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Abstract
Nowadays, treatment of vinasse from the alcohol fermentation is a major cost centre which decides the economic
viability of this traditional industry. Increasingly stringent environment norms in France have put enormous pressure
on manufacturers of alcohol from traditional feedstock like beet molasses. Nowadays, the most industrial treatment
is the vinasse valorisation as fertiliser in the field after concentration. Nevertheless, the final solids are limited
because of the sulphate potassium crystallisation and precipitation in evaporator tubes, storage tanks and fertiliser
sprayers. The paper gives some figures of beet molasses vinasse composition, details the most widely used treatment
schemes and presents the first results obtained with an electrodialysis treatment to reduce the potassium concentration
in view to prevent the crystallisation and even increase the final dissolved solids of the concentrated vinasse.
0011-9164/02/$– See front matter © 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved
394 M. Decloux et al. / Desalination 146 (2002) 393–398
potassium crystallisation control, the concentration prevent any crystallisation during the vinasse
phase is accompanied by a production of con- concentration and storage.
densates with a COD (1–5 g/L) above the discharge
norm. These condensates are most often treated 3.1. Materials and methods
in lagooning or in aeration basins. To limit the 3.1.1. Vinasse
cost of this treatment and the water consumption
The vinasse sent by Lillers was repartited in
of the plant, it is possible to filtrate the condensate
five 200-L tanks and stored at 4°C.
with a reverse osmosis unit. The permeate (80%
of the volume of the condensates) is recycled in
3.1.2. Analysis of the potassium
fermentation and the retentate is treated in aerated
lagooning. But that solution is not optimal and Attention was first focused on potassium
only one distillery in France is equipped with such concentration. Three methods were tested:
system since 1997. colorimetric test (Hach 2000), atomic spectro-
metry and capillary electrophoresis (Quanta 4000,
2.3. Conclusion Waters).
According to these results, we decided, in The capillary electrophoresis was selected as
march 2001, to conduct two research projects in it was possible to measure three cations (potassium,
parallel: sodium and calcium) at a time. Furthermore, the
sample dilution level was ten fold smaller than
• A study on the way to recycle condensates in
for atomic spectrometry.
fermentation. A project was submitted to
obtain government founds and a thesis started
3.1.3. Clarification of the vinasse
last October.
• An experimental study started in the ENSIA Tests were performed with a laboratory pilot
pilot plant to test the interest to decrease the equipped with Kerasep mineral membranes (Orelis,
vinasse potassium concentration by electro- France). 0.12 m2 membrane area with 0.1 µm and
dialysis before concentration. The results 15 kg/mol pore sizes were tested using in each
obtained until now are detailed here. case a total recycling mode first, then a concentration
mode up to a VRR (Volumetric Reduction Ratio)
of 3 [8]. All the tests were performed at a cross-
3. Electrodialysis of beet vinasse to reduce flow velocity of 5 m/s and a temperature of 80°C.
potassium concentration The clarification efficiency was checked by
The distillery of Lillers (in the north of France) turbidity measurements with a Hach 2000 AN
sent 1 m3 of light beet vinasse, sampled at the turbiditimeter.
exit of the distillation column. The vinasse was
quite turbid because this plant does centrifuge 3.1.4. Electrodialysis
the wine before distillation. A laboratory electrodialysis pilot (EUR 2B
As the laboratory had not any practice on such 10P30) was purchased from Eurodia (Wissous,
product, it was decided: France). The module contents ten cells with 2
• to set the analysis method to measure the compartments of one anion (AMXsb) and one
potassium concentration, cation (CMXbs) exchange membranes. The
• to test the necessity of a clarifying pre-treatment whole area was 0.2 m2.
before electrodialysis, After some preliminary trials, the following
• then to check that the electrodialysis decreases conditions were chosen:
sufficiently the potassium concentration to • Constant voltage: 17 V
M. Decloux et al. / Desalination 146 (2002) 393–398 397
16 2.5
conductivity (mS/cm)
to collect clarified vinasse for the electrodialysis 12 temperature (°C) 2
pH
experiments, not any optimisation was carried 8
1.5
out. 1
4 0.5
0 0
3.2.2. Electrodialysis of clarified and raw 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45
vinasse Time (min)
Three sets of 4 experiments as explained Fig. 2. Parameters evolution during electrodialysis of light
previously were performed with different kinds beet molasses stillage.
398 M. Decloux et al. / Desalination 146 (2002) 393–398