Kinetics of ethanol production during the reactor feeding phase in constant feb‐batch fermentation of molasses

Abstract

During the fermentor feeding phase in constant fed-batch ethanol fermentation of molasses, the ethanol production rates are constant and are correlated to the sugar feeding rates by a Monod-like equation. The parameters of this Monod-like correlation depend on the sugars concentration of the feeding mash. A model is proposed to explain the constancy of the ethanol production rate experimentally observed. From the Monod-like correlation it is possible to evaluate the maximum value of the mash feeding rate to be used in order to have a completely fermented medium just at the end of the feeding phase.