Kinetic modeling of simultaneous saccharification and fermentation for ethanol production using steam-exploded wood with glucose- and cellobiose-fermenting yeast, Brettanomyces custersii

A mathematical model is proposed that can depict the kinetics of simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) using steam-exploded wood (SEW) with a glucose- and cellobiose-fermenting yeast strain, Brettanomyces custersii. An expression to describe the reduction of the relative digestibility during the hydrolysis of the SEW is introduced in the hydrolysis model. The fermentation model also takes two new factors into account, that is, the effects of the inhibitory compounds present in the SEW hydrolysates on the microorganism and the fermenting ability of Brettanomyces custersii, which can use both glucose and cellobiose as carbon sources. The model equations were used to simulate the hydrolysis of the SEW, the fermentation of the SEW hydrolysates, and a batch SSF, and the results were compared with the experimental data. The model was found to be capable of representing ethanol production over a range of substrate concentrations. Accordingly, the limiting factors in ethanol production by SSF under the high concentration of the SEW were identified as the effect of inhibitory compounds present in the SEW, the enzyme deactivation, and a limitation in the digestibility based on the physical condition of the substrate.