Use of co-cultures in the production of ethanol by the fermentation of biomass
AssigneeWisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
InventorsJoseph G. Zeikus, Thomas K. Ng, Arie Ben-Bassat, Raphael J. Lamed
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Abstract
Production of ethanol and enzymes by fermentation of biomass with co-cultures of C. thermocellum and C. thermohydrosulfuricum.
Claims5
In the method of producing ethanol and enzymes as a by-product of ethanol production by the fermentation of biomass, the improvement comprising subjecting the biomass which includes cellulose and hemi-cellulose containing plant materials to fermentation under thermophilic conditions in the presence of co-cultures of Clostridium thermocellum and Clostridium thermohydrosulfuricum, the ratio of the cultures being in an amount whereby the conversion ratios of cellulose:ethanol and hemi-cellulose:ethanol are greater than the ratios obtained by use of either Clostridium species alone.
In the method of producing ethanol and enzymes as a by-product of ethanol production by the fermentation of biomass, the improvement comprising subjecting the biomass which includes cellulose and hemi-cellulose containing plant materials to fermentation by Clostridium thermohydrosulfuricum under thermophilic conditions in the presence of the elaborated enzymes produced by Clostridium thermocellum, the ratio of the Clostridium thermohydrosulfuricum to the elaborated enzymes being in an amount whereby the conversion ratios of cellulose:ethanol and hemi-cellulose:ethanol are greater than the ratios obtained by use of either Clostridium species alone.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.