Field of the Art

The invention relates to a method of processing of cereal and/or maize grains in the production of bioalcohol, wherein the cereal and/or maize grain is first cleaned from pericarp, and seed coat, and/or germs, the endosperm obtained from the separation of the pericarp, and the seed coat, and/or germs from the cereal and/or maize grain is used to produce bioalcohol. The invention further relates to a fuel for combustion in a boiler of a distillery during processing the cereal and/or maize grain according to the above method, and the invention further relates to an apparatus for carrying out the method, the apparatus comprising at least one distillation column, wherein the at least one distillation column is connected via its outlet for alcohol vapours with an inlet of a condenser/cooler, which is equipped with an outlet of bioalcohol, while a steam inlet into the distillation column is connected with a steam outlet from a boiler and an inlet of mash into the distillation column is connected with an outlet for mash from a fermentation tank.

Background of the Invention

At the present time, with the demand to get rid of the dependence on imported fossil fuels, especially petroleum, there is an increasing interest in energetic use of the organic materials so far unused, mainly the agricultural products of domestic origin. Particularly, there is interest in producing bioalcohol, that could be produced in each country from its own agricultural crops and that could replace the most part of the petroleum. For the bioalcohol production, sugar and starch crops can be used, particularly the sugar beet and cereals.

The produced bioalcohol can be used directly in internal combustion engines as fuel, but usually it is currently used as an additive admixed into conventional mineral fuels in the amounts of 5% to 10%. With the use of ethanol, octane number is increased and C0 ₂ emissions are decreased.

Cane bioalcohol is widely used especially in Brazil as motor fuel. In 80 ^' s, about two thirds of Brazilian vehicles were equipped with special motor modification enabling them to use pure bioalcohol. At present, the new cars are no more modified in this way, but all the fuel in Brazil contains 26% of cane bioalcohol. The conventional internal combustion engines are able to function with this mixture. Bioalcohol made from corn is also used as an additive in the most of vehicle fuels in the USA, usually as 10% additive.

Cereal and maize grains contain, in addition to starch and/or sugar substances, ballast substances, such as pericarp, the seed coat, and germs that often become unused waste in the production of bioalcohol. They usually are a part of residues after the fermentation process and are used in the production of animal feed.

AU 2013200519B teaches the method of production of biologically available raw material, from which the maize grains pericarp and germs are removed first, in order to obtain starch and protein. Then the protein is separated from the starch and this starch is liquefied, saccharified, and fermented to produce the fermented starch tea. Solid fermenting substances are separated from the fermented starch tea, then the biomass fibre containing one or more lignocellulosic materials derived from plants, residues or by-products from agricultural processing, and their combinations are pre-treated to enhance the digestibility of biomass fibre for ruminants. The pre-treated lignocellulosic materials, residues or by-products from agricultural processing are mixed with solid fermenting substances and this mixture is mixed with removed pericarp and germs to produce biologically available raw material.

US 2008/0089996 or EP 1 944 085 teach the method of processing and the plant for the production of ethanol that reduces number of the separation steps as much as possible and simplifies the production configuration, enabling to extract meal, pericarp, and germs. The method comprises the wetting step of soaking the maize grains with particular amount of water, the step of removing the coat from the maize grains with retaining their shape, without damaging the wet seeds, the step of grinding the seeds into pieces, the step of separation of bran from the grinded pieces, and the step of further milling of the separated bran.

Both WO 2006/113683 and US 2009/0130257 teach the method of production of ethanol and modified animal feed. The method replaces the starch in known corn based feed with biomass fibre treated to be more digestible for the animals. The pericarp and germs are separated from the corn seeds and processed into by-products. The starch and protein are also removed and separated. The starch is then fermented and distilled to obtain ethanol and stillage. Bioavailable and modified feed contains the pericarp and germs removed from the corn seeds and optionally the by-products from the seed coat and germ processing, and lignocellulosic materials. The modified feed can optionally contain energetic materials, for example vegetable fats, vegetable soap raw materials, or glycerine, or combination of thereof.

In all these known methods, both the pericarp and the seed coat, optionally germs, are removed from the corn seeds, but the pericarp and the seed coat, optionally germs are then added to fermentation residues, usually for forming the animal feed. Thus ballast is incorporated into the feed, and pericarp and the seed coat, optionally germs, are not as well used as they could be.

The currently produced bioalcohol is mainly added into gasoline as the supplementary ingredient, or is used for the production of the fuel based on bioalcohol, mainly form agricultural products based on cereals, particularly from cereals, i.e. the cereal seed, the corn seed, but also the sugar beet juice. At present, this bioalcohol is added into gasolines in the amount of 5%, whereas the enhancing of this amount to 10% is contemplated, or it is provided as bioethanol 85 containing 85% of bioalcohol. Each distillery producing the bioalcohol made from cereals produces the bioalcohol by distilling the mash obtained by saccharification of the starch contained in the cereal seed and the corn seed. Each production in distillery is highly energy demanding. Fossil fuels, namely natural gas and coal, are used for steam generators producing the technological steam in most of the distilleries. There are also some examples, where the bioalcohol, obtained in biogas plants using the distillery waste products or stillage, was used for the steam generators. The possibilities of the energetic use of stillage from bioalcohol production are known from CZ patent No. 300 196 or CZ patent no. 301 071. Bioalcohol is the fundamental product of biodistillery. The second most common product in a distillery, i.e. the by-product or the secondary product, is the dried stillage or DDGS used as the feed for cattle and pigs. A distillery is not economically efficient without the gain from selling the DDGS. The production process in the distillery proceeds as follows: Cereal or corn seeds are mealed, mixed with water to obtain so called mash that is further saccharified, i.e. the starch is transformed with the use of enzymes, eventually also heat, into saccharides, the saccharified mash is fermented into alcohol mash, eventually is cooled before the fermentation, after previous heating, and the alcohol mash is further distilled in a mash column. The distillate from the mash column is further distilled in a rectification chamber. The alcohol is then treated to the degree of purity necessary for the usage in fuels. The residues from the mash chamber issue the distilling chamber in the form of liquid stillage that are usually further centrifuged and the solid part, called the cake, is dried in a steam or drum dryer. As the heating medium in the dryer, the fossil fuel or steam produced in a fossil fuel boiler can be used. The liquid phase, called the fugate, is thickened on multistage evaporating units to produce syrup that is added into the solid phase, the cake, and they are together dried in a steam or drum dryer. Thus the by-product is formed in the form of feeding substance formed into dried granules, usually called DDGS. These granules are used as the feed for cattle and marginally also for pigs. The income gained thank to the DDGS is quite important, and the distilleries do not want to abandon it. The DDGS can be used as the feed only for particular farm animals, especially ruminants, and in the limited area, mainly due to economic reasons, because the selling of this product is economic within short distances only.

However, the described methods of the production represent non-sustainable development, because the fuel consumed in distilleries is usually natural gas or coal.

According to the biofuel sustainability criteria applied in the EU, this conventional method of production of bioalcohol represents non-sustainable development according to the EU directions (Czech Decree-Law No. 351/2012), because there are small C0 ₂ savings in the production process, which makes is only low grade renewable source. In the case of cereal and of natural gas used as the process fuel in standard boilers, the bioalcohol represent the saving of only 34 % of C0 ₂ , when using coal, the saving is only 16 %, and when using corn the saving rises for 2 - 3%. If natural gas is used in a cogeneration production of electrical energy, the saving is 49 % for the corn. In most of the distilleries using natural gas as fuel, there are no steam turbines to drive electrical energy generators.

The current biodistillery of the 1 ^st generation normally produces about 100,000 tons of bioalcohol per year. The consumption of corn containing 70 % of starch is about 40.21 t/h; during the operation time of 8, 100 hours it gives 325,701 tons. This biodistillery produces 12.5 tons of bioalcohol per hour, i.e. 101,250 tons of alcohol/year. This amount of bioalcohol represents about 2,733,750 GJ of heat. Further, this bio distillery produces about 12.5 tons of DDGS per hour, i.e. 101,250 tons of DDGS per year. For technological needs, the

biodistillery consumes about 45,836,470 m ³ of natural gas. This sums 1,402,596 GJ of heat, it means that the distillery consumes more than a half of heat from non-renewable source and large amount of energy provided by the produced alcohol as the renewable source. In addition, the biodistillery consumes usually of about 6 to 7 MW of energy per hour, i.e. it consumes another 56,700 MWhe, which represents the content of heat in the fuel of a power station of about 583,00 GJ. This heat origin mostly from fossil fuels. In total balance, the production of 2.74 mil. GJ of renewable source requires about 1.90 GJ of the heat from fossil fuels, which represents about 73% of energy. This situation is not sustainable.

This conventional method of the production represents non-sustainable development. Thus, this method of the production of bioalcohol is contemplated to be ceased. Using the stillage as biofuel according to the CZ patent no. 300 196, the usable technology presents high investments without fast recovery, namely during 10-15 years. In the times of high subventions or subsidies for the production of electricity from biomass, the recovery could be better but, from this point of view, the subsidies lack the sense as there are subsidies relating the production of electricity from fossil fuels. Furthermore, the distilleries loose the gain from DDGS, which is crucial for them. When using other renewable sources as the fuel, it has been found that there is lack of renewable sources in general, such as wood chips and the like, that could be used as the fuel there. When changing the fuel to biomass, such as wood chips, the investment recovery is 10 to 15 years. There is also unbearable need of supporting the electricity production. What is important, there is not enough of the fuel on disposal. A distillery producing 100,000 tons of bioalcohol per year, which is a distillery of conventional capacity, requires the amount of the fuel for its electricity source of about 112 thousands of tons of straw or about 192,000 tons of wood chips. Satisfying the need of such amount of biomass would cause spiral increase of prices. As the produced bioalcohol is currently barely profitable, the increase of the prices of these fuels due the elevated demand would lead to the loss of economical purpose of the distillery and to its bankrupt. If the distilleries of the first generation do not meet the criteria of biofuels sustainability under reasonable economic conditions, these distilleries would have to be closed and bankrupt, because the laws will make their fuels impossible to add to fossil fuels, or the taxes will be imposed on them and the alcohol becomes unmarketable and the distillery bankrupts.

The biodistilleries of the second generation have not been yet tested under operation conditions, furthermore they are more energetically demanding than the distilleries of the first generation, and they are also more expensive. These distilleries will also face the problem of the lack of the starting material for the production of bioalcohol of the second generation. It is supposed to be produced for example from straw. The need of the straw for bioalcohol production will exceed the cereal production, so the need of more cereals will appear and this will lead to the excess of redundant cereal seed impossible to sell. Thus the price of cereal will decrease. If the straw becomes commodity, it will not be the waste any more, so the producer will calculate the costs for its cultivation, and the price of straw will increase.

Summary of the invention

The above drawbacks of the prior art are eliminated to a great extent by a method of processing of cereal and/or maize grains in the production of bioalcohol, wherein the cereal and/or maize grain is first cleaned from pericarp, and seed coat, and/or germs, the endosperm obtained from the separation of the pericarp, and the seed coat, and/or germs from the cereal and/or maize grain is saccharified, fermented, and then distilled to obtain bioalcohol and bioavailable material, which is at least partially dewatered, while the separated pericarp and the seed coat and/or germs are combusted in a boiler in a distillery. The bioavailable material is an at least partially dewatered mass, which has remained in the distillation column after distillation of endosperm charge.

The bioavailable material is further dewatered to obtain a gluten free liquid or solid protein concentrate. The term gluten free means that the product does not contain gluten. In case protein is removed from the endosperm prior to distillation, the bioavailable material does not contain protein, but it does contain matter which remains in dewatered stillage after distillation of protein free endosperm.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the separated pericarp, and the seed coat, and/or germs are mixed with milled substance selected from the group comprising limestone, calcium hydrate, calcium oxide, stone, sand, clay, ash after combustion, products of desulphurisation, dust products from ore production and treatment, aggregates, solid fossil fuels such as coal, brown coal, peat, solid fuels made from sewage sludge, fuels made artificially from fuels from the group of petroleum coke, biomass fuels with high melting point of the ash, such as the wood chips, rape straw, hay, grass, trees cut off, from energy crops such as rumex, japanese knotweed. The ratio of the pericarp and the seed coat, eventually the germs and milled substances is set in order to achieve the ratio of the sum of the mass of sodium and potassium in the ash with respect to the weight of other non- combustible substances in the ash to the value lower than 1 : 5.85 and/or is set to achieve the final melting point of the ash of the mixture above 760°C and this mixture is used as the fuel for the boiler in the distillery.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the ratio of the biomass having low melting point of the ash and the milled substances is set in order to achieve the ratio of the sum of the weight of sodium and potassium in the ash with respect to the weight of other non- combustible compounds in the ash of the value of 1 : 6.50 and/or is set in order to achieve the resulting melting point of the ash of the mixture above 1,200°C, most preferrably the ratio of the biomass having low melting point of the ash and the milled substances is set in order to achieve the ratio of the sum of the weights of sodium and potassium with respect to the weight of other non-combustible components in the ash to the value lower than 1 : 15 and/or is set in order to achieve the final melting point of the ash in the mixture above 1,300 °C.

According to yet another preferred embodiment the protein concentrate is dewatered to contain a water content lower than 50% or lower than 40 % or by eventual drying the water content is lowered below 20 %, or below 14 %.

The above mentioned drawbacks of prior art are eliminated to a great extent by a fuel for combustion in a boiler in a distillery adapted to produce bioalcohol, while according to the invention the fuel comprises the separated pericarp and the seed coat and/or germs.

Preferably the fuel comprises the separated pericarl and the seed coat and/or germs mixed with milled substance selected from the group comprising limestone, calcium hydrate, calcium oxide, stone, sand, clay, ash after the combustion, products of desulphurisation dust products from ore production and treatment, aggregates, solid fossil fuels such as coal, brown coal, peat, solid fuels made from sewage sludge, artificially made fuels from the group of petroleum coke, biomass fuels having high melting point of the ash, such as the wood chips, rape straw, hay, grass, trees cut offs, energy crops such as rumex, japanese knotweed, whereas the ratio of the pericarp and the seed coat, eventually the germs and milled substances sis set in order to achieve the ratio of the sum of the mass of sodium and potassium in the ash with respect to the weight of other non-combustible substances in the ash to the value lower than 1 : 5.85 and/or it is set to achieve the final melting point of the ash of the mixture above 760°C.

According to another embodiment the fuel is made such that the ratio of the biomass having low melting point of the ash and the milled substances is set in order to achieve the ratio of the sum of the weights of sodium and potassium in the ash towards the weight of other non-combustible components in the ash to the value lower than 1 : 6.50 and/or it is set in order to achieve the resulting melting point of the ash from the mixture above 1,200°C; or the fuel is made such that the ratio of the biomass having low melting point of the ash and the milled substances is set in order to achieve the ratio of the sum of the weights of sodium and potassium in the ash with respect to the weight of other non-combustible components in the ash to the value lower than 1 : 15 and/or it is set in order to achieve the resulting melting point of the ash from the mixture above 1,300°C.

The above mentioned drawbacks of prior art are eliminated to a great extent by an apparatus comprising at least one distillation column, wherein the at least one distillation column is connected via its outlet for alcohol vapours with an inlet of a condenser/cooler, which is equipped with an outlet of bioalcohol, while a steam inlet into the distillation column is connected with a steam outlet from a boiler and an inlet of mash into the distillation column is connected with an outlet of mash from a fermentation tank. According to the invention, the distillation column is via a stillage outlet connected with a dewatering unit and/or a biogas plant, the fermentation tank is via its inlet connected with the outlet of endosperm of a separator of pericarp and seed coat, eventually germs, while an outlet from the separator for pericarp and seed coat, eventually germs is connected with an inlet of pericarp and seed coat, eventually germs of a mixing unit for pericarp and seed coat, eventually germs, while an inlet of the mixing unit for milled substances is connected with an outlet of a storage tank of milled substances, and an outlet from the mixing unit for pericarp and seed coat, eventually germs, is connected to a fuel inlet of the boiler, while the distillation column is connected via a stillage outlet with a dewatering unit and/or with the biogas plant, while the fermentation tank is connected via its inlet with an endosperm outlet of the separator of pericarp and seed coat, eventually germs, wherein an outlet for pericarp and seed coat, eventually germs, from the separator is connected with the fuel inlet of the boiler.

The above mentioned drawbacks of prior art are eliminated to a great extent by an apparatus for processing cereal and/or maize grains in production of bioalcohol, wherein the apparatus comprises at least one distillation column, wherein the at least one distillation column is connected via its outlet for alcohol vapours with an inlet of a condenser/cooler, which is equipped with an outlet for bioalcohol, while a steam inlet into the distillation column is connected with a steam outlet from a boiler and an inlet of mash of the distillation column is connected with an outlet of mash of a fermentation tank. According to the invention, the distillation column is connected via a stillage outlet with a dewatering unit and/or a biogas plant, while the fermentation tank is connected via its inlet with the outlet for endosperm of a separator of pericarp and seed coat, eventually germs, while an outlet from the separator is connected with a fuel inlet of the boiler.

Preferably a mixing unit for pericarp and seed coat, eventually germs, is arranged in a combustion chamber of the boiler, and an outlet of the storage unit for milled substances is connected to the mixing unit.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the fermentation tank is connected via its inlet for endosperm with the outlet for endosperm of the separator of pericarp and seed coat, eventually germs, via a milling unit for endosperm.

According to a further preferred embodiment, a fuel granulator is connected between the outlet from the mixing unit of pericarp and seed coat, eventually germs, and the fuel inlet of the boiler.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the dewatering unit for stillage is formed by a one- or multistage evaporation unit for the formation of liquid protein

concentrate, or by protein concentrate drying unit for the formation of dried protein concentrate, or by a centrifuge, or by a press. Adryer for protein concentrate may be arranged downstream of the dewatering unit for stillage.

According to a further preferred embodiment, a biogas outlet from the biogas plant is connected with the boiler and/or a combustion turbine and/or an electricity generator and/or with a gas engine comprising an electricity generator and/or with the dewatering unit for stillage designed as the drying unit for protein concentrate.

According to preferred embodiment, the steam outlet from the boiler is connected with a steam inlet of a steam turbine equipped with an electricity generator, and it may be connected with the dewatering unit for stillage designed as a dryer of protein concentrate and/or as an evaporation unit. Steam outlet from the steam turbine may be connected with the steam inlet of the distillation column. The steam turbine may be connected with a condenser via its condensation stage. Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention will be described in more details based on the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 shows a first exemplifying embodiment of the apparatus for processing of cereal and/or corn seeds for producing the bioalcohol according to the invention, Figure 2 shows a second exemplifying embodiment of the apparatus for the processing of cereal and/or corn seeds for producing the bioalcohol with the fuel granulation unit according to the invention, Figure 3 shows a third exemplifying embodiment of the apparatus for the processing of cereal and/or corn seeds for producing the bioalcohol with the combustion turbine and the electricity generator according to the invention, and Figure 4 shows a fourth exemplifying embodiment of the apparatus for the processing of cereal and/or corn seeds for producing the bioalcohol with the steam turbine and electricity generator according to the invention.

Preferred Embodiments of the Invention

According to a preferred embodiment of the method of processing of cereal and/or maize grains in the production of bioalcohol, the cereal and/or maize grain is first cleaned from pericarp, and seed coat, and/or germs, the endosperm obtained from the separation of the pericarp, and the seed coat, and/or germs from the cereal and/or maize grain is used to produce bioalcohol. When the endosperm, i.e the fermented mash, has been distilled, the remaining stillage are dewatered to have a water content 75 % to obtain a liquid and/or solid protein concentrate.

According to another preferred embodiment, the endosperm is cleaned from protein prior to the distillation, and the obtained bioavailable material contains substances remained in the dewatered stillage obtained after the distillation of the endosperm that was previously cleaned from protein. The bioavailable material us a general term for at least partially dewatered mass, which remains in the distillation column after the distillation of the charged endosperm.

The protein concentrate is dewatered to water content lower than 50% by weight, or below 40% by weight, or below 20% by weight, and even below 14% by weight. In case the protein concentrate is dried to have a water content below 14 %, no preservatives are needed. However, the preservatives are necessary for products having higher content of water.

Dewatering by drying to a content below 20 % may be performed in a drying unit.

The separated pericarp, and the seed coat, and/or germs is used as a fuel for the boiler of the distillery. To obtain an optimised fuel, which may burn at an optimal temperature and with a minimum production of pollutants in the exhaust gas, the separated pericarp, and the seed coat, and/or germs are mixed with milled substance selected from the group comprising limestone, calcium hydrate, calcium oxide, stone, sand, clay, ash after combustion, products of desulphurisation, dust products from ore production and treatment, aggregates, solid fossil fuels such as coal, brown coal, peat, solid fuels made from sewage sludge, fuels made artificially from fuels from the group of petroleum coke, biomass fuels with high melting point of the ash, such as the wood chips, rape straw, hay, grass, trees cut off, from energy crops such as rumex, japanese knotweed. The ratio of the pericarp and the seed coat, eventually the germs and the milled substances is set in order to achieve the ratio of the sum of the mass of sodium and potassium in the ash with respect to the weight of other non- combustible substances in the ash to the value lower than 1 : 5.85 and/or is set to achieve the final melting point of the ash of the mixture above 760°C and this mixture is used as the fuel for the boiler in the distillery.

Even better results may be achieved when the ratio of the biomass having low melting point of the ash and the milled substances is set in order to achieve the ratio of the sum of the weight of sodium and potassium in the ash with respect to the weight of other non- combustible compounds in the ash of the value of 1 : 6.50 and/or is set in order to achieve the resulting melting point of the ash of the mixture above 1,200°C; or even when the ratio of the biomass having low melting point of the ash and the milled substances is set in order to achieve the ratio of the sum of the weights of sodium and potassium with respect to the weight of other non-combustible components in the ash to the value lower than 1 : 15 and/or is set in order to achieve the final melting point of the ash in the mixture above 1,300 °C.

An exemplifying embodiment of the fuel for burning in a boiler of a distillery adapted to produce bioalcohol by processing cereal and/or maize grain comprises separated pericarp and the seed coat and/or germs, preferably mixed with milled substance selected from the group comprising limestone, calcium hydrate, calcium oxide, stone, sand, clay, ash after the combustion, products of desulphurisation, dust products from ore production and treatment, aggregates, solid fossil fuels such as coal, brown coal, peat, solid fuels made from sewage sludge, artificially made fuels from the group of petroleum coke, biomass fuels having high melting point of the ash, such as the wood chips, rape straw, hay, grass, trees cut offs, energy crops such as rumex, japanese knotweed. The the ratio of the pericarp and the seed coat, eventually the germs and milled substances is set in order to achieve the ratio of the sum of the mass of sodium and potassium in the ash with respect to the weight of other non- combustible substances in the ash to a value below 1 : 5.85 or to a value below 1 : 15, which corresponds to setting to achieve the final melting point of the ash of the mixture above 760°C or above 1200 °C or above 1300 °C.

Figure 1 shows a first exemplifying embodiment of the apparatus for processing of cereal and/or corn seeds for producing the bioalcohol according to the invention. This apparatus comprises the distillation column 1 that is, via its alcohol vapours outlet, connected with the inlet to the condenser/cooler 2 equipped with the outlet of the bioalcohol. The inlet of the vapour from the distillation column 1 is connected with the outlet of the vapour from the boiler 7, and the inlet of the mash form the distillation column 1 is connected with the outlet of the mash from the fermentation tank 20. The distillation column 1 is via the stillage outlet connected with the dewatering unit 3 and with the biogas plant 10. The fermentation tank 20 is via its inlet and endosperm mill 18 connected with the endosperm outlet of the separator 12 of the pericarp and the seed coat, eventually germs, and its outlet of the pericarp and the seed coat, eventually germs, is connected with the inlet of fuel of the boiler 7. The inlet of milled materials of the mixing unit 6 for the pericarp and the seed coat, eventually germs, is connected with the outlet of the storage tank 21 of the milled materials, and the outlet of the mixing unit 6 of the pericarp and the seed coat, eventually germs, is connected with the inlet of the fuel for the boiler 7.

Figure 2 shows a second exemplifying embodiment of the apparatus for performing the method of processing of cereal and/or corn seeds for producing the bioalcohol according to the invention. This apparatus comprises the distillation column 1 that is via its alcohol vapour outlet connected with the inlet to the condenser/cooler 2 equipped with the bioalcohol outlet. The inlet of the vapour from the distillation column 1 is connected with the outlet of the vapour from the boiler 7, and the inlet for mash into the distillation column 1 is connected with the outlet of mash from the fermentation tank 20. The distillation column 1 is connected via the stillage outlet with the dewatering unit 3 and with the biogas plant 10. The fermentation tank 20 is via its inlet and the endosperm mill 18 connected with the endosperm outlet of the separator 12_of the pericarp and the seed coat, eventually germs, whose outlet of the pericarp and the seed coat, eventually germs, is connected with the inlet to the mixing unit 6 of the pericarp and the seed coat, eventually germs. The inlet of milled materials from the mixing unit 6 of the pericarp and the seed coat, eventually germs, is connected with the outlet from the storage tank 21 of milled materials, and the outlet of the mixing unit 6 of the pericarp and the seed coat, eventually germs, is connected with the inlet of the granulation unit 14 of the fuel, and the outlet of this unit is connected with the inlet of the fuel in the boiler 7.

Figure 3 shows a third exemplifying embodiment of the apparatus for performing the method of processing of cereal and/or corn seeds for producing bioalcohol according to the invention. This apparatus differs from the above mentioned apparatus in that the mixing unit 6 of the pericarp and the seed coat, eventually germs, forms inherent part of the boiler, i.e. the pericarp and the seed coat, eventually germs, are mixed with the milled materials directly in the boiler 7, for example in the fire chamber of the boiler 7. In addition, this exemplifying embodiment comprises a combustion turbine 11 and an electricity generator 9. In this embodiment, the outlet of the biogas from the biogas plant 10 is connected with the boiler 7, with the inlet of the dewatering unit 3 of stillage, with the inlet of the electricity generator 9, and with the inlet of the combustion turbine 11.

Figure 4 shows a fourth exemplifying embodiment of the apparatus for performing the method of processing of cereal and/or corn seeds for producing the bioalcohol according to the invention. This apparatus differs from the second exemplifying embodiment in that it comprises a steam turbine 8_equipped with an electricity generator 9. The inlet of the steam turbine 8 is connected with the outlet of the boiler 7, the first outlet of the steam turbine 8 is connected with the second inlet of the distillation column 1, and the second outlet of the steam turbine 8_is connected with the electricity generator 9.

During the operation process of the apparatus for performing the method of processing of cereal and/or corn seeds for producing the bioalcohol according to the invention, the inlet material, corn or cereals, is separated from the pericarp and the seed coat and/or germs, which usually present of about 18% of the inlet material, i.e. the corn and the cereals. It is usually performed using conventional high quality milling technology that ensures milling of cereals and separation of pericarp and seed coat and germs, as it is performed in the case of flour, or the debranning can be performed, but it is not so preferred as the conventional milling technologies. Other methods can be also used for the separation of the pericarp and the seed coat and/or germs. In each of these technologies some starch is lost, because it is impossible to clean or separate all the material from the endosperm and vice versa. The pericarp and the seed coat and germs usually comprise 3 to 8 % of starch; that means the absolute loss of the starch of about 1%. This loss can be compensated by the basic material, i.e. the cereals and/or corn. The cleaned corn or cereal seed is then moved to the mill 18 for endosperm, where it is milled and then moved to the fermentation tank 20, where it is mixed with water to form so called mash (containing the starch) that is liquefied and saccharified with the use of suitable enzymes, such as Liguizone SC DS, SPIRIZYME FUEL, ALCASALE 2,5L, VISCOZIME, and the like. If the heat is used, the mash is liquefied in the usual range of temperatures 80-85 °C and after partial cooling, at the temperatures usually of 60 to 65 °C, it is converted into saccharides. This mash is then cooled to the temperature of about 35 °C, and then it is fermented to the alcohol stillage for about 60 to 72 hours. The alcohol stillage is then usually distilled under low pressure, e.g. of about 0.2 bar abs (0.02 MPa), in the distillation column 1 (in so called stillage distillation chamber). The distillate from the distillation column 1 is then distilled at the pressure of e.g. 3 bar (0.3 MPa) in the rectification chamber. There are different regimes for each technology or producer, i.e. different low pressures values in the stillage chamber, and different high pressures values in the rectification column; the boiling temperatures of the particular mixture correspond to these pressures. The rectification chamber usually heats the stillage chamber. The alcohol is further treated, usually with the use of molecular sieves, to the purity necessary for the use in fuels. The residues, cleaned from the pericarp, the seed coat and germs during the process of milling, issue from the distillation column 1 in the form of the liquid stillage. This liquid stillage is then centrifuged, i.e.

separated together with the residues of unsolved substances containing the residues of the pericarp, the seed coat and/or germs, and this solid part, called the cake, can be preferably energetically used for example according to the method of the Czech patent no. 300 196 or 301 071, or it can be admixed to the fuel, or it can be dried in a steam or drum dryer, or it can be added to the fuel and/or to the protein concentrate.

The liquid part itself, the so called the fugate, is thickened on multistage steam evaporators to obtain protein concentrate and/or it is dried in a dyer, usually in so called highspeed or spray dryer, which is a dryer similar to the dryer used for milk drying to obtain dried milk, thus to obtain dried protein concentrate, which is a second new product in the distillery.

A very valuable protein concentrate is thus formed and can be preferably granulated and used as the feeding component for wide range of livestock and other animals such as dogs, cats, birds, both ornamental and farming, or fish, also in intensive farming. This concentrate is cleaned from inappropriate impurities that composed approximately 60% of the DDGS. The DDGS prepared by this method according to the prior art contains from about 22 to 32% by weight of raw proteins in the product, that contains 90% of dry matter, which corresponds to the content of about 24.2% by weight to 35.2% by weight in 100% by weight of dry matter. On the contrary, the protein concentrate prepared by the method according to the invention contains approximately 2.5times higher amount, i.e. usually 55 to 80% by weight of raw proteins in the product containing 90% by weight of dry matter, which corresponds to the content of about 60.5 to 88% of raw proteins in 100% by weight of dry matter.

The raw protein is a sum of proteins or amino acids present in the particular product. The dried protein concentrate can be transported to long distances, because it has small volume weight and is highly valuable. The concentrate has high nutritional value, its price is much more higher than the price of the DDGS, so the economic benefit for the distillery is higher than the economic benefit from selling the DDGS; its applicability is better than the DDGS ^' s, and thanks to its low transport costs and higher price it can be transported among continents, so it can be sold in wider territory.

Preferred Embodiment of the Production of Bioalcohol

In the exemplifying embodiment, the technique used was as specified above, whereas about 1.82 tons of cereal per hour, having humidity of 14%, was processed. From the cereal, about 0.353 tons per hour of the seed coat and the pericarp and germs was obtained, about 0.026 tons per hour of starch remaining in the separated seed coat, pericarp and germs is calculated therein. Also 1.467 t/h of endosperm was obtained from that amount of the cereal. Approximately 4.54 t/h of new raw water and 1.429 t/h of the centrifuged fugate from the previous production were added, and after liquefying and saccharification of the mixture in the fermenting tank at the temperature of about 35 °C, alcohol mash was obtained. In the distillation column kept under low pressure of 0.2 bar abs, the mash was distilled. In the rectification chamber under higher pressure of 3 bar (0.3 MPa), the distillate from distillation column was concentrated to 96% alcohol. The alcohol was further dewatered on molecular sieves to obtain the bioalcohol having purity of more than 99.9%, in the amount of 0.505 t/h. After the centrifugation and drying of the stillage from the stillage column, about 0.267 tons of protein concentrate having the dry matter content of about 90% by weight was formed.

For a large distillery the recipe is as follows: Using the above described method, there are to be processed about 36.38 tons of cereal per hour, having humidity of 14%. From the cereal, about 7.07 tons per hour of the seed coat and the pericarp and germs is obtained, about 0.52 tons per hour of starch remaining a part of the separated seed coat, pericarp and germs is calculated therein. Also 29.31 t/h of endosperm is obtained from that amount of cereal. Approximately 90.85 t/h of new raw water and 28.58 t/h of the centrifuged fugate are added, and after liquefying and saccharification of the mixture in the fermenting tank at the temperature of about 35 °C, alcohol mash is obtained. In a distillation column kept under low pressure of 0.2 bar abs., the mash is distilled. In a rectification chamber under higher pressure of 3 bar (0.3 MPa), the distillate from distillation column is concentrated to 96% alcohol. The alcohol was further dewatered on molecular sieves to obtain the bioalcohol having purity of more than 99.9%, in the amount of 10.1 t/h. After centrifugation and drying of the stillage from the distillation column, about 5.39 tons of protein concentrate having the dry matter content of about 90% by weight is formed.

The protein concentrate obtained by the method according to the invention contains new types of proteins formed by the degradation of the original ones, and the protein concentrate contains also the residues of yeasts. The protein concentrate usually contains more than two times higher concentration of the proteins than the DDGS and it contains no gluten.

The comparison of the content of proteins / amino acids in the DDGS and in the protein concentrate is specified in the following table, the content of the dry matter is 88% (the value in parentheses is the range of the values from particular production plants, in %, based on the value before the parentheses representing 100%). The "old" DDGS" is the DDGS produced without enzymes, with yeasts only, the "new DDGS" is produced with the enzymes BAN and SAN, and "DDGS 1998" is produced by the method used in 1998.

"New DDGS " "Old DDGS " DDGS 1998

Lysine, % 0.75 (17.3) 0.47 (26.5) 0.59

Methionine, % 0.63 (13.6) 0.44 (4.5) 0.48

Threonine, % 0.99 (6.4) 0.86 (7.3) 0.89

Tryptophan, % 0.22 (6.7) 0.17 (19.8) 0.24

Valine, % 1.32 (7.2) 1.22 (2.3) 1.23

Arginine, % 1.06 (9.1) 0.81 (18.7) 1.07

Histidine, % 0.67 (7.8) 0.54 (15.2) 0.65

Leucine, % 3.12 (6.4) 2.61 (12.4) 2.43 Isoleucine, % 0.99 (8.7) 0.88 (9.1) 0.98 Phenylalanine, % 1.29 (6.6) 1.12 (8.1) 1,27

Further, there is specified the concentration of proteins / amino acids in the protein concentrate prepared by the method according to the invention, i.e. in the production of the bioalcohol from endosperm (without the pericarp, the seed coat, germs), whereas the first column represents the values obtained by the method corresponding to the method of the production of the new DDGS, except for the separation of the pericarp, the seed coat, and germ, and the second column represents the method of the production of the old DDGS.

Lysine, % 1.88 1.18

Methionine, % 1.58 1.10

Threonine, % 2.48 2.15

Tryptophan, % 0.55 0.43

Valine, % 3.30 3.05

Arginine, % 2.65 2.03

Histidine, % 1.68 1.35

Leucine, % 7.8 6.53

Isoleucine, % 2.48 2.20

Phenylalanine, % 3.23 2.8

The gluten free protein concentrate obtained by the method according to the invention and dewatered to the content of the dry matter of 86 to 90%, contains at least 0.85 % by weight of lysine, especially 0.85 % to 4% by weight of lysine, at least 0.82% by weight of methionine, especially 0.75 % to 4% by weight of methionine, at least 1.1 % by weight of threonine, especially 1.1 % to 6% by weight of threonine, at least 0.35 % by weight of tryptophan, especially 0.35 % to 3% by weight of tryptophan, at least 1.45 % by weight of valine, especially 1.45 % to 6% by weight of valine, at least 1.15 % by weight of arginine, especially 1.15 % to 5% by weight of arginine, at least 0.75 % by weight of histidine, especially 0.75 % to 3% by weight of histidine, at least 3.15 % by weight of leucine, especially 3.15 % to 15% by weight leucine, at least 1.1 isoleucine, especially 1.1 % to 6% by weight of isoleucin, at least 1.4 % by weight of phenylalanine, especially 1.4 % to 6% by weight of phenylalanine. The above mentioned content of amino acids is not comprehensive, there can be also other amino acids types participating on building the proteins of various types. Generally, the dry matter of protein concentrate contains more than 45 % by weight of proteins, namely more than 55% by weight, more than 60 % by weight of proteins.

In a preferred embodiment, the fuel made from agro biomass according to the CZ patent no. 301 071 can be added to the fuel made from the pericarp, and the seed coat, and germs of corn or cereals, in the preferred embodiment the bio mass can be straw, rape straw, or corn straw, or another agro biomass, or the fuel from another renewable source.

The use of the pericarp, and the seed coat, and germs as fuel was tested and the results of these tests are set in the following examples:

Example 1

Under laboratory conditions, the pericarp, the seed coat, and germs were combusted without any additives. After the combustion, the weight of ash was determined to be 4.09% of the weight of the combusted pericarp, seed coat, and germs. The analysis of the ash showed that the percentage of the content of sodium and potassium, i. e. their sum, was 22.18% of the total weight of ash. The melting point of the ash was lower than 760°C. This pericarp, seed coat, and germs did not prove to be suitable fuel because the temperature of the combustion chamber is usually higher than the melting point of the ash from the pericarp, the seed coat, and germs, so the melted ash would quickly stick the fluid layer or clog the chamber or the heat exchange surfaces of conventional boiler.

Example 2

Under laboratory conditions, the pericarp, the seed coat, and germs were combusted with added milled limestone. The analysis of the ash showed that the ratio of the content of sodium and potassium, i. e. their sum, towards the rest of the weight of the ash was 1 : 6.55, which means that 15.2% of total weight of the ash represents sodium and potassium. The melting point of the ash was 1,220°C. Similar results were obtained also with the use of calcium oxide CaO instead of the limestone. This fuel mixture could be combusted, but only under strict keeping of the technological practice, because any accidental change of the ratio of the pericarp, the seed coat, and germs, and the limestone or CaO in the mixture could increase the temperature in the combustion chamber above the melting point of the ash from the fuel mixture, and thus lead to sticking of the fluid layer or clogging the chamber or the heat exchange surfaces of the boiler. Example 3

Under laboratory conditions, the pericarp, the seed coat, and germs were combusted with added milled limestone. The analysis of the ash showed that the ratio of the content of sodium and potassium, i. e. their sum, with respect to the rest of the weight of the ash was 1 : 8.50, which means that 11.7% of total weight of the ash represents sodium and potassium. The melting point of the ash was 1,250°C. Similar results were obtained also with the use of calcium oxide CaO instead of the limestone. This fuel mixture could be combusted, but only under relatively careful keeping of the technological practice, because any accidental change of the ratio of the pericarp, the seed coat, and germs, and the limestone or CaO in the mixture could increase the temperature in the combustion chamber above the melting point of the ash from the fuel mixture, and thus lead to sticking of the fluid layer or clogging the chamber or the heat exchange surfaces of the boiler.

Example 4

Under laboratory conditions, the pericarp, the seed coat, and germs were combusted with added milled limestone. The analysis of the ash showed that the ratio of the content of sodium and potassium, i. e. their sum, with respect to the rest of the weight of the ash was 1 : 15.01, which means that 6.6% or less of total weight of the ash represents sodium and potassium. The melting point of the ash was 1,330°C. Similar results were obtained also with the use of calcium oxide CaO instead of the limestone. This fuel mixture could be combusted, the mixture was unsusceptible to an accidental change of the ratio of the pericarp, the seed coat, and germs, and the limestone or CaO in the mixture. There is no risk that the

temperature in the combustion chamber could increase above the melting point of the ash from the fuel mixture, so that there is no risk of sticking of the fluid layer or clogging the chamber or the heat exchange surfaces of the boiler.

Example 5

Under laboratory conditions, the pericarp, the seed coat, and germs were combusted with added dust from stone processing. The analysis of the ash showed that the ratio of the content of sodium and potassium, i. e. their sum, with respect to the rest of the weight of the ash was 1 : 17.51, which means that 5.71% or less of total weight of the ash represents sodium and potassium. The melting point of the ash was 1,340°C. This fuel mixture could be combusted, the mixture was unsusceptible to an accidental change of the ratio of the pericarp, the seed coat, and germs, and the dust in the mixture. There is no risk that the temperature in the combustion chamber could increase above the melting point of the ash from the fuel mixture, so that there is no risk of sticking of the fluid layer or clogging the chamber or the heat exchange surfaces of the boiler. Example 6

Under laboratory conditions, the pericarp, the seed coat, and germs were combusted with added ash material from coal burning from a fluid flow burner. The analysis of the ash showed that the ratio of the content of sodium and potassium, i. e. their sum, with respect to the rest of the weight of the ash was 1 : 20.01, which means that 4.99 % of total weight of the ash represents sodium and potassium. The melting point of the ash was 1,350°C. This fuel mixture could be combusted, the mixture was unsusceptible to an accidental change of the ratio of the pericarp, the seed coat, and germs, and the ash material in the mixture. There is no risk that the temperature in the combustion chamber could increase above the melting point of the ash from the fuel mixture, so that there is no risk of sticking of the fluid layer or clogging the chamber or the heat exchange surfaces of the boiler.

Example 7

Under laboratory conditions, the pericarp, the seed coat, and germs were combusted with added dust coal. The analysis of the ash showed that the ratio of the content of sodium and potassium, i. e. their sum, with respect to the rest of the weight of the ash was 1 : 25.22, which means that 3.96 % or less of total weight of the ash represents sodium and potassium. The melting point of the ash was 1,350°C. This fuel mixture could be combusted, the mixture was unsusceptible to an accidental change of the ratio of the pericarp, the seed coat, and germs, and the dust in the mixture. There is no risk that the temperature in the combustion chamber could increase above the melting point of the ash from the fuel mixture, so that there is no risk of sticking of the fluid layer or clogging the chamber or the heat exchange surfaces of the boiler.

The key idea of the invention lies in that the stillage remaining after the distillation of the endosperm are dewatered to liquid and/or solid protein concentrate, whereas the separated pericarp, the seed coat, and/or germs are combusted in the boiler in the distillery. This quite simple idea brings unexpected consequences that can enable the current distilleries to be run even after the drop of the high subventions or subsidies for electric energy production from biomass, or of other subventions resulting from the European regulations. This can be proved with the aid of the following example: The typical biodistillery produces about 100 thousand tons of bioalcohol. The production of 101,250 tons of bioalcohol per year, which represents the energy of 2,733,750 GJ, consumes 352,701 tons of corn containing 70% of starch. Further the distillery consumes 45,836,00 m ³ of natural gas for the production, which represents the energy of 1,402,596 GJ. At the average price of natural gas of 8 CZK/m ³ , 366.7 million CZK is expended for natural gas. Furthermore, the biodistillery consumes approximately 56,700 MWh of electricity, which usually represents 583,000 GJ of primary fuel, usually from the non-renewable source, of the price of 141.7 million CZK. For the production of 2,733,750 GJ of energy, the biodistillery consumes 1,985,796 GJ of fossil fuel, which represents about 72.6% of the energy produced there.

The above mentioned amount of corn provides 58,626 tons of the fuel from the pericarp, the seed coat, and germs, which represents the energy of 908,706 GJ in the form of renewable source. The use of this fuel itself represents 213.8 million CZK per year saved for the natural gas. Combustion of this fuel further produces up to 37,863 MWh of electricity, which saves about 97 million CZK for electricity.

The above mentioned facts imply that this biodistillery saves about 308 million CZK of costs per year. In addition there is a gain of 123 million for the protein concentrate. The permits for C0 ₂ save about 19 million. In total, the distillery saves or gains about 422 million CZK. In the process of the production of the bioalcohol, it represents the reduction of about 3.34 CZK per litre of the alcohol. The loss of starch during the removing the pericarp, the seed coat, or germs is fully compensated with lower costs for energy or higher gains. The loss of starch contained in the separated pericarp, the seed coat, and germs represents only the loss of the price of cereals and the costs for its separation necessary for replacing the lost starch. The price per one ton of cereals is usually 140 eur. At the heating power of 16 MJ/kg, which represents 8.75 eur/GJ, i.e. 236 CZK/GJ, the price is comparable with the price per GJ obtained from natural gas. It means that the loss of the starch is, in the rough, equal to the price of conventional fuel used in a distillery, i.e. the price of natural gas.

It absolutely does not represent the loss of the starch not converted into the alcohol because this starch did not enter the process of the conversion into alcohol, i.e. the distillery process as whole, i.e. neither the phase of liquefying and saccharification, nor the phase of at least two stages of distillation and saccharification, and other processes. If this starch passed this process, it would represent important loss, as this loss would be the loss of the price of the alcohol that would not be produced, but the energy, other operation costs, and a part of the investment, i.e. the depreciation, would be spent. In this case, the loss would represent an important sum.

In the conventional distillery process, it is necessary to add approximately 4-fold amount of water to the pericarp, the seed coat, and germs; this amount has to pass the whole process, i.e. particularly the heating, distillation, cooling, multistage pumping, drying, so this amount has to be counted in the investment costs. If the proposed method is used, other costs per wasted energy are saved or they can be used more efficiently and enhance the bioalcohol production. In theory, up to 18% of energy can be saved, which would represent about 1,980,000 x 0.18 = 356,400 GJ of heat of the price of 230 CZK/GJ, i.e. approximately 82 million CZK (i.e. 3 million eur). This sum represents other savings of 0.809 CZK/L of the alcohol.

This distillery using the method of the invention would preferably take the advantage of the possibility to produce 18% more of alcohol with the use of the same plant. Of course, this would positively influence the whole distillery economy.

If another by-product of the cereal culture is added to the particular fuel, i.e. the straw, the fossil fuels can be fully replaced in the process of the bioalcohol production. This fuel can be declared fully renewable source, with total savings of C0 ₂ higher or equal in comparison with the supposed biofuels of the second generation. The C0 ₂ saving in the production of the bioalcohol will be in the range of 69 up to about 85%. This value can increase in the case of higher production of electrical energy, or in the case of using the E85 or biodiesel for fields farming or for base materials and bioalcohol transport. As the biofuels of the second generation are more energy consuming than the biofuels of the first generation, it can be expected that, under equal conditions, the biofuels of the first generation are economically more preferable than the biofuels of the second generation. At efficient energetics design, the recovery of the energy source can be achieved within approximately 3 years, i.e. the yield rate of about 28.48%)., which means unprecedented value in the field of energetic sources. At current stock exchange prices of alcohol and corn, the gross gain of the distillery, before the taxation, can be approximately 781 million CZK per year. Industrial Applicability

The invention can be used namely in the production of the alcohol in a distillery.