Optimization of very high gravity fermentation process for ethanol production from industrial sugar beet syrup

Claire Joannis-Cassan (1) , Julien Riess (2, 3, 1) , Franck Jolibert (2) , Patricia Taillandier (1)

1 LGC - Laboratoire de Génie Chimique
2 ADEME - Agence de l'Environnement et de la Maîtrise de l'Energie
3 Union Nationale de Groupements de Distillateurs d’Alcool - UNGDA (FRANCE)

In order to reduce production costs and environmental impact of bioethanol from sugar beet low purity syrup 2, an intensification of the industrial alcoholic fermentation carried out by Saccharomyces cerevisiae is necessary. Two fermentation processes were tested: multi-stage batch and fed-batch fermentations with different operating conditions. It was established that the fed-batch process was the most efficient to reach the highest ethanol concentration. This process allowed to minimize both growth and ethanol production inhibitions by high sugar concentrations or ethanol. Thus, a good management of the operating conditions (initial volume and feeding rate) could produce 15.2% (v/v) ethanol in 53 h without residual sucrose and with an ethanol productivity of 2.3 g L h−1.

Mots clés: Ethanol; Sugar beet low purity syrup; Fed-batch; Very high gravity fermentation; Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Domaines: Génie chimique

Claire Joannis-Cassan, Julien Riess, Franck Jolibert, Patricia Taillandier. Optimization of very high gravity fermentation process for ethanol production from industrial sugar beet syrup. Biomass and Bioenergy, 2014, 70, pp.165-173. ⟨10.1016/j.biombioe.2014.07.027⟩. ⟨hal-02134676⟩