Utilization of agricultural wastes for production of ethanol. Progress report, October 1979-May 1980
The project proposes to develop methods to utilize agricultural wastes, especially cottonseed hulls and peanut shells to produce ethanol. Initial steps will involve development of methods to break down cellulose to a usable form of substrates for chemical or biological digestion. The process of ethanol production will consist of (a) preparatory step to separate fibrous (cellulose) and non-fibrous (non-cellulosic compounds). The non-cellulosic residues which may include grains, fats or other substrates for alcoholic fermentation. The fibrous residues will be first pre-treated to digest cellulose with acid, alkali, and sulfur dioxide gas or other solvents. (b) The altered cellulose will be digested by suitable micro-organisms and cellulose enzymes before alcoholic fermentation. The digester and fermentative unit will be specially designed to develop a prototype for pilot plant for a continuous process. The first phase of the project will be devoted toward screening of a suitable method for cellulose modification, separation of fibrous and non-fibrous residues, the micro-organism and enzyme preparations. Work is in progress on: the effects of various microorganisms on the degree of saccharification; the effects of higher concentrations of acids, alkali, and EDTA on efficiency of microbial degradation; and the effects of chemicals on enzymatic digestion.
- Research Organization:
- Alabama A and M Univ., Normal (USA). Dept. of Food Science and Technology
- DOE Contract Number:
- FG05-79ER10021
- OSTI ID:
- 6782555
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/ER/10021-T1
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
AGRICULTURAL WASTES
ACID HYDROLYSIS
ENZYMATIC HYDROLYSIS
CELLULOSE
LIGNIN
ALKALINE HYDROLYSIS
BIOSYNTHESIS
CELLULASE
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
ETHANOL
FERMENTATION
MICROORGANISMS
SACCHARIFICATION
TRICHODERMA VIRIDE
ALCOHOLS
BIOCONVERSION
CARBOHYDRATES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DECOMPOSITION
ENZYMES
FUNGI
GLYCOSYL HYDROLASES
HYDROLASES
HYDROLYSIS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
LYSIS
MICROSCOPY
O-GLYCOSYL HYDROLASES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC WASTES
PLANTS
POLYSACCHARIDES
SACCHARIDES
SOLVOLYSIS
SYNTHESIS
TRICHODERMA
WASTES
140504* - Solar Energy Conversion- Biomass Production & Conversion- (-1989)
090222 - Alcohol Fuels- Preparation from Wastes or Biomass- (1976-1989)