Overlay Fermentation Process for Ethanol Conversion Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ethanol production processes in plants face challenges in increasing production rate and conversion efficiency while minimizing capital and operating costs, and in producing higher value bio-products like hydrocarbons without significant investment.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of an overlay fermentation process that uses a biocatalyst with a solid structure of hydrated hydrophilic polymer and a population of microorganisms retained within its interior, capable of bioconverting sugars to ethanol or other organic products, such as succinic acid, using carbon dioxide as a co-substrate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional batch fermentation is used to maximize sugar conversion, then ethanol production rate decreases, but if fermentation time is extended to increase conversion, then microorganism viability decreases due to adverse ethanol concentration effects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the fermentation process into two distinct stages: a first fermentation stage that converts sugars to ethanol under controlled conditions, and a second fermentation stage that converts remaining sugars to volatile fatty acids. This segmentation allows each stage to operate under optimized conditions, preventing ethanol concentration from becoming adversely high while maintaining high overall conversion efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements continuous useful action by conducting the second fermentation stage continuously after the first stage, ensuring that remaining sugars are fully converted to volatile fatty acids rather than being wasted. This continuous conversion maximizes sugar utilization while the volatile fatty acids can be separately processed, maintaining microorganism viability throughout.
2Productivity
If water is added to maintain ethanol concentration below deleterious levels, then sugar conversion efficiency decreases, but if water is limited to improve conversion, then ethanol concentration becomes adversely high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful effect by separating the ethanol production function from the sugar conversion function. In the first stage, ethanol is produced and then removed or diluted to prevent adverse concentration effects. In the second stage, the same microorganisms continue converting remaining sugars to volatile fatty acids. This extraction allows high sugar conversion without the harmful accumulation of ethanol concentration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the product parameter from ethanol to volatile fatty acids in the second fermentation stage. By changing what the microorganisms produce, the system can maintain high sugar conversion efficiency without the harmful concentration effects of ethanol, as the volatile fatty acids are produced in controlled amounts and can be separately processed.
3Productivity
If existing ethanol plant equipment is used, then capital costs are minimized, but production rate increases require greater feed flow rate that may exceed existing equipment capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the existing fermentation equipment multi-functional by using it for both ethanol production in the first stage and volatile fatty acid production in the second stage. The same reactors and equipment handle both processes sequentially, eliminating the need for separate equipment and avoiding capital expenditures while maximizing the utilization of existing capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary action by completing the first fermentation stage to produce ethanol and then immediately transitioning to the second stage to convert remaining sugars to volatile fatty acids. This preliminary conversion of sugars to volatile fatty acids prevents them from remaining in the system, allowing the equipment to operate at maximum capacity continuously without requiring additional equipment for separate processing.
4Loss of energy
If thin stillage is set back to avoid evaporation energy costs, then component concentration increases that can inhibit enzyme activities and microbial metabolism
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful components from the thin stillage by using the second fermentation stage to convert sugars and other components to volatile fatty acids. This extraction process removes the inhibitory components from the fermentation system, allowing thin stillage to be set back without the energy costs of evaporation while preventing enzyme inhibition and microbial metabolism disruption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potentially harmful concentrated components in the thin stillage into beneficial volatile fatty acids through the second fermentation stage. The components that would normally inhibit enzymes and microorganisms are instead converted to useful volatile fatty acids that can be processed separately, turning a harmful concentration effect into a beneficial product.
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
This approach enhances ethanol production rates and conversion efficiencies, reduces energy costs by minimizing the need for additional distillation equipment, and allows for the production of higher value bio-products without significant capital expenditures.
Implementation Method 1
The sugars are then fermented to ethanol using a suitable microorganism such as yeast
Implementation Method 2
capable of bioconverting sugars to ethanol or other organic products, such as succinic acid, using carbon dioxide as a co-substrate
Implementation Method 3
a solid structure of hydrated hydrophilic polymer defining an interior structure having a plurality of interconnected major cavities
Data Source
AI summary
Overlay processes are disclosed for making ethanol that not only increase ethanol conversion but do so in a cost effective manner with a reduction in energy requirements per unit of ethanol production. The processes can provide, if desired, higher organic compound as a co-product with ethanol.