A process for the removal of water from ethanol-water mixtures

The world is struggling with continuous and sustainable energy supply, especially with increasing population. Renewable energy is the solution to the energy issue we are faced with instead of fossil derived fuels. Bioethanol is a potential alternative liquid fuel traditionally produced from fermentation of agricultural products. However, its direct use as a fuel is limited due to the presence of water, making its purification a necessity. Currently, purification is done using pressure swing adsorption and distillation, but the cost of the process is still a challenge, and they are energy intensive. This invention provides a process for the removal of water from an ethanol- water mixture. The process comprises introducing an adsorbent material into an ethanol-water mixture to form an ethanol-water-adsorbent mixture, introducing an ultrasonic energy source into the ethanol-water mixture or the ethanol-water-adsorbent mixture, and providing ultrasonic energy source from the ultrasonic energy source to the ethanol-water-adsorbent mixture. The invention further provides a method of increasing the adsorption capacity of silica gel.