Taiyo Nippon Sanso (TNSC) announced on December 3 that it would start a market research on the dehydration system using “ZEBREX” zeolite membranes developed by Mitsubishi Chemical (MCC) for bioethanol production processes in the U.S.

Matheson Tri-Gas of TNSC’s wholly-owned U.S. subsidiary has so far been selling helium and others to bioethanol producers. It is intended this time that MCC provides zeolite membranes and modules, and Mitsubishi Chemical Engineering of MCC’s group company manufactures the dehydration system for an expanded distribution making the most of Matheson Tri-Gas’s sales network.

This business is one of the developments aimed for synergy effects in the chemical field by Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings of parent company and TNSC. Bioethanol is a fuel made from biomass such as sugar cane and corn. It has been widespread as a fuel over the world in step with efforts to reduce CO2 emissions. In the US, especially, with the back- ground of amendment of Clean Air Act in 1990 and enforcement of Energy Policy Act in 2005, there has been an increased demand for the promoted addition of bioethanol to gasoline. Further to the 215 units of bioethanol plants (50 million KL per year in total) in operation now, more new constructions are being planned.

The MCC-developed “ZEBREX” zeolite membranes is used in the dehydration plant to separate ethanol and isopropanol from water which is contained much in the bioethanol materials. In comparison with the conventional zeolite membranes, it excels so much in waterproof which enables separation in high-water-content environments that an energy consumption can be reduced by 5% to 10% and the production may be boosted by about 10%.

In future, the system will be sold through Matheson Tri-Gas and local distributors for a forecast sales of JPY6 billion until 2020.