Dry-grind process for fuel ethanol by continuous fermentation and stripping.
Conversion of a high-solids saccharified corn mash to ethanol by continuous fermentation and stripping was successfully demonstrated in a pilot plant consuming 25 kg of corn per day. A mathematical model based on previous pilot plant results accurately predicts the specific growth rate obtained from these latest results. This model was incorporated into a simulation of a complete dry-grind corn-to-ethanol plant, and the cost of ethanol production was compared with that of a conventional process. The results indicate a savings of $0.03 per gallon of ethanol produced by the stripping process. The savings with stripping result from the capacity to ferment a more concentrated corn mash so there is less water to remove downstream.
Taylor
F
F
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Eastern Regional Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania 19038, USA. ftaylor@arserrc.gov
Kurantz
M J
MJ
Goldberg
N
N
McAloon
A J
AJ
Craig
J C
JC
D000431:Ethanol / Q000378:metabolism*; D005285:Fermentation; D005742:Gasoline; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000378:metabolism
D005742:Gasoline; D000431:Ethanol