Compartmentalized simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of biomass
AssigneeE.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
InventorBRUCE A. DINER
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus' are disclosed for the simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of biomass providing for the compartmentalization of the saccharification process and the fermentation process resulting in decreased enzymatic end-product inhibition.
Claims15
An apparatus for processing pretreated biomass comprising:
- a saccharification vessel and a separate fermentation vessel wherein said vessels are connected by two external circulation loops and a hollow fiber circulation loop that connects the two external circulation loops and comprises semi-permeable membranes wherein said apparatus provides for compartmentalized simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of pretreated biomass.
A method for compartmentalized simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of pretreated biomass comprising (a) providing pretreated biomass and a saccharification enzyme consortium to a saccharification vessel whereby saccharification products are formed and moved through one or more semi-permeable membranes passing through at least one compartment comprising one or more additional sequestered enzymes whereby hydrolysate comprising fermentable sugars is formed;
- and (b) delivering said hydrolysate to a separate fermentation vessel for fermentation to a target product.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.