Design of a Small-Scale Lignocellulose Plant for Ethanol Production

摘要

A pilot plant has been designed to convert straw and corn stover to ethanol using the autohydrolysis pretreatment process. The unit also uses enzymatic conversion of cellulose to glucose, and simultaneous fermentation of glucose to ethanol. The autohydrolysis is a batch process, while saccharification and fermentation is a batch-fed continuous process. The plant is a modular front-end processor that interfaces with the Department of Energy's reference Small Scale Fuel Alcohol Plant (SSFAP) in Idaho Falls, Idaho. Although intended to pilot a large commercial alcohol plant, the unit may hold promise for small scale production of ethanol from crop residues. The plant requires only minimal modification of the existing starch alcohol plant, which can be used for either starch or lignocellulose once the conversion is made.