Composition and applications of fractions discharged from a distillation plant for neutral ethanol production

Abstract The composition of the different fractions constituting a distillation plant for neutral ethanol production was analysed. Not only the fractions that are usually discarded from the plant (heads and fusel oils) were studied but also the ones that usually circulate within the plant, passing from one column to another, which are normally impossible to reach. It was thus possible to follow the path of each component inside the plant in order to observe where it accumulates and where is disposed of. The potential exploitation of these by-products and of the chemicals involved in the processing of neutral ethanol were taken into consideration and new approaches for their use, such as in fuel cell technology, were proposed.