Process optimization of multi-feed SSCF

Conference poster, 2014

Economical production of bio-ethanol from lignocellulosic materials requires an efficient and robust process which enables high-solid fermentation of pretreated lignocellulose to achieve high ethanol fermentation performance. In this work, we design and optimize a high-solid fed-batch simultaneous saccharification and co-fermentation (SSCF) process with a feed of substrate, enzyme and yeast cell for efficient production of ethanol from pretreated wheat straw in both lab and pilot scale. The yeast is prepared by pre-cultivation and adaptation in a semi-continuous cultivation in liquid hydrolysate medium in order to achieve high fermentation capacity. The feeding profiles in both pre-cultivation and SSCF steps are optimized based on a previously developed multi-feed SSCF model [1] in order to maintain high activities of both hydrolytic enzyme and yeast cell resulting in highest biomass yield during pre-cultivation and highest ethanol production efficiency during SSCF process. We also demonstrate scale up of fed-batch SSCF process in a 10 m3 pilot-scale bioreactor. The fed-batch SSCF with an optimized feed of substrate, cell and enzymes reaches high ethanol fermentation performance suggesting it to be a promising process for efficient bioconversion of lignocellulosic materials to ethanol. [1] Wang et al. Bioresour. Technol., 2014