Researchers discover low-energy membrane system to replace distillation in ethanol, butanol production

In Minnesota, a research team from the University of Minnesota’s Institute of Technology has published a new, energy-efficient method for replacing distillation with a new separation process based on membranes from crystal sieves, known as zeolites. The research team developed a means of removing structural defects in zeolites that had previously prevented their use.

The article is published in the July 31 issue of Science. The membrane-based separation process eliminates all but a small fraction of the energy currently used by the distillation process in the production of ethanol and butanol, as well as chemical solvents such as xylene.

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