Effect of biodiesel glycerol type and fermentor configuration on mixed-acid fermentations. Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • The MixAlco process biologically converts biomass to carboxylate salts that may be converted to a variety of chemicals and fuels. This study examines the viability of different types of glycerol as a potential feedstock. Batch fermentations of crude biodiesel glycerol were compared to distilled and refined glycerol. Continuous fermentations were performed in a CSTR and a packed-bed fermentor with refined glycerol. While crude and distilled glycerol are difficult to process industrially, all types of glycerol performed well during MixAlco fermentations, producing acid concentrations above 22 g/L and conversions of greater than 65%. The CSTR configuration produced excellent acid concentrations (16 g/L) while the packed-bed configuration produced high amounts of cell material for use in cell extract products or starter cultures.

published proceedings

  • Bioresour Technol

author list (cited authors)

  • Forrest, A. K., Sierra, R., & Holtzapple, M. T.

citation count

  • 21

complete list of authors

  • Forrest, Andrea K||Sierra, Rocio||Holtzapple, Mark T

publication date

  • December 2010