Project – MemFermOL
Motivation
Bioethanol is traditionally produced from renewable raw materials, such as grain or wood, using fermentative fermentation processes in which sugar is converted into ethanol with the help of yeasts. While no external energy is required for fermentation, a lot is needed, particularly in the subsequent distillation steps required to produce high-purity ethanol. These steps, vacuum distillation and rectification, require significant amounts of thermal energy, which currently comes mainly from the combustion of fossil fuels such as natural gas.
Despite the fact that bioethanol has significantly lower CO2 emissions than fossil fuels, improving the energy balance in bioethanol production is essential in order to achieve national and international climate targets. In view of rising raw material prices, geopolitical uncertainties and the planned phase-out of coal and nuclear power, there is also an urgent need to further reduce dependence on fossil fuel imports.
Aim of the project
The MemFermOL project addresses precisely this issue: The use of innovative membrane processes is intended to significantly reduce the energy required to produce bioethanol.
The focus is on the extensive substitution of energy-intensive distillation processes with membrane separation processes, in particular pervaporation.
Membrane processes offer enormous savings potential compared to conventional distillation.They require up to 80 % less energy and can therefore make a decisive contribution to improving the energy and ecological balance of bioethanol production.
The implementation of this technology should not only increase the efficiency of bioethanol production, but also drastically reduce the consumption of fossil fuels.The MemFermOL project aims to drive technological progress in bioethanol production and at the same time contribute to a sustainable energy supply.
The innovative use of membrane separation processes could make the production of biofuels significantly more environmentally friendly and cost-efficient in the future. In order to achieve these goals, we have joined forces with Nordbrand GmbH and Fraunhofer IKTS, with their specialist knowledge and expertise, to establish a membrane-based, energy-saving process chain for the production of technical bioethanol from renewable raw materials.
The project, which was funded by the Free State of Thuringia, was co-financed by the European Union as part of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). 
Further details can be found here
Zeinab (Samira) Kheshti
Phone: +49 3621 73 77 920
Mobile: +49 178 73 69 016
Email: z.kheshti@wta-unisol.com
