Continuous alcoholic fermentation process in a tower reactor with recycling of flocculating yeast.

The influence of different substrate concentrations on the performance of a continuous system of alcohol production by fermentation using a tower reactor with recycling of flocculating yeasts was investigated. All experiments were carried out using a flocculating yeast strain IR-2, isolated from fermented food, and identified as Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Cane sugar juice was used as a substrate with sugar concentrations of 160, 170, 180, 190, and 200 g/L. Constant values of dilution rate, 0.20 h-1, temperature, 30 degrees C, and pH 3.3, were used. The performance of the reactor was observed to be efficient with high substrate concentrations. Maximum productivities of 18 g/L/h 99% substrate conversion and ethanol concentrations of 90 g/L were obtained using 200 g/L of sugar in the feedstock. For substrate concentrations of 160 g/L, a maximum yield of 0.45 g of ethanol/g of sugar was observed or 90% of the theoretical value.