Introduction

Gasification followed by syngas fermentation, there is no evidence that states the others effect by the
severals parameters such as specific gas uptake rate, ethanol concentration and substrate gas conversion
efficiencies on required reactor volume and energy requirement. The establish one is the process of
producing the ethanol from conventional hydrolysis of biomass followed by fermentation.

The alcohol froom syngas is produced by acetogenic microorganism, which most acetogenic
microorganism is produce the ethanol and acetic acid.

The equation of production of ethanol and acetic acid below :

4CO 2 H 2O CH 3COOH 2CO2

2CO2 4 H 2 CH 3COOH 2 H 2O
6CO 3H 2O C2 H 5OH 4CO2
2CO2 6 H 2 C2 H 5OH 3H 2O

Production of ethanol by biomass gasification and syngas

fermentation

The main advantages is it has the potential of high product yield due to the utilization of the cell
biomass fraction including lignin as well as operation at mild temperature and pressure.

Table 1: Process flow diagram of raw material of production of ethanol from biomass gasification and
syngas fermentation
From the process flow diagram above shown the gassification of biomass,fermentation of CO and H2
into ethanol by distillation and drying.

This simplified depiction of the equipment and materials flow is presented mathematically within
Aspen plus model.

Switchgrass is feed into a gasifier and converted by partial combustion to syngas containing mostly CO
and H2 along with some CO2. The syngas is converted into ethanol and acetic acid in the fermenter by
acetegonic microorganism like clastridium ragsdalei.

Ethanol produced is removed from the fermentation broth or beer by distillation and dried in packed
bed of molecular sieve with a recovery of water and ethanol.

Biomass Feedstock.

Switchgrass(panicium virgatum) is choosen to be the feedstock because it has potential to produce 95

billion L of ethanol at low feedstock price which in range of $55 to $87 per metric ton.

The composition of the switchgrass is 14.63%(wb) moisture, 81.59%(db) volatile matter,4.72%(db) ash,
13.69%(db) fixed carbon.

The dry basis compostion also contain of 0.24% nitrogen, 5.19% hydrogen, 52.74% carbon, 41.05%
oxygen and 0.06% sulphur.

Based on the dry basis and free ash the formula of the switchgrass is CH1.344O0.584 N0.004 ,
The inlet that are capable from the switchgrass is 1200 tons/day(wb).
Description of Aspen plus model
 Table 2: The Aspen plus Process flow diagram model of production of ethanol from biomass
gasification and syngas fermentation

Firstly, biomass (steam SWITCHGR) enter the process through the gasifier (unit DECOMP and
RGIBBS) and it converted into synthesis gas in presence of oxygen. The gas is then cleaned and
cooled(units SEPARAT and COOLER) and sent to the fermenter(BIOREACT) and microorganism
grow in liquid media added to the fermenter and convert the carbon monoxide and hydrogen into
ethanol and acetic acid. The gas and liquid phases are separated and the beer is sent to a Distillation
column(DISTILL) where concentration near the ethanol is obtained.Gasification takes places at high
temperature(600-100 C) and requires an energy for the decomposition of biomass into gasses in a
sequences of drying,pyrolysis and combustion.The energy can be externally or partially. Biomass
decomposed in a yield reactor unit (RYIELD).

Modelled using a stoichiometric reactor (BIOREACT) at atmospheric pressure and temperature of

37 C, the temperature choosen is because it has optimal temperature for growth of most acetogonic
microorganism.

Synthesis gas(SYNGAS3) at fermentation temperature enters the reactor from the gasification
unit.Liquid medium is fed to fermenter(MEDIUM-F). A series of cooler and flash were used to model
this separation,minimizing ethanol lost in the exhaust gas(SPENTGAS). To avoid accumulation of cell
mass of the system the purge(CELLPURG) is used.To reduce the ethanol loss in the purge, the cell was
concentrated ten times and seperated out as a cell cake(CELLCAKE). The liquid broth (BEERCOLD)
was sent to the product recovery unit.
Ethanol recovery unit

Combination of distillation and molecular sieves was used.

First step, the beer from the fermenter was distilled until an ethanol purify of 92.4% wt was obtained in
the distillate. The remaining water was removed using molecular sieves.