Fermentation process

US4242454A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• National Distillers and Chemical Corporation · US

Inventors

• Werner C. Muller · Harsewinkel, DE
• Franklyn D. Miller · Cincinnati, US

Key dates

• Filing date: May 29, 1979
• Grant date: Dec 30, 1980
• Expiry date: May 29, 1999

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S435/94
• WIPO field: Biotechnology
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A fermentable sugar feed is continuously converted by fermentation to dilute aqueous ethanol ("beer") in a series of agitated fermentation vessels which contain progressively more ethanol and less fermentable sugar. At least two strains of yeast are selected for the fermentation, one of which provides a high rate of ethanol production in a fermentation medium containing a relatively low concentration of ethanol and a relatively high concentration of fermentable sugar and the other of which provides a high rate of ethanol production in a fermentation medium containing a relatively high concentration of ethanol and a relatively low concentration of fermentable sugar.