Bio-based ethanol is a renewable energy source. Renewable bioethanol from agricultural sources has many potential advantages including development of fuel independence and reduction in greenhouse gas generation. Ethanol as derived through fermentation from biomass contains a significant amount of water. Dehydration is a capital and energy intensive process step that is complicated by the ethanol–water azeotrope.

Compact Membrane Systems (CMS) is currently investigating highly permeable, thermally and chemically resistant perfluoropolymer membranes to selectively remove water from water–ethanol mixtures. While the focus is on ethanol, the concept is a platform technology and can be used in many other applications to make high purity chemicals. The broad platform technology is to make concentrations of organics by this process where the material that is being removed is water. Basic data in combination with preliminary economic and engineering analysis show that a process scheme that includes CMS membranes can improve the overall economics for dewatering and producing fuel-grade ethanol. This presentation will identify a number of potential bioethanol streams that can be enhanced by introduction of high water flux – high water/ethanol selectivity membranes. Presentation will focus on analyzing one of these streams.