ISSN:
0368-1467
Keywords:
Chemistry
;
Biochemistry and Biotechnology
Source:
Wiley InterScience Backfile Collection 1832-2000
Topics:
Biology
,
Process Engineering, Biotechnology, Nutrition Technology
Notes:
A pilot plant was built to evaluate the economic potentialities of producing glycerol from sugar by the bisulphite fermentation process. The design of this small unit was based on information collected from bench-scale studies of the fermentation and recovery processes taking advantage of new separation techniques.A beer containing 5 per cent of glycerol is produced in a continuous fermentation in which the free bisulphite level is automatically controlled. The effluent from the fermentor is centrifuged, and the yeast is returned to the fermentation. The dilute clarified beer is acidified; sulphur dioxide, acetaldehyde, and alcohol are removed; and the stripped solution is neutralized and concentrated until it contains 45 per cent of glycerol. This concentrated glycerol stock is purified by using a combination of ion-exclusion and ion-exchange.Good fermentation control results in a beer that has a low solids-to-glycerol ratio, low organic acid content, and low residual sugar. The method of glycerol purification results in a high glycerol recovery, since no distillation of glycerol is involved. The sulphur dioxide removed from the beer is recycled through the fermentation so that the chief raw materials used in the process are sugar, sulphuric acid, and sodium carbonate. The yields of products based on sugar charged are: glycerol, 25 per cent; alcohol, 17 per cent; and acetaldehyde, 11 per cent.The economic success of the process depends to a large extent upon the price of sugar. Under present conditions it is felt that the process is competitive.
Additional Material:
3 Ill.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jbmte.390020103
