University of California

The United States of America as Represented by the Department of Energy

The United States of America as Represented by the United States Energy

Charles R Wilke

Harvey W Blanch

Theodore W Randolph

Donald N Hanson

Brian L Maiorella

Gautam Mitra

Gerald R Cysewski

A method is provided for producing a product by enzyme-catalyzed reaction using supercritical fluid as a solvent. Improved reaction times, conversion efficiencies and/or other efficiencies (such as improved ease of product recovery) are obtained.

Method of producing products by enzyme-catalyzed reactions in

An improved fermentation process for producing alcohol which includes the combination of vacuum fermentation and vacuum distillation. Preferably, the vacuum distillation is carried out in two phases, one a fermentor proper operated at atmospheric pressure and a flash phase operated at reduced pressure with recycle of fermentation brew having a reduced alcohol content to the fermentor, using vapor recompression heating of the flash-pot recycle stream to heat the flash-pot or the distillation step, and using 'water load balancing' (i.e., the molar ratio of water in the fermentor feed is the same as the molar ratio of water in the distillation overhead).

Fermentative alcohol production

An electrostatic precipitator which operates on the principle of mutual repulsion of charged particles to a grounded wall. The solid particle laden gas stream enters a collecting section where additional particles in the form of droplets, normally water, are injected in the form of a fine spray into the solid particle laden gas stream. The solid particles and the additional particles are electrostatically charged either by conventional corona or by injecting the droplets from a charged nozzle and as the charged particles pass through the grounded section of the precipitator, a fraction of the water particles and solids are forced to the grounded wall by electric fields created by the space charge. Precipitated solid particles are entrained in the coalesced water which runs down the walls and is drained from the precipitator. Several stages of precipitation may be used or alternatively, methods such as continuously injecting additional particles into the collector along its length.

Electrostatic precipitation process

A process for the production of sugar, mainly glucose, by the enzymatic degradation of cellulosic materials, particularly cellulosic wastes, which comprises hydrolyzing the cellulosic material in the presence of cellulase enzyme to produce a sugar solution and recovering from the hydrolysis products a major proportion of the cellulase enzyme used in the hydrolysis reaction for re-use. At least a portion of the required makeup cellulase enzyme is produced in a two-stage operation wherein, in the first stage, a portion of the output sugar solution is utilized to grow a cellulase-secreting microorganism, and, in the second stage, cellulase enzyme formation is induced in the microorganism-containing culture medium by the addition of an appropriate inducer, such as a cellulosic material. Cellulase enzyme is precipitated from the culture liquid by the addition of an organic solvent material, such as a low molecular weight alkyl ketone or alcohol, and the cellulase precipitate is then fed to the hydrolysis reaction.

Growing community of inventors

El Cerrito, CA, United States of America

Charles R Wilke