Abstract
Gluconic acid was produced through microbial conversion of hydrolyzed sugarcane juice by Gluconobacter oxydans in a multi-stage membrane-integrated hybrid reactor system. Provision of continuous production, withdrawal of product, separation and recycle of cells, separation and recycle of unconverted sugars to the fermentation unit in the system, resulted in high concentration (44.7g/L), yield (0.94g/g), productivity (6.5g/L/h) and purity (∼97%) of the product in a very simple, eco-friendly, modular and compact membrane-based process. The product could be further concentrated up to 540g/L using an additional nanofiltration step. Integration of downstream membrane separation with conventional fermenter culminated in a highly intensified green process. This work focuses on analysis of process intensification and eco-friendliness factors like space intensification, energy intensification, capacity flexibility, economic gain, E-factor and atom efficiency to assess business sustainability of the membrane-based process.
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call