Brewer's Yeast Water Fortifier via Polyamine Fermentation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods lack an economically viable solution for utilizing wastewater from beer production with very low protein concentrations for the production of effective fortifiers and fertilizers, and there is a need to reduce the environmental impact of this waste by converting it into beneficial products.

Innovation Solution

A process involving the direct fermentation of beer wastewater with a low protein concentration, utilizing a mixture of brewer's yeast water, amino acids, and a maceration of shredded fish waste, to produce a fortifier rich in polyamines such as putrescine, cadaverine, spermidine, and spermine, which enhances plant growth and flowering without harming the environment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If brewer's yeast water with very low protein concentration is directly fermented, then economically viable fortifier production is achieved and environmental pollution is reduced, but the process lacks effectiveness compared to high protein content fermentation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveeconomic viabilityVSAvoidprocess effectiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the key parameter of protein concentration by adding amino acid supplements to the low-protein brewer's yeast water. This transformation converts the limiting factor (low protein) into an advantage, allowing direct fermentation of diluted waste to produce effective fortifiers with polyamines, thereby resolving the contradiction between economic viability and process effectiveness

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the harmful waste stream (diluted brewer's yeast water) into a beneficial product (fortifier). By fermenting this previously useless or polluting waste and adding amino acids, the process transforms environmental harm into economic and environmental benefit, producing a valuable agricultural product while eliminating pollution

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

2Quantity of substance

If amino acids are added to brewer's yeast water before fermentation, then polyamine content is enhanced and plant growth is improved, but the process complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepolyamine contentVSAvoidprocess complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes the amino acid addition step serve multiple functions: it provides nitrogen source for fermentation, enhances polyamine production, and improves the nutritional value of the final fortifier. This multi-functionality justifies the added process step by achieving several objectives simultaneously, thereby resolving the contradiction between enhanced polyamine content and increased process complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Ease of manufacture

If brewer's yeast water is released into the environment, then no further processing is needed, but uncontrolled fermentation occurs and causes environmental pollution

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing simplicityVSAvoidenvironmental pollution
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent captures the harmful waste stream (brewer's yeast water) and converts it into a beneficial fortifier product through controlled fermentation. By adding amino acids and conducting controlled fermentation, the process transforms potential environmental pollution into a valuable agricultural product, eliminating the harmful effects while maintaining simplicity

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

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces controlled fermentation as an intermediary process between waste discharge and environmental release. This controlled intermediate step prevents uncontrolled environmental fermentation by capturing the waste, conducting controlled fermentation to produce useful products, and only then releasing the treated product, thereby resolving the contradiction between processing simplicity and environmental protection

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 resulting fortifier significantly improves crop yields and reduces environmental pollution by transforming harmful wastewater into a beneficial product with enhanced polyamine content, demonstrating increased plant growth, flowering, and root development while maintaining ecological compatibility.

Implementation Method 1

A process involving the direct fermentation of beer wastewater with a low protein concentration, utilizing a mixture of brewer's yeast water, amino acids, and a maceration of shredded fish waste, to produce a fortifier rich in polyamines

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFermentation: Fermentation

Data Source

PatentEP3919465B1Obtaining improved water fortifier from brewer's yeast water
Publication Date: 2023.01.25 ADOBS I INNOVACIO FITOVEGETAL HORTUS NATURA SL
  • EP3919465B1 patent drawingFigure 1a~2b
  • EP3919465B1 patent drawingFigure 3a~4
  • EP3919465B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

A method for obtaining an improved fortifier from wastewater yeast with low protein concentration comprising: obtaining a sample of waste water from a brewer's water; filtering the wastewater through a 80 µηι pore filter; magnetically treating a liquid portion of the filtering step; adding at least 6 times a volume of a mixing of a shredded and homogenized fish waste with a saline solution, 0,9% NaCI in weight, in a proportion of 1 kg / 6-10 liters, and adjusting the pH to 5 with acetic acid to form a slurry; adding to the slurry amino acids and magnesium salt maintaining a content greater than 0.1 % dry weight of free amino acids during incubation and at least 0.1% dry weight content of magnesium cation (Mg+2); keeping in the slurry concentrations of nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium to less than 3% as a whole; fermenting the slurry at temperatures of between 24°C and 26°C, making a smooth, continuous motion of the slurry to form a fermenting product; incubating the fermenting product for 20 to 40 days, depending on the desired degree of concentration of the final components; filtering the incubating product through 80 µηι pore filter; and adjusting the pH between 4.5 and 7.0.