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Ethanol production in an integrated fermentation/membrane system. Process simulations and economics

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Abstract

Four systems comprising of an ethanol fermentation integrated with microfiltration and/or pervaporation, and a conventional continuous culture, were compared with respect to the performance of the fermentation and economics. The processes are compared on the basis of the same kinetic model. It is found that cell retention by microfiltration leads to lower production costs, compared to a conventional continuous culture. Pervaporation becomes profitable at a high selectivity of ethanol/water separation and low membrane prices.

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Abbreviations

A m2 :

area

C kg m−3 :

concentration

C s0 kg m−3 :

feed substrate concentration, i.e. substrate conversion

C′ pp kg m−3 :

concentration of ethanol in pervaporate in configuration V

d m:

diameter

D h−1 :

dilution rate

F kg h−1 :

flow rate

F prod kg h−1 :

capacity of the plant

f :

fraction of ethanol removed from recirculation stream

J m3 m−2 h−1 :

membrane flux

m s kg kg−1 h−1 :

maintenance coefficient

Q PV kJ h−1 :

heat required for pervaporation

r kg m−3 h−1 :

production or consumption rate

S :

selectivity

T °C:

temperature

U Wm−2 °C−1 :

overall heat transfer coefficient

V m3 :

volume

x :

mass fraction

Y sp kg kg−1 :

yield of product on substrate

Y sx kg kg−1 :

yield of biomass on substrate

μ h−1 :

specific growth rate

ϱ kg m−3 :

density

ac :

acetic acid

c :

recirculation stream

C.B.:

cell bleed

cond (C):

condensor

dist :

distillation column

F :

feed

HE :

heat exchanger

in (0):

inlet

m :

medium (filtrate)

M.B.:

medium bleed

max:

maximal

MF :

microfiltration

p :

product

pp :

product in pervaporate

PV :

pervaporation

R.F. :

recirculation flow

s :

substrate

VP :

vacuum pump

x :

biomass

w :

water

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemical Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Julianalaan 67, 2628 BC, Delft, The Netherlands

    W. J. Groot, M. R. Kraayenbrink, R. G. J. M. van der Lans & K. Ch. A. M. Luyben

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  1. W. J. Groot
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  2. M. R. Kraayenbrink
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  3. R. G. J. M. van der Lans
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  4. K. Ch. A. M. Luyben
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Groot, W.J., Kraayenbrink, M.R., van der Lans, R.G.J.M. et al. Ethanol production in an integrated fermentation/membrane system. Process simulations and economics. Bioprocess Engineering 8, 189–201 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00369829

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