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Evaluation of Integrated Anaerobic Digestion and Hydrothermal Carbonization for Bioenergy Production
Published on: June 15, 2014
Silage produces biofuel for local consumption
Hiroko K Kitamoto1, Mitsuo Horita1, Yimin Cai2,3
1National Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences, 3-1-3 Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8604, Japan.
Biotechnology for Biofuels
|November 2, 2011
Summary
This study presents a decentralized bio-ethanol production system using solid-state fermentation of whole crops. The novel method efficiently produces bio-ethanol and a cattle feed byproduct with no waste.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Science
- Biotechnology
- Chemical Engineering
Background:
- Traditional bio-ethanol production involves centralized factories, leading to nutrient loss during biomass processing.
- A decentralized system is needed for farm-level production, integrating silage methods with simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF).
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a decentralized, waste-free bio-ethanol production system using solid-state fermentation (SSF) of whole crops.
- To simultaneously produce bio-ethanol and cattle feed from biomass, incorporating traditional silage techniques.
Main Methods:
- Harvested fresh biomass (forage rice) was ensiled with biomass-degrading enzymes and yeast in a solid-state culture.
- Simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) reactions were induced in hermetically sealed containers.
- Ethanol was recovered on-site from the vapor of heated fermented products.
Main Results:
- Efficient induction of parallel SSF reactions was achieved in a laboratory-scale model system.
- A yield of 6.4 wt.% ethanol (169 g/kg dry matter) was produced from forage rice after 20 days.
- 74% of the produced ethanol was recovered via vapor distillation, with significant reduction in organic cellular and fiber content.
Conclusions:
- Efficient bio-ethanol production from non-sterilized whole rice plants using laboratory-scale SSF is feasible.
- Further research is required for scaling up, optimizing ethanol recovery, and validating the residue as cattle feed.
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