Grain pearling and very high gravity (VHG) fermentation technologies for fuel alcohol production from rye and triticale

• Published in: Process biochemistry (1991) Vol. 34; no. 5; pp. 421 - 428
• Main Authors: Wang, S, Thomas, K.C, Sosulski, K, Ingledew, W.M, Sosulski, F.W
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01-07-1999
• Subjects: Fermentation; Fuel alcohol; Pearling; Rye; Triticale; Very high gravity; Fuel alcohol; Fermentation; Very high gravity; Pearling; Triticale; Rye
• ISSN: 1359-5113; 1873-3298
• DOI: 10.1016/S0032-9592(98)00097-1

A SATAKE laboratory abrasive mill was used for rye and triticale grain processing. About 12% of dry grain mass was removed after three and five successive abrasions for triticale and rye, respectively. Starch contents in the pearled grain were increased by 8·0% for triticale, and by 7·1% for rye. The pearled rye and triticale were ground and fermented by active dry yeast for fuel alcohol production by very high gravity (VHG) fermentation at 20°C. VHG technology was applied to increase final ethanol concentrations in the fermentors from 9·5–10·0% (v/v) (normal gravity) to 12·9–15·1% (v/v). The grain pearling process coupled with VHG technology further raised the ethanol concentration to 15·7–16·1% (v/v). Partial removal of outer grain solids in an alcohol plant would improve plant efficiency and decrease energy requirements for mash heating, mash cooling, and ethanol distillation.