CPT-II CHAPTER-IV CPT-II

Chapter-4
Fermentation Industries
 Define: Fermentation:
 The action of specified microorganisms on a substrate to produce the desired
chemical compound is termed as Fermentation.
 Exa. Milk convert into yogurt in the presence of Lactose.
 Fermentation is that branch of chemical manufacture, where in the commercial
products are obtained through the activity of microorganisms.
 Exa. Sugar is converted in alcohol by the action of yeast.
 General Equation
 Microorganisms + Substrate = More microbial cells + Metabolic (Product)
 Fermentation means conversion of sugars to organic acids, alcohol, and gases.
 Decomposition of complex organic compounds in to simpler substances by enzymes
present in microorganisms is called Fermentation.

 Types of Fermentation:
1. Alcoholic Fermentation:
 The type of fermentation in which ethyl alcohol is the main end product.
 This is occur very common in yeast and also in some bacteria.
 Yeast cells release enzymes called Zymase complex.
C6H12O6 2 C2H5OH + 2 CO2 +ATP
 The reactions are similar to anaerobic respiration.
CO2
Sugar Yeast Ethanol
Energy
 Enzymes – Biological catalyst, Protein Molecules in cells.
2. Lactic Acid Fermentation:
 This type of fermentation in which Lactic acid is the end product.
 It is carried out by using some bacteria and animal cells such as muscle cells.
 Lactic acid fermentation is a metabolic process by which glucose and other six
carbon sugars are converted into cellular energy and lactose.
 Application: Pickle Lactic acid fermentation
Yogurt Lactic acid fermentation
Sour Beer-
Glucose
Or Lactic Acid
Any sugar

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CPT-II CHAPTER-IV CPT-II

Lactic acid
I. C12H22O11 +H20 C6H12O6 + C6H12O6
Bacteria

Glucose
II. C6H12O6 2 CH3COCOOH + 2NADH+ 2 ATP

III. 2 CH3COCOOH +2NADH 2 CH3CHOH.COOH + 2NAD

3. Anaerobic fermentation:
 Fermentation is carried out in absence of oxygen is called Anaerobic
Fermentation.
 O2 is toxic for this class of organism.
 Anaerobic microorganisms are those which may be poisoned by O2, cannot grow
in an air atmosphere and do not use O2 for energy yielding chemical reactions.
 To produce C2H5OH + CO2
 End Product is Electron Acceptor.

4. Aerobic Fermentation:
 Fermentation is carried out in presence of Oxygen is called aerobic fermentation.
 Microbes that normally require oxygen for growth.
 To produce CO2 and H2O.
 Oxygen electron acceptor.

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CPT-II CHAPTER-IV CPT-II

 Production of Ethyl alcohol (Ethanol) from Molasses by fermentation

process
Introduction:

 Ethanol is a volatile, flammable, clear, colourless liquid.

 Ethanol is a good solvent.
 It is also used as a germicide, beverage, antifreeze, fuel, depressant and chemical
intermediate.
 It can be made by the fermentation process of material that contains sugar or from the
compound which can be converted to sugar.
 Ethanol is raw material for many downstream organic chemical industries in India.
 Yeast enzyme readily ferment sucrose to ethanol.
 Molecular formula- C2H5OH
 Molecular weight- 46.07
 Density- 0.791 at 20˚C
 Boiling Point- 78.3˚C

Chemical Reactions:

a. Main Reaction:
Invertase
C12H22O11 + H2O 2C6H12O6

Zymase
2C6H12O6 2C2H5OH + 2CO2 ΔH= -31.2 kcal
Glucose Ethanol

b. Side reaction

2C6H12O6 + H2O → ROH + R’CHO

Fusel oil Aldehyde

Raw Material: Molasses

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CPT-II CHAPTER-IV CPT-II

Functional role of various units

(a) Molasses storage tank:
 Molasses is liquor obtained as by product of sugar industries.
 Molasses is a heavy viscous material, which contains sucrose, fructose and glucose
(invert sugar) at a concentration of 50-60(wt/vol).
(b) Sterilization tank:
 Yeast is sterilized under pressure and then cooled.
(c) Yeast cultivation tank:
 Yeast grows in the presence of oxygen by budding. Yeast is cultivated in advance.
(d) Yeast storage tank:

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CPT-II CHAPTER-IV CPT-II

 Yeast are unicellular, oval and 0.004 to 0.010mm in diameter.

 PH is adjusted to 4.8 to 5 and temperature up to 32˚C.
(e) Fermentation tank:
 Chemical changes are brought by the action of enzymes Invertase and Zymase secreted by
yeast in molasses.
 Fermentation is anaerobic, Heat is evolved which is removed by cooling coils.
 Residence time is 30-70 hours and temperature is maintained at 20-30˚C 8-10% alcohol by
volume (beer) is produced by fermentation process.
 HCl or sulfuric acid is added to obtain 4.5 PH.
(f) Diluter:
Here molasses is diluted to 10 to 15% sugar solution.
(g) Scrubber:
Carbon dioxide is released and utilized as by product.
By-product CO2 contains some ethanol due to Vapor liquid evaporation and can be recovered
by water scrubbing.
Water is sent back to continuous diluter stream.
(h) Beer still:
50-60% concentration alcohol and aldehyde is produced.
Slops are removed as bottom product.
Slop is concentrated by evaporation for cattle feed or discharged as waste.
Slop contains proteins, sugar and vitamins.
(i) Aldehyde still:
 Undesirable volatile liquid; aldehyde is taken off from the top of the still.
 From the side stream alcohol is feed to the decanter.
 It is extractive distillation column, and operates at a pressure of around 0.6-0.7 MPa.
(j) Decanter:
 Fusel oil which is high molecular weight alcohol is recovered by decantation.
 Fusel oil is fractionated to produce amyl alcohol or are sold directly.
 The principle behind extraction of fusel oil from ethanol is that higher alcohols are
more volatile than ethanol in solution containing a high concentration of water.
(k) Rectifying column:
 In the column, azeotropic alcohol- water mixture of 95% ethanol is withdrawn as side
product.
 This 95% ethanol is condensed in condenser and stored in storage tank.
 Side stream is withdrawn and sent to decanter.
 At the bottom, water is discharged.
 Here, alcohol – water mixtures are rectified to increase the strength of alcohol.
(l) Storage tank:
 From storage tank, three streams are evolved: Direct sale as portable.
 For industrial use. To anhydrous still to produce 100% ethanol.
(m) Mix tank:

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CPT-II CHAPTER-IV CPT-II

 For producing denatured alcohol, denaturant is mixed with the 95% ethanol produced
from rectifying column.
 Denaturant is normally methanol (10 vol%)
(n) Ternary Azeotropic distillation:
 The product from rectifying column is a ternary minimum boiling azeotrope of ethanol,
water and benzene.
 Benzene is an azeotropic agent.
 Here mainly two units are present; anhydrous still, decanter, stripper and few heat
exchangers.
 Anhydrous motor fuel grade ethanol (100% ethanol) is produced as product.
 Heat integration and energy recovery plays a vital role in reducing energy requirements.

 Citric Acid from Molasses

Introduction: Citric acid C6H8O7

Raw Materials:

 Commercial production of citric acid is generally by submerged fermentation of

sucrose or molasses using the Filamentous Fungus Aspergillus Niger or synthetically
from acetone or glycerol.
 Nitrogen source: ammonium salts are preferred,
E.g. urea, ammonium sulfate, ammonium chlorite, peptone, malt extract, etc.
 Mineral: zinc, manganese, iron, copper and magnesium affect citric acid production.
 Phosphorous source: Potassium dihydrogen phosphate has been reported to be the
most suitable.
 Growth of A. Niger on high concentrations of sugars and low concentrations of Fe3+
and Mn2+ gives high yield of citric acid.
 pH: Higher pH i.e. 5.4 and 6.06.5 has been found optimum for citric acid production
in molasses medium.
 Aeration: Increased aeration rates led to enhanced yields and reduced fermentation
time. It is important to maintain the oxygen concentration above 25% saturation and
interruptions in oxygen supply may be quite harmful.
 Aeration is performed during the whole fermentation.

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CPT-II CHAPTER-IV CPT-II

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CPT-II CHAPTER-IV CPT-II

Process Description:

 First of all molasses is sterilized in sterilizer Then it is fed to the ion exchanger.
 From where heavy metals impurities are removed then it is fed to the batch fermentor.
 In the fermentor molasses are mixed with inoculum (A small amount of substance
containing bacteria from a pure culture which is used to start a new culture or to infect an
experimental animal) containing bacteria and respected nutrients.
 The aerobic fermentation is carried out at 30°C for 18-30 hours.
 Then this fermented product is fed to washer to separate solid residue from filtrate .The
solid residue is again dissolved in water in dissolver to recover product solution and then
again washed in washer to remove solid waste.
 Then the filtrate from both the washer is fed to the Extractor.
 From here oxalic acid is extracted and product slurry is fed to reactor in which it is reacted
with Ca(OH)2 to produce calcium citrate.
 Then this calcium citrate is reacted with H2SO4 to produce citric acid and CaSO4.
 Then the CaSO4 is removed from citric acid solution in rotary filter. Then this acid is
decolorized in decolouriser by charcoal.
 Then the charcoal and colour compounds are removed in Ion exchanger and final product
is citric acid solution which is fed for evaporation and crystallization process.

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