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Ethanol‐type fermentation from carbohydrate in high rate acidogenic reactor
Author(s) -
Ren Nanqi,
Wang Baozhen,
Huang JuChang
Publication year - 1997
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(19970605)54:5<428::aid-bit3>3.0.co;2-g
Subject(s) - acidogenesis , fermentation , chemistry , acetic acid , ethanol , mixed acid fermentation , yield (engineering) , ethanol fermentation , food science , chromatography , biochemistry , anaerobic digestion , organic chemistry , lactic acid , materials science , bacteria , lactic acid fermentation , biology , methane , metallurgy , genetics
It has been found, in this study, that a new ethanol‐type fermentation can be obtained in a continuous flow, high‐rate acidogenic reactor receiving molasses as the feed. The operating pH must be maintained at about 4.5 to avoid onset of propionic fermentation. The acidogenic reactor had a VSS level of 20 g/L and its organic loading was as high as 80 to 90 kg COD/m 3 d. The operating ORP was around ‐250 mV. The ethanol‐type fermentation was characterized by a simultaneous production of acetic acid and ethanol, while the yield of propionic was minimal even at a high organic loading rate of 80 to 90 kg COD/m 3 d, and also, the hydrogen partial pressure was as high as 50 kPa. Thus, this study has shown that the production of propionic acid is not always related to high hydrogen partial pressure. When the operating pH was increased to 5.5, the yield of propionic acid became significant. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Biotechnol Bioeng 54: 428–433, 1997.