Continuous production of ethanol by use of flocculent Zymomonas mobilis

Patent · Thu Jan 28 04:00:00 EST 1982

OSTI ID:6747817

Arcuri, E. J.; Donaldson, T. L.

Improved means and process for producing ethanol by fermentation are provided. Another object of the invention is to produce ethanol in a continuous-flow process by means of a biological catalyst that can be retained in a continuous-flow reactor vessel without being bonded to or held within a support material. An additional object of the invention is to provide a fermentation reactor vessel wherein disturbance of the desirable plug flow of sugar solution is minimized. These objects are attained by the preferred apparatus and process of the invention which utilize a newly-discovered flocculent strain of Zymomonas mobilis for converting sugar to ethanol in a continuous flow-type reactor vessel. The flow rate of a sugar-containing solution through a column containing the floc-forming strain of Z. mobilis is adjusted so that a sufficient conversion of sugar to ethanol is achieved in the column and the flocculent Z. mobilis is not washed away in effluent from the column. Carbon dioxide gas generated by the fermentation process is vented from a plurality of points spaced along an inclined column in which the process is conducted, thus minimizing disturbance of the plug flow of liquid by this gas.

• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• Assignee: Dept. of Energy
• Patent Number(s): PATENTS-US-A343610
• Application Number: ON: DE83002378
• OSTI ID: 6747817
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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ALCOHOLS
BACTERIA
BIOCONVERSION
BIOSYNTHESIS
CARBOHYDRATES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTORS
DESIGN
ETHANOL
FERMENTATION
FLOCCULATION
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
MICROORGANISMS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PRECIPITATION
SACCHARIDES
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SYNTHESIS
ZYMOMONAS MOBILIS