Performance and longevity of immobilized Zymomonas mobilis in a small pilot-scale fluidized-bed reactor for fuel ethanol production
- Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)
Biocatalyst longevity studies were completed using Zymomonas mobilis in a small-scale pilot plant (2 m tall with a 10.2-cm ID) fluidized-bed reactor (FBR) using laboratory and industrial feedstocks donated by A. E. Staley Manufacturing Company. The Z. mobilis was immobilized at cell loading of 15 to 80 g (dry wt) L{sup -1} in beads (1 to 1.5-mm-diam.) of {kappa}-carrageenan (4 wt%). Volumetric productivites (50 to 200 g EtOH h{sup -1} L{sup -1}) approaching two orders of magnitude greater than industrial benchmarks were demonstrated along with near complete conversions. Due to improved hydrodynamics these results were twice that of previous benchscale FBR experiments ( 40 to 110 g ethanol L{sup -1}h{sup -1}). For the experiment, the average percent of theoretical yield, 96%, was higher than industrial benchmarks (typically 92 to 95%). Further, temperature and pH were maintained within the desired range of 30 to 34{degrees}C and 4.8 to 5.2, respectively. The biocatalyst has been shown to be active for more than 8 weeks using non-sterile feed. These experiments have identified other potential improvements which may provide further increases in ethanol productivity along with good operability. 6 refs., 1 fig.
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-96OR22464
- OSTI ID:
- 416370
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-960730--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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