Terpene Surfactant Emulsion for Fermentation Yield
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Solution Overview
Problem
Commercial bioethanol production faces inefficiencies due to contaminating microorganisms that reduce ethanol yield and require frequent plant shutdowns for sanitization, leading to increased costs and reduced productivity.
Innovation Solution
Adding a combination of a terpene and a surfactant to the fermentation medium to enhance the production rate and yield of non-terpene organic compounds, such as ethanol, while reducing cleaning requirements and maintaining yeast viability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If rigorous sanitation practices are used to prevent contamination, then product purity is improved, but operational costs and time for cleaning increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates contaminating microorganisms from the fermentation system by using a biological control agent (bacteriophage) that specifically targets and destroys the harmful bacteria, removing the source of contamination rather than relying on periodic sanitation interventions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a bacteriophage as an intermediary biological agent that mediates between the fermentation process and contaminant control, using a natural predator-prey relationship to maintain product purity without requiring shutdowns for sanitation
2Reliability
If frequent plant shutdowns occur for sanitization, then product purity is maintained, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables continuous fermentation operation by using bacteriophage to maintain sanitation during ongoing production, allowing the useful action of ethanol production to continue without interruption while still controlling contamination
Solution Approach 2:
The system becomes self-sanitizing through the bacteriophage that automatically targets and eliminates contaminating bacteria as they appear, providing continuous contamination control without external sanitation interventions or production shutdowns
3Reliability
If antibiotics are used to treat contaminating microorganisms, then product purity is improved, but operational complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses bacteriophage, a simple biological agent that can be easily introduced and works temporarily to eliminate contaminants, replacing complex antibiotic treatment protocols with a simpler, more targeted biological control approach
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the control parameter from chemical antibiotics to biological bacteriophage, transforming the sanitation approach from broad-spectrum chemical treatment to specific biological control, simplifying the overall process while maintaining effectiveness
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 terpene/surfactant combination increases ethanol production rates by over 75% and extends the time between plant shutdowns for cleaning, improving overall fermentation efficiency and reducing operational costs.
Implementation Method 1
The metabolic activities of bacteria, yeasts, fungi, and mixtures of these organisms have been used for thousands of years to modify compounds and to produce new compounds
Implementation Method 2
adding a combination of a terpene and a surfactant to the fermentation medium
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and compositions for improving the production of ethanol by a microorganism in a fermentation medium are provided, where the method comprises adding to the fermentation medium an emulsion comprising a monoterpene and a surfactant in an amount sufficient to improve the production of ethanol.