Cellulosic Ethanol From Corn

8/12/2019 Cellulosic Ethanol From Corn

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Cellulosic ethanol from wholecorn right here, right now.

Sabrina Trupia, Brian Schoeneck (NCERC), TomLyons (Biotork), Mike Cotta, Bruce Dien, Ron Hector,

Loren Iten (USDA-ARS-NCAUR)

FEW 2013, St.Louis MO


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NCERC Numbers

Established in 2003

Over 17,000 hours of

continuous operation

150+ years of combined

experience in biofuels researchand training

90% self-funded


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Advanced Biofuels Initiative

Enabling NCERC to pursue research projects in the

advanced biofuels space


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Why study corn kernelfiber?


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Other Reasons

Cellulosic material is already at the ethanol plant

The industrial infrastructure is already in place

It increases the yields up to 5-10% per bushel of corn.

It lowers the carbon footprint of existing ethanol plants.

New value-added co-products will become available

It benefits farmers, the existing ethanol industry, the environment,

our energy security


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Been there, done thatCorn Fiber Work at NCERC, largely in collaboration with USDA

2007-2008: Steam activation, characterization

2008-2009: Chemical pretreatment , characterization

2009-2010: Hot water pretreatment, viscosity andenzymatic hydrolysis tests

2011-2012: Corn fiber fermentations (1-150L)

2013: Cellulosic ethanol from corn mash


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The Yeast

Strain

Xylose

consumed

(g/L)Improvement

(%)

D5A 0.9 --YRH400 1.4 56%

YRH400e 1.5 67%


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Fermentation on Xylose Medium

Ethanol + 32 %

Xylose - 11 %

over non-evolved

Xylose conversion efficiency:

41% in 47 hours

Evolved Yeast


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0

1

2

3

4

5

6

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

OD600

Time (hours)

evolved yeast

non-evolved yeast

Propagation of strains

Final concentration: 28million viable cells/ml

Final concentration: 14

million viable cells/ml


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Corn Fiber Flask Fermentation

D5A: 25.4 g/L

YRH400: 26.5 g/L

YRH400e: 26.6 g/L


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Corn Fiber Scale Up : 30 L


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Scale Up Results: 30 L

15 g/L ethanol produced with

conventional yeast

Ethanol Yield: 0.23 gal/bu ( +8%

additional to starch)

Conversion efficiency: 97% (C6

sugars only, no xylose)

NEXT STEPS:

150 L / evolved yeast


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Scale Up Results: 150 L

Fermentation completed after 48

hours

At end of process, total sugars

down by 65%

100% glucose consumed

72% xylose consumed

NEXT STEP: corn mash


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Cellulosic Ethanol from Corn Mash

Unmodified S. Cerevisiae

Bench-scale tests

72 hours total process time

(48 hour fermentation)

Ethanol concentration: 8%

higher than control

Yield improved by about 14%


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Corn Mash Scale Up(5 L and 30 L)

Evolved modified yeast (YRH400e)

Fermentation completed in 48 hours

At the end of fermentation:

97% of glucose (eq.) consumed

67% xylose consumed

Ethanol concentration: + 10%0

5

10

15

20

25

0.00 20.00 40.00

concentration(%w/v

)

Time (hours)

Glucose Equivalents

Ethanol


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Results Summary

Demonstrated reproducible scale-up: 0.2530150 L

Achieved almost theoretical conversion of sugars in as low as48 hours

Utilized both natural and modified S.Cerevisiae

Corn mash conversion consistent with corn fiber results of

increased ethanol yield

Process under provisional patent


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Acknowledgements

IL Department of Commerce and Economic

Opportunity Illinois Corn Marketing Board

A Specific Cooperative Agreement with the

U.S. Department of Agriculture

Novozymes


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THANK YOU!

Documents

Cellulosic Ethanol From Corn