The present invention is generally directed to fuel cells and more specifically to fuel cell systems that are integrated with distillation systems.
There is a tremendous potential for the use of ethanol and other oxygenated hydrocarbon fuels in environmentally-friendly and fossil-fuel-independent power generation. However, one of the key drawbacks in using ethanol and similar fuels is the energy-intensive purification of these fuels.
For instance, ethanol produced by fermentation requires a high temperature distillation step to remove water before it can be used in combustion engines. Existing processes for distilling ethanol require the addition of external energy to purify the ethanol. This drawback in the use of ethanol and similar hydrocarbon fuels threatens the economic viability of oxygenated hydrocarbons as a future energy source.