Patent ID: 8212093

Claim:
Process for preparing an alcohol containing stream from an alcohol producing fermentation zone as a feed for an olefin reaction zone by removing organic acids, said process comprising: a) passing a fermentation stream produced in a fermentation zone to a separation zone, said fermentation stream comprising an alcohol, water and an organic acid; b) concentrating the alcohol and organic acid into an upper column fraction in said separation zone; c) injecting an additive for neutralization of said organic acid into contact with said upper column fraction; d) reacting said additive with said organic acid to produce a neutralized product that passes to a lower portion of a separation column within said separation zone; e) recovering a column overhead from said separation zone having an increased concentration of the alcohol and a reduced concentration of said organic acid; f) recovering a column bottoms stream containing said neutralization product; and, g) returning the column bottoms stream from said separation zone to an alcohol producing fermentation zone.