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US 6,509,180 B1Granted
Process for producing ethanol
AssigneeZeaChem, Inc.
InventorsDan Verser, Tim Eggeman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process for producing ethanol including a combination of biochemical and synthetic conversions results in high yield ethanol production with concurrent production of high value coproducts. An acetic acid intermediate is produced from carbohydrates, such as com, using enzymatic milling and fermentation steps, followed by conversion of the acetic acid into ethanol using esterification and hydrogenation reactions. Coproducts can include corn oil, and high protein animal feed containing the biomass produced in the fermentation.
Claims15
A method to produce ethanol at very high yield, said method comprising:
- (a) culturing a homoacetogens microorganism in a medium comprising a carbohydrate source to produce acetate, acetic acid or mixture thereof;
- and
- (b) chemically converting said acetate, acetic acid or mixtures thereof to said ethanol;
- wherein said step of chemically converting is not a fermentation;
- and wherein at least about 70% of arbon in said carbohydrate source is converted into said etaol.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.