Ethanol Recovery System (Ethanol recovery from waste liquid soap)

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Ethanol Recovery System (Ethanol recovery from waste liquid soap)

This project, located in Australia, presents an ethanol recovery system designed to extract and purify ethanol from expired liquid soap, transforming waste into a valuable resource.

Based on pilot testing, a staged distillation process was developed to address foaming behavior and optimize separation efficiency while minimizing defoamer usage.

The system employs a two-stage distillation column configuration, enabling stable operation and achieving ethanol purity of up to 95%. By reducing waste and recovering usable products, the project demonstrates a practical and economically viable approach to sustainable resource utilization and circular economy implementation.

Wastewater Treatment, Food & Pharmaceutical Tags: ,

Description

Project Background

At a time when sustainability is no longer optional but essential, industries are being challenged to turn waste into value.

This project focuses on the recovery of ethanol from expired liquid soap, converting a disposal burden into a valuable resource. The recovered ethanol is purified to 95% for commercial use, significantly reducing environmental impact while creating economic value from waste streams.

This initiative reflects a practical application of circular economy principles—minimizing waste, maximizing resource utilization, and turning sustainability into profitability.

Process Flow Description   

Prior to process design and simulation, pilot experiments were conducted to better understand the behavior of the feedstock. The liquid soap was found to contain approximately 65% ethanol, with the remaining 35% consisting of water and other components.

During the pilot tests, significant foaming was observed during distillation. However, as the ethanol concentration increased, the foaming effect gradually subsided.

Based on this observation, a staged distillation process was adopted to minimize the use of defoaming agents.
• The first stage functions as the primary distillation step, designed to handle larger throughput with a relatively larger column.After recovering a substantial portion of ethanol in this stage, the stream is transferred to the second stage.
• The second stage further refines the stream. As ethanol concentration decreases, foaming may reoccur; therefore, a controlled amount of defoamer is introduced to ensure stable operation. 

With this optimized configuration, the system has demonstrated excellent performance, achieving ethanol recovery with a purity of up to 95%.

Equipment Configuration 

The ethanol recovery system consists of the following main components:

•  One primary distillation column (packed type), equipped with appropriate liquid distributors;

•  One secondary distillation column (packed type), also equipped with appropriate liquid distributors;

•  One metering system for precise control of defoamer dosing;

•  One PLC-based control system to enable automated operation. A DCS system can also be optionally implemented to provide enhanced flexibility and advanced process control.

Process Advantages

• Efficient Ethanol Recovery: Achieves product purity up to 95%, meeting commercial requirements;

• Reduced Chemical Consumption: Staged distillation minimizes defoamer usage;

• Operational Stability: Foaming is effectively managed through process design and controlled dosing;

• Sustainability: Converts waste into valuable products, reducing environmental impact.

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