Model-based Assessment of Different Process Configurations for Bioethanol Production

Researchers from the Technical University of Denmark  recently attempted to compare different operating scenarios in the production of bioethanol using mathematical models. Production processes, like bioethanol production, could be operated in different operating scenarios, such as fed-batch or continuous processes.Selection of the appropriate operating condition can be a challenge because of the many different factors that affect production performance.

The researchers used a model-based simulation framework for the comparison of three bioethanol production scenarios: (1) fed-batch, (2) continuous, and (3) continuous with recycle configuration. The framework consists of two main parts: (1) the collection, analysis and identification of promising mathematical models for pre-treatment, enzymatic hydrolysis and co-fermentation, and (2) the design, simulation and comparison of the different integrated hydrolysis and co-fermentation operational scenarios. From their simulation, the researchers found that among the three scenarios, the simultaneous saccharification and co-fermentation (SSCF) process,operated in a continuous mode with recycling (of the SSCF reactor effluent) was the best in terms of ethanol yield, having a value of 0.18 kilogram ethanol per kilogram dry-biomass.

The paper is published in the journal, Bioresource Technology (URL above).