GRAS Cleaning Composition for Ethanol Fermentation Vessels

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional cleaning methods in ethanol fermentation vessels, such as hydroblasting and sodium hydroxide solutions, are ineffective at low concentrations, lead to bacterial infections, and cause foaming, resulting in reduced cleaning efficiency and financial losses due to biofilm buildup and calcium carbonate deposits.

Innovation Solution

A cleaning composition comprising gluconate, polyglucoside, strong acids or bases, and defoamers, which are Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) by the FDA, effectively removes biofilm and spent grain residue by reducing surface tension and preventing foaming, thereby improving cleaning efficacy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If sodium hydroxide solution is used for cleaning fermentation vessels, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but foaming occurs which reduces cleaning efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleaning effectivenessVSAvoidfoaming

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes the harmful foaming property from the cleaning solution by adding defoamers to the sodium hydroxide solution, allowing the cleaning effectiveness to be maintained while eliminating the adverse foaming effect

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the harmful foaming effect into a beneficial outcome by using the foam generation and subsequent defoaming process to enhance penetration of the cleaning solution into biofilm structures, then rapidly collapsing the foam to leave behind concentrated cleaning agents in hard-to-reach areas

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

2Loss of substance

If sodium hydroxide concentration is reduced below 5% to reduce costs, then operational costs decrease, but cleaning effectiveness deteriorates and bacterial infections increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperational costsVSAvoidcleaning effectiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a composite cleaning solution combining sodium hydroxide with surfactants and defoamers, where the synergistic interaction between components allows effective cleaning at lower sodium hydroxide concentrations, reducing costs while maintaining reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the chemical parameters of the cleaning solution by adding surfactants that enhance the cleaning mechanism, allowing the system to achieve the same cleaning effectiveness at lower sodium hydroxide concentrations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Manufacturing precision

If extended cleaning time is used to improve cleaning thoroughness, then cleaning quality improves, but productivity decreases due to lost ethanol yield

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleaning qualityVSAvoidethanol yield

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-treating the fermentation vessels with the enhanced cleaning solution containing surfactants and defoamers, which rapidly penetrates and loosens biofilm structures, allowing for quicker subsequent cleaning steps and reducing overall cleaning time while maintaining high cleaning quality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Reliability

If calcium carbonate and calcium oxalate buildup is allowed to occur, then equipment complexity and cleaning frequency increase, but initial cleaning solution effectiveness is improved

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleaning solution effectivenessVSAvoidequipment buildup

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by adding defoamers to prevent foam formation that would trap calcium carbonate and calcium oxalate deposits, thereby preventing buildup before it occurs and maintaining equipment simplicity while preserving cleaning solution effectiveness

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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

The cleaning composition effectively penetrates and removes biofilms and residues, reducing bacterial infections and calcium carbonate buildup, enhancing ethanol yield and reducing operational costs by eliminating the need for additional rinse steps and defoaming solutions.

Implementation Method 1

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSurface tension reduction: Surfactant

Data Source

PatentUS11052431B2Compositions and methods for GRAS compliant cleaners for ethanol production equipment

Publication Date: 2021.07.06 CLEAR SOLUTIONS USA LLC

AI summary

The present technology relates to various cleaning compositions and their methods of use in industrial facilities such as ethanol and biofuel producing vessels. Cleaning compositions according to the present technology may be Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) as designated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The cleaning compositions of the present technology may effectively remove biofilm buildup and/or spent grain residue from industrial fermentation vessels and associated apparatus. Various embodiments of the cleaning composition may comprise various surfactants, chelators, acids, bases, and/or defoamers. Some embodiments of the cleaning composition may comprise a gluconate, a glucoside, a strong acid or base, and/or a defoamer.