipid stream is heated by heating of the piping through which the lipid stream passes. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the lipid stream is heated by heating a vessel in which the lipid stream resides. 
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the lipid stream is obtained from the thin stillage stream. 
     
     
         6 . A process for the recovery of oil from an ethanol process comprising:
 processing a feedstock to create a process stream;   fermenting the process stream to create a post-fermentation process stream;   separating the post-fermentation process stream into an alcohol stream and a whole stillage stream;   separating a thin stillage stream from the whole stillage stream, wherein the thin stillage stream includes bound oil;   heating the lipid stream by means of direct introduction of energy into the lipid stream;   obtaining an oil product from the oil flow stream.   
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 6  wherein the lipid stream is heated by the direct infusion of steam into the stream. 
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 7  wherein the steam is at atmospheric pressure. 
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 7  wherein the steam is at an elevated pressure immediately prior to the introduction into the lipid stream. 
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 6  wherein the lipid stream is heated by use of electrical heaters. 
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 6  wherein the lipid stream is heated by the introduction of microwave energy. 
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 6  wherein the lipid stream is obtained from the thin stillage stream. 
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 6  wherein the lipid stream is taken from the oil storage tank. 
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 6  wherein lipids are recovered from a point in the ethanol process to create the lipid stream. 
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 6  wherein the lipid stream is separated from the process stream prior to fermentation. 
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 6  wherein the lipid stream is heated in a heat exchanger prior to being introduced to the thin stillage stream. 
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 6  wherein the lipid is heated to a temperature of between about 190 degrees F. and 325 degrees F. before being introduced to the thin stillage stream. 
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 6  wherein the lipid is heated to a temperature of between about 205 degrees F. and 215 degrees F. before being introduced to the thin stillage stream. 
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 6  wherein the thin stillage stream is separated from the whole stillage stream using distillation. 
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 6  wherein the oil product is separated from the oil flow stream using a centrifuge. 
     
     
         21 . The process of  claim 6  wherein upon introducing the heated lipid stream to the thin stillage stream, the heated lipid stream breaks emulsions in the thin stillage releasing bound oil. 
     
     
         22 . The process of  claim 6  wherein upon introducing the heated lipid stream to the thin stillage stream, the heated lipid stream decreases the viscosity of the thin stillage. 
     
     
         23 . The process of  claim 6  wherein upon introducing the heated lipid stream to the thin stillage stream, the heated lipid stream vaporizes water from the thin stillage.