EVALUATION OF A CLOSTRIDIUM THERMOCELLUM CULTURE SYSTEM FOR BIOETHANOL PRODUCTION

Abstract

Introduction:
The synthesis of bioethanol using lignocellulosic methods is a promising alternative for replacing petroleum as an energy source. The capabilities of the Clostridium thermocellum bacterium have made it a strong candidate for the development of
compact and efficient fermentation technologies.
Objective:
To evaluate a cultivation system for bioethanol production using in silico process analysis and computer simulation.
Materials and Methods:
The cultivation system was evaluated based on the results of the in-silico design of a fermentative process derived from said cultivation system. The design employed a Monod-based mathematical model, which was solved using MATLAB software and its ode45 function, which includes a Runge-Kutta integration method.
Results and Discussion:
The evaluation showed that the cultivation system would not achieve bioethanol concentration levels that ensure high productivity and feasibility. This could be improved to the extent that the culture medium, the microorganism strain, and the operating conditions favor ethanol formation within a complex biological system where multiple reactions and competing metabolic pathways take place.
Conclusions:
The bioethanol concentration levels that would be achieved at the end of fermentation using the evaluated cultivation system would be insufficient to develop a competitive technology. However, the use of in silico process analysis and computer simulation represents a viable approach for the evaluation of cultivation systems.