ETHANOL PRODUCTION BY FERMENTATION

• US 20100311138A1
• Filed: 06/08/2009
• Published: 12/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alternative Lining Technologies, LLC, SEA-Today LLC
• Original Assignee: Alternative Lining Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Padgett, Randall
• Granted Patent: US 8,198,057 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/161
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 35/04 Mechanical means, e.g. sonic waves, stretching forces, pressure or shear stimuli
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 35/06 Magnetic means C12M35/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 1/36 Adaptation or attenuation of cells
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 1/38 Chemical stimulation of growth or activity by addition of chemical compounds which are not essential growth factors; Stimulation of growth by removal of a chemical compound C12N1/34 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 13/00 Treatment of microorganisms or enzymes with electrical or wave energy, e.g. magnetism, sonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 39/00 Processes involving microorganisms of different genera in the same process, simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/10 substrate containing cellulosic material
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/14 Multiple stages of fermentation; Multiple types of microorganisms or re-use of microorganisms
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/10 Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel

Abstract

A method for producing ethanol by fermentation includes the preparation of a starter culture, inoculation of a mash with the starter culture, fermentation of the mash, and recovery of ethanol from the mash. The starter culture includes a tallow base with Chinese tallow tree parts and water which are inoculated with micro-organisms, where the micro-organisms include yeast. The micro-organisms are grown in the tallow base, and used to inoculate the mash. The mash is then fermented, and ethanol is recovered from the mash.

Claims

1. A method of adapting microorganisms to increase the microorganism'"'"'s efficiency in producing ethanol, comprising:

a) providing a tallow base including Chinese tallow tree parts mixed with water;

b) inoculating the tallow base with yeast; and

c) adapting the yeast in the tallow base in a growth stage.

2. The method of claim 1 where the yeast is saccharomyces cerevisiae.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising sterilizing the tallow base prior to (b).

4. The method of claim 1 where (b) further comprises inoculating the tallow base with microorganisms present in non-pasteurized honey.

5. The method of claim 4 where the honey is non-pasteurized red honey.

6. The method of claim 1 where (c) further comprises exposing the tallow base to a negative magnetic field.

7. The method of claim 1 where (b) further comprises inoculating the tallow base with a fungus, where the fungus is pichia membranifaciens.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of adding estrogen to the tallow base prior to (c).

9. The method of claim 1 where (c) further comprises oxygenating the tallow base during the growth stage.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising maintaining the pH of the tallow base below 7.

11. A method of producing ethanol comprising:

a) preparing a starter culture, where preparation of the starter culture includes;

a1) providing a tallow base including Chinese tallow tree parts and water;

a2) inoculating the tallow base with a microorganism, where the microorganism includes yeast;

a3) growing the microorganism in the tallow base in a growth phase;

b) providing a mash, where the mash includes water and an organic material;

c) inoculating the mash with the starter culture;

d) fermenting the mash; and

e) recovering ethanol from the mash.

12. The method of claim 11 where (d) further comprises exposing the mash to a negative magnetic field.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising exposing the mash to ultrasound before (e).

14. The method of claim 11 where the mash includes softwoods, the method further comprising exposing the mash to ultrasound and recovering sap from the mash before (d).

15. The method of claim 11 where (a2) further comprises adding raw honey.

16. The method of claim 11 where (a2) further comprises adding a fungus from the genus pichia.

17. The method of claim 11 where (a3) further comprises exposing the tallow base to a negative magnetic field.

18. The method of claim 11 further comprising adding estrogen to the tallow base before (a3).

19. The method of claim 11 where (a3) further comprises oxygenating the tallow base.

20. A method of producing ethanol comprising:

a) preparing a mash, where the mash includes water and an organic material;

b) exposing the mash to ultrasound;

c) inoculating the mash with a starter culture, where the starter culture includes yeast;

d) fermenting the mash, where the fermentation includes exposing the mash to a negative magnetic field; and

e) recovering ethanol from the mash.