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Control of packed column fouling in the continuous fermentation and stripping of ethanol
Author(s) -
Taylor Frank,
Kurantz Michael J.,
Goldberg Neil,
Craig James C.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
biotechnology and bioengineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.136
H-Index - 189
eISSN - 1097-0290
pISSN - 0006-3592
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0290(19960705)51:1<33::aid-bit4>3.0.co;2-1
Subject(s) - stripping (fiber) , fermentation , chemistry , ethanol , chromatography , volume (thermodynamics) , packed bed , ethanol fermentation , volumetric flow rate , carbon dioxide , condenser (optics) , pulp and paper industry , food science , materials science , biochemistry , organic chemistry , light source , physics , quantum mechanics , optics , composite material , engineering
By recycling the contents of a 14 L fermentor through a stripping column to continuously remove ethanol and reduce product inhibition, continuous complete conversion of nutrient feed containing 600 g/L glucose was achieved in a small pilot plant. Ethanol was recovered from the carbon dioxide stripping gas in a refrigerated condenser, and the gas was reheated with steam and recycled by a blower. Productivity of ethanol in the fermentor as high as 15.8 g/L/h and condensate production of up to 10 L/day of almost 50% by volume ethanol were maintained for up to 60 days of continuous operation. Weekly washing of the column packing in situ was required to prevent loss of performance caused by attached growth of yeast cells, which restricts the gas flow rate through the stripping column. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.