Sterilization of fermentation vessels by ethanol/water mixtures

Patent · 09 February 1999

OSTI ID:872137

Wyman, Charles E ^[1]

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1. Lakewood, CO

A method for sterilizing process fermentation vessels with a concentrated alcohol and water mixture integrated in a fuel alcohol or other alcohol production facility. Hot, concentrated alcohol is drawn from a distillation or other purification stage and sprayed into the empty fermentation vessels. This sterilizing alcohol/water mixture should be of a sufficient concentration, preferably higher than 12% alcohol by volume, to be toxic to undesirable microorganisms. Following sterilization, this sterilizing alcohol/water mixture can be recovered back into the same distillation or other purification stage from which it was withdrawn. The process of this invention has its best application in, but is not limited to, batch fermentation processes, wherein the fermentation vessels must be emptied, cleaned, and sterilized following completion of each batch fermentation process.

• Research Organization: GRAVELL ROBERT B
• DOE Contract Number: AB01-89GC20195
• Assignee: Midwest Research Institute (Kansas City, MS)
• Patent Number(s): US 5868997
• Application Number: 07/672,286
• OSTI ID: 872137
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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12
alcohol
alcohol production
application
batch
batch fermentation
cleaned
completion
concentrated
concentrated alcohol
concentration
distillation
drawn
emptied
empty
ethanol
facility
fermentation
fermentation process
fermentation processes
fermentation vessels
following
fuel
hot
integrated
limited
method
microorganisms
mixture
mixtures
preferably
process
processes
production
production facility
purification
recovered
sprayed
stage
sterilization
sterilized
sterilizing
sufficient
sufficient concentration
toxic
undesirable
vessels
volume
water
water mixture
water mixtures
withdrawn