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U.S. Department of Energy
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Ethanol from corn silage. Final report

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5857958

The corn silage to ethanol process is described. The process feed is corn silage preserved with sulfuric acid. No anaerobic ensilement is necessary since H/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ completely prevents microbial growth. The acidified corn silage is heated by steam injection as it is loaded into a batch reactor. The polysaccharides are hydrolyzed to xylose and glucose over a 6 to 8 hour period. Then the sugars are washed from the residual fibers over a 6 to 12 hour period with thin stillage or water. The hot, acidic syrup is then neutralized and cooled for fermentation. After fermentation the ethanol is distilled. The residual fibers containing the thin stillage, corn germ, cellulose, and lignin are unloaded from the reactor and dried with flue gases for animal feed.

Research Organization:
Purdue Univ., Lafayette, IN (USA). Lab. of Renewable Resources Engineering
DOE Contract Number:
FG02-80R510224
OSTI ID:
5857958
Report Number(s):
DOE/R5/10224-2; ON: DE82005299
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English