Acetone–butanol–ethanol (ABE) fermentation integrated with simplified gas stripping using sweet sorghum bagasse as immobilized carrier

• Published in: Chemical engineering journal (Lausanne, Switzerland : 1996) Switzerland : 1996), 2015-10, Vol.277, p.176-185
• Main Authors: Cai, Di, Chang, Zhen, Gao, Lili, Chen, Changjing, Niu, Yuanpu, Qin, Peiyong, Wang, Zheng, Tan, Tianwei
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: ABE fermentation; Gas stripping; Sweet sorghum bagasse
• ISSN: 1385-8947; 1873-3212
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2015.04.101

[Display omitted] •Sweet sorghum bagasse was used as immobilized carrier in the ABE fermentation–gas stripping integration process.•The integration process was simplified by consolidate the immobilized bioreactor and the spinner flask.•The process showed benefit to the product removal and the homogenization of the fermentation broth.•High ABE solvent concentration and productivity were obtained during the long-term operation. In this study, the influence of sweet sorghum bagasse (SSB) as immobilized carrier on acetone–butanol–ethanol (ABE) fermentation integrated with gas stripping was investigated. During the integrated process, the immobilized bioreactor was also treated as the spinner flask for gas stripping. It appeared that the homogenization of the fermentation broth and the efficiency of solvents separation were enhanced. With the immobilized bioreactor treated as the spinner flask, fed-batch fermentation that integrated with intermittent and that integrated with continuous gas stripping were investigated, respectively. As a result, 155.7–255.6g/L of ABE solvent was achieved in the condensate with 0.38±0.06g/L/h of productivity in the intermittent gas stripping scenario, while 180±25g/L of ABE in the condensate with productivity of ∼1.15g/L/h were achieved in the continuous gas stripping integrated scenario. The simplified integrated process showed advantage both in ABE productivity and concentration compared with other reports.