What are the characteristics & proportion of water separated from spentwash?
The characteristics & proportion of water to be separated from spentwash depend on the type of membrane used, as well as the starting characteristics of the spentwash. About 98 to 99% of COD, BOD & TDS in the original spentwash can be cut off & the colourless water separated will thus have the balance 1 or 2% COD, BOD & TDS. For normally occurring spentwash (generated @12 to 15 liters per liter of alcohol), Rochem is offering such reverse osmosis membranes, whereby one gets average 50% water recovery. The real limiting factor for the water recovery is the inorganic contents of the spentwash. Depending on the inorganic contents, even from the spentwash generated @ up to 9liters per liter of alcohol, same proportion of water can be recovered.
