Ethanol recovery from corn fiber hydrolysate fermentations by pervaporation.
Corn fiber, a byproduct of corn wet milling, is an attractive feedstock for biomass ethanol production. Corn fiber was hydrolyzed by dilute sulfuric acid and neutralized by one of two methods: conventional lime treatment or neutralization by strongly basic anion exchange. The anion exchange neutralized (AEN) hydrolysate contained substantially lower levels of the inhibiting compounds furfural, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, and acetic acid compared to the lime neutralized hydrolysate. In batch fermentations the ethanol yields and final ethanol concentration of the two hydrolysates were similar at 0.32-0.43 g/g and 29-44 g/l, respectively. Sugar consumption in the AEN fermentations was superior. Coupling of a membrane pervaporation unit to a fed-batch fermentation of AEN hydrolysate maintained the ethanol concentration below 25 g/l with complete sugar utilization for approximately 5 days. A concentrated ethanol stream of 17 wt.% ethanol was produced by the pervaporation unit.
O'Brien
Dennis J
DJ
US Department of Agriculture, Eastern Regional Research Center, 600 E. Mermaid Lane, Wyndmoor, PA 19038, USA. dobrien@arserrc.gov
Senske
Gerard E
GE
Kurantz
Michael J
MJ
Craig
James C
JC
D017610:Calcium Compounds; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000378:metabolism*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005285:Fermentation; D007700:Kinetics; D010087:Oxides; D011492:Protein Hydrolysates / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D013464:Sulfuric Acids; D003313:Zea mays / Q000378:metabolism*
D017610:Calcium Compounds; D010087:Oxides; D011492:Protein Hydrolysates; D013464:Sulfuric Acids; D000431:Ethanol; C016538:lime; C033158:sulfuric acid