Energy-efficient purification of bioethanol
Advanced distillation and dehydration solutions for 1G, 2G, 3G bioethanol
Sulzer has extensive experience in the design and supply of modular bioethanol purification systems, combining advanced separation technologies with process electrification to minimize energy use. Our unique design for distillation and dehydration enables production with low steam consumption, tailored to maximize heat integration and minimize overall OPEX. Whether upgrading fermentation products to pharma-grade ethanol or deploying new modular units, we provide process guarantees and proven reliability backed by several references worldwide.
Energy efficiency
Reduce steam consumption by up to 95% using advanced heat integration and VoltaSplit™ electrification
High purity
Achieve fuel, pharma, and industrial grades from 1G to 3G feedstocks with maximum yield
Proven reliability
Minimize downtime with specialized anti-fouling technology, proven through global references
Main benefits
Unmatched energy efficiency Reduce steam consumption by up to 95% and cut CO₂ emissions by up to 100% through advanced heat integration and VoltaSplit™ process electrification
Superior purity & versatility Achieve fuel, pharmaceutical, food, and industrial grade ethanol from any feedstock (1G, 2G, 3G) with tailored distillation and dehydration configurations
Minimized OPEX & high yield Optimize operational costs while maximizing ethanol recovery through high-performance separation and side-stream valorization
Rapid & scalable deployment Accelerate project timelines for both greenfield and brownfield sites with proven, skid-mounted modular solutions and full process guarantees
Proven operational reliability Benefit from over 40 years of expertise and several global references, ensuring stable performance in even the most challenging fouling services
Key characteristics
Anti-fouling tray technology: Equipped with VG™-AF and UFM™-AF valves to prevent solids buildup, drastically extending runtimes between maintenance cycles
High-efficiency structured packing: Utilization of MellapakPlus™ to provide industry-leading pressure drops, lowering energy demand and bottom temperatures
Advanced dehydration systems: Multiple unique Sulzer purification technologies to overcome the azeotrope, reaching fuel grade or high-purity, high-dryness ethanol down to <10 ppm of water
Side-stream valorization: Integrated systems for the recovery of valuable by-products like fusel oil, acetic acid, and lactic acid to increase overall plant profitability
Turnkey skid solutions: Complete process plants delivered as pre-assembled modules, including cutting-edge automation
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Charlie Chou
Global licensing director
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GT‑DWC is a unique distillation technique called dividing wall column, that produces three or more purified products in a single tower that otherwise in conventional way is done by 2-3 columns in series.
A vertical wall splits typically the mid‑section into two functional zones so the column can pre‑fractionate the feed on one side while the other side refines the middle cut (heart‑cut) from the top and the bottom cuts. Compared with a conventional in-series distillation columns, this integrated column reduces investment by half of the equipment count, and its internal arrangement reduces remixing that lower the utility consumption as well.
When comparing with the normal column with a side draw, GT-DWC produces the heart‑cut where it is most concentrated with contamination from top & bottom products, and achieves the same (or better) product specs as by the multi-column system.
A two‑column sequence inevitably wastes duty by splitting and then remixing components between shells, causing thermal inefficiency that drives up utility consumptions for reboiling and condensing. GT‑DWC® consolidates that work inside one shell, so the separation is done once without such thermal inefficiency, with one reboiler and one condenser. That means fewer separation efficiency losses, lower internal flows, and smaller overall duty. Where applicable, GT-DWC typically provide 20-30% energy saving comparing with two-column system with the same or better product separation quality.
Yes. GT‑DWC is often a revamp enabler because it replaces two columns with one shell, freeing plot space and reducing energy consumption. It can also be applied for revamping an existing column with sidedraw to greatly improve the middle heartcut purity/quality that benefit its value and downstream units. Sulzer high-efficiency tower internals and proprietary DWC design are key to guarantee the success of the revamp. Dynamic simulation is used to validate start‑up/shutdown procedures as well as the feed variation to prove controllability within your existing utility envelope.
Sulzer supplies the full set of trays or structured packings, along with distributors, collectors, and when needed, custom wall hardware. The internals are engineered to maintain pressure balance and uniform liquid/vapor distribution on both sides of the wall—this is critical to prevent maldistribution, channeling, or cross‑leakage that can degrade efficiency. Selection (trays vs. packing) depends on capacity, turndown, fouling tendency, and pressure drop targets; our design team sizes distributors/redistributors and sealing elements to keep performance stable across the operating range.
Yes. A single shell creates a clean condenser ↔ reboiler pairing that a heat pump can bridge: the overhead releases heat while condensing; VoltaSplit™ lifts that heat to the reboiler temperature replacing a large share of steam with electricity and reusing condenser heat that would otherwise be rejected.
GT‑DWC excels when there is a meaningful middle cut (heart‑cut) to recover, and when the alternative would be a two‑column arrangement. Typical examples include aromatics heart‑cuts, naphtha splitter, reformate splitter, iso/normal-separation column, and light/medium hydrocarbon fractionations where three product slates are needed. As a rule of thumb, if your feed has a clear light, middle, and heavy region—and the middle product purity/yield matters—GT‑DWC is a strong candidate.
We pair a standard temperature/reflux control structure with additional loops to maintain vapor/liquid splits around the dividing wall. It ensures high controllability, and robust operation even facing the feed variation. Dynamic simulation is used to test disturbances (feed swings, utility changes) and to finalize startup/shutdown sequences before commissioning.
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