Ensiling Agent Treatment for Sugar Beet Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Sugar beets cannot be harvested year-round due to climatic conditions, leading to storage issues under aerobic conditions which result in significant sucrose degradation and reduced sugar content, limiting the competitiveness of sugar and ethanol production.
Innovation Solution
Treatment of uncrushed sugar beets with an ensiling agent, such as formate or propionate, to reduce sugar breakdown during storage, creating anaerobic conditions and maintaining high sucrose and total sugar content.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If sugar beets are stored aerobically in field-side piles, then storage is simple and accessible, but significant sucrose degradation occurs reducing sugar content
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies anaerobic conditions (inert atmosphere without oxygen) in the silo to prevent aerobic degradation of sucrose. By excluding oxygen during storage, the harmful aerobic metabolism that breaks down sucrose is prevented, while still allowing controlled anaerobic fermentation that preserves sugar content.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the storage environment parameters from aerobic to anaerobic conditions. This fundamental parameter change transforms the storage process from one causing sucrose degradation to one that preserves sugar content, enabling long-term storage without significant losses.
2Productivity
If beets are stored for extended periods to match processing capacity, then production efficiency improves, but sugar content decreases due to degradation
Solution Approach 1:
By creating an anaerobic environment in the silo, the patent prevents the aerobic degradation processes that would otherwise reduce sugar content during extended storage. This enables long-term storage (matching processing capacity) without the typical sugar losses.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent allows controlled anaerobic fermentation to proceed partially, producing some organic acids that actually help preserve the sugar by creating unfavorable conditions for harmful microorganisms, while preventing excessive degradation through the anaerobic environment.
3Stability of the object's composition
If conventional ensiling is applied to uncrushed beets, then anaerobic conditions are achieved, but high sugar losses occur due to extensive carbohydrate breakdown
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a preservative coating to the beet surfaces before storage. This preliminary action prevents microbial contamination and degradation at the surface, which is the primary entry point for degradation processes, thereby protecting the internal sugar content during subsequent anaerobic storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses anaerobic conditions in the silo to suppress microbial activity and enzymatic degradation. By maintaining an inert anaerobic environment, the patent achieves stability in sugar composition without the extensive carbohydrate breakdown that occurs in conventional ensiling methods.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Significantly reduces sugar loss by maintaining high sucrose and total sugar levels, allowing for more efficient sugar and bioethanol production from stored beets.
Implementation Method 1
Under anaerobic conditions, microorganisms, especially lactic acid bacteria and yeasts, rapidly multiply on the substrate surface, which break down the available water-soluble carbohydrates (mono- and oligosaccharides) into organic acids and alcohol.
Implementation Method 2
After the plant material has been stored and the air has been sealed off, the residual oxygen contained in the silo is quickly exhaled.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to the use of an ensiling agent for treating whole taproots. The invention further relates to a method for obtaining sugar and bioethanol from sugar beets. The use of the ensiling agent allows the sugar breakdown in the taproots during the storage thereof to be significantly reduced.