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U.S. Department of Energy
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Farm-sized immobilized cell reactor for the conversion of biomass to ethanol. Final project report

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6882997

An on-farm sized (small scale) immobilized cell reactor (I.C.R.) or continuous fermentor was developed that would convert an acid hydrolyzed grain (corn) fermentable mash to an ethanol solution. Although not within the scope of this project, it was necessary to develop a continuous high pressure dilute acid hydrolysis steam cooking unit and attending boiler, grain metering, milling, scalping, pumping, etc. equipment that produced the sterilized mash. A 20-gallon net capacity I.C.R. was operated with continuous flow at an average of 10 GPH of hydrolyzate (mash) and produced 1 GPH of ethanol from 0.5 BPH of corn. Although theoretical yields were not achieved, 2 gallon/BU ethanol yield is practical for a small scale (on-farm sized) operation and with improvements from fine-tuning the hydrolysis section and fermentor, yields of 90% of theoretical should be achieved.

Research Organization:
KXL, Inc., St. Louis, MO (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
FG47-80R701134
OSTI ID:
6882997
Report Number(s):
DOE/R7/01134-T1; ON: DE84007860
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English