BioMatNet Item: FAIR-CT95-1201 - Liquid Products and Hydrogen from Biomass (the ABE fermentation)

FAIR-CT95-1201
Liquid Products and Hydrogen from Biomass (the ABE fermentation) - European Integration

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Biological Conversion : Bulk Chemicals : FAIR Area 1.2 - Green Chemicals and Polymers Chain : Fine Chemicals : Liquid Biofuels and Biogas

	Type of Project	Concerted Action
	Contract No	FAIR-CT95-1201
	Total Cost	150,000 ECU
	EC Contribution	150,000 ECU
	Start Date	01/12/1996
	Duration	36 Months

Background

The ABE-fermentation produces chemical feedstocks (butanol, acetone and hydrogen) on a renewable and CO₂-neutral basis from biomass or biomass wastes. The ABE-products can serve as chemical feedstocks or as diesel and/or petrol extender/substitute.

Objectives

The aim of this coordinated action project is to bring together researchers from different European countries studying the ABE-fermentation. In particular to bring together researchers of different disciplines, especially microbiologists, biotechnologists and chemical/process engineers. It is expected that this will provide further support for the Pilot Plant Testing of ABE-fermentation (EU-RTD project AIR3-CT94-2153).

Technical Approach

The present state-of-the-art for the fermentative production of ABE products from biomass can be summarised as 'technically possible, but economically and energetically expensive'. Research is therefore required to reduce both the costs and the energy requirements of the process. A combined approach with process engineers applying modern engineering techniques (e.g. membrane processes, energy 'recycling', etc) and microbiologists improving the fermentation characteristics (e.g. reliability, phage resistance, productivity, etc) and perhaps improved product tolerance (product inhibition is a problem) is seen as a strong association in support of improved process economic viability.

Two-stage continuous bioreactor in laboratory scale.
Reactor volumes are 300 ml (1^st stage) and 2000 ml (2^nd stage).
The blue vessel on the left contains the feed tank.

Low-grade potatoes, the raw material for the substrate
for a pilot plant at a possible site in lower Austria

Contacts

Coordinator

Richard GAPES / Technical University of Vienna Institute of Process Engineering / AUSTRIA

EC Scientific Officer

Ciarán MANGAN / European Commission - DG Research Quality of Life Programme - Unit B1.2 / BELGIUM

Participant