Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Retrospective Theses and Dissertations Dissertations 2008 Cellulosic ethanol production via aqueous ammonia soaking pretreatment and simultaneous saccharification and fermentation Asli Isci Iowa State University Follow this and additional works at: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/rtd Part of the Agriculture Commons, and the Bioresource and Agricultural Engineering Commons Recommended Citation Isci, Asli, "Cellulosic ethanol production via aqueous ammonia soaking pretreatment and simultaneous saccharification and fermentation" (2008). Retrospective Theses and Dissertations. 15695. https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/rtd/15695 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Dissertations at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Retrospective Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Cellulosic ethanol production via aqueous ammonia soaking pretreatment and simultaneous saccharification and fermentation by Asli Isci A dissertation submitted to the graduate faculty in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Co-majors: Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering; Biorenewable Resources and Technology Program of Study Committee: Robert P. Anex, Major Professor D. Raj Raman Anthony L. Pometto III. Kenneth J. Moore Robert C. Brown Iowa State University Ames, Iowa 2008 Copyright © Asli Isci, 2008. All rights reserved. 3316217 3316217 2008 ii TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT............................................................................................................................. iv CHAPTER 1. GENERAL INTRODUCTION ......................................................................... 1 Objectives ......................................................................................................................... 2 Thesis Organization .......................................................................................................... 2 Authors’ Role.................................................................................................................... 4 Literature Review.............................................................................................................. 5 References....................................................................................................................... 15 CHAPTER 2. AQUEOUS AMMONIA SOAKING OF SWITCHGRASS FOLLOWED BY SIMULTANEOUS SACCHARIFICATION AND FERMENTATION ......................... 22 Abstract........................................................................................................................... 22 Introduction..................................................................................................................... 23 Materials and Methods.................................................................................................... 25 Results and Discussion ................................................................................................... 28 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 37 Acknowledgements......................................................................................................... 37 References....................................................................................................................... 38 CHAPTER 3. PILOT SCALE FERMENTATION OF AQUEOUS AMMONIA SOAKED SWITCHGRASS .................................................................................................................... 41 Abstract........................................................................................................................... 41 Introduction..................................................................................................................... 42 Materials and Methods.................................................................................................... 43 Fermentation Design........................................................................................... 45 The 50-L Fermentation ....................................................................................... 45 The 350-L Fermentation ..................................................................................... 46 Analytical Procedure........................................................................................... 49 Results and Discussion ................................................................................................... 49 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 56 Acknowledgements......................................................................................................... 56 References....................................................................................................................... 57 CHAPTER 4. TECHNO-ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF AQUEOUS AMMONIA SOAKED SWITCHGRASS FERMENTATION................................................................... 59 Abstract........................................................................................................................... 59 Introduction..................................................................................................................... 60 Materials and Methods.................................................................................................... 61 Design and Cost Calculations ............................................................................. 63 Feedstock Handling (Area 100) .......................................................................... 63 Pretreatment (Area 200)...................................................................................... 64 Ammonia Recovery Systems (Area 300-400) .................................................... 65 Hydrolysis and Fermentation (Area 500) ........................................................... 69 Distillation, Dehydration, Evaporation, Solid-Liquid Separation (Area 600) .... 70 iii Storage (Area 700).............................................................................................. 70 Combustor (Area 800) ........................................................................................ 70 Wastewater Treatment (Area 900)...................................................................... 71 Process Economics.............................................................................................. 71 Discounted Cash Flow Analysis ......................................................................... 73 Sensitivity Analysis ............................................................................................ 74 Results and Discussion ................................................................................................... 76 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 84 Acknowledgements......................................................................................................... 85 References....................................................................................................................... 85 CHAPTER 5. A RAPID SIMULTANEOUS SACCHARIFICATION AND FERMENTATION TECHNIQUE TO DETERMINE ETHANOL YIELDS........................ 87 Abstract........................................................................................................................... 87 Introduction..................................................................................................................... 88 Materials and Methods.................................................................................................... 89 Pretreatment ........................................................................................................ 92 Fermentation ....................................................................................................... 92 Analysis............................................................................................................... 95 NIRS ................................................................................................................... 95 Results and Discussion ................................................................................................... 96 Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 102 Acknowledgment .......................................................................................................... 102 References..................................................................................................................... 103 CHAPTER 6. GENERAL CONCLUSION.......................................................................... 105 General Discussion ....................................................................................................... 105 Future Work .................................................................................................................. 106 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.................................................................................................. 108 iv ABSTRACT The most important energy challenges of the century