Improved Process for the Manufacture of Alcohol by Saccharification and Fermentation by Mucedineae and Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 10th June, 1898-Accepted, 30th July, 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Process for the Manufacture of Alcohol by Saccharification
and Fermentation by Mucedineae and Apparatus therefor.
We, AUGUSTE COLLETTE, Fils, Distiller, and AUGUSTE BOIDIN, Chemist, both of
Sechin (Nord), in the Republic of France, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement.
Our previous Patent No. 19858 of 1897 relates to the aseptic saccharification and
fermentation of mashes of starchy materials by means of mucedineae alone or in
combination with yeast.
In this patent we stated that the saccharification and the fermentation are
effected in a series of closed vessels absolutely air-tight, and that we might have a
variable number of vessels of any convenient capacity, in each of which we could
carry on successively a complete operation for saccharification and fermentation
Our present application describes a method for rendering the operation con-
tinuous. The drawing in form of a diagram which accompanies our application,
shows arranged in series the following apparatuses.-
One or more sterilizers D, one or more coolers E and a series of several
vessels F, F, F, F, F which can be put into communication by means of any
suitable arrangement There may also be added two measuring vessels G, G¹ for
measuring the volume of the fermented mash at its exit from the apparatus The
number and the capacity of the vessels employed may be varied at will, and
according to the number of the mucedineae and of the yeasts which it is desired
to cause to act, and also according to the quantity of the materials treated
By way of example, we have illustrated in the accompanying diagram an
apparatus of five vessels The first operation consists in the sterilising of the mash.
For this purpose we receive the liquefied raw material in the sterilizer D in which
it is sterilized by heat under steam pressure for a number of minutes which are
variable according to the pressure but which must continue for a sufficient length
of time to destroy all pre-existing micro-organisms
The sterilization of the mash
having been effected, we render the cooling vessel, the tanks and the tubes of the
whole apparatus aseptic, and we then pass the sterilized mash into the cooler, which
cools it to the required temperature for the development of the mucedineae which
we desire to cause to re-act in the first vessel We then supply the saccharifying
mucedineae, which propagate rapidly We continue to admit the sterilized mash,
and this admission is subsequently continuous; the vessel F once filled to the
level N', N', the mash inoculated with the mucedineae passes into the second
vessel F in which we may either allow the first culture of mucedineae to continue
to re-act, or we may cause another culture to re-act, or we may introduce a
yeast at will, the choice of the culture of mucedineae or of the kind of yeast
depending upon the nature of the raw material in use, or of the climate in which
the operation is taking place The communication between the vessels is so
arranged as to form between the vessels in which the various cultures of mucedineae
or of yeast are inserted, a difference of level sufficient to prevent any flowing
back, and thus to ensure the successive action of the various re-agents employed
It is important to notice for the comprehension of the foregoing paragraph, that
if the portion of mash to be treated simultaneously with a culture of mucedineae

page_text: and with a yeast, it will happen in nine cases out of ten that one of the re-agents
will hinder the development of the other, if for instance, the yeast predominates,
it will not be possible to cause the production of sufficient diastase, and the result
will be unsatisfactory We therefore plan our apparatus so as to have a series of
vessels, the first whereof selves for the saccharification, and the others for the
fermentation, consequently, the sterilized mash entera F in which it becomes
saccharified and escapes at F' completely fermented, the mash passing into F
causes F* to discharge an equivalent amount into the receiving tanks, from whenoe
the feed pump for the distilling columns is supplied. The carbonic acid gas arising
from the fermentation can with advantage be passed over the supply tanks of the
columns in order to prevent any oxidation of the materials Moreover, we are
also able, as our vessels are hermetically closed, to submit the carbonic acid gas
to a thorough washing and cooling, which admits of the prevention of any loss of
alcohol by distillation
The apparatus which we have described by way of example, would soon become
infected if it were not provided with the usual sterilizing arrangements. In
general the sterilizers constructed hitherto, possess only a single discharge valve,
consequently, whenever this valve is not quite tight, a small quantity of liquid
escapes from the sterilization and causes a general infection, this fatal drawback is
rendered impossible by the following arrangement:-
Upon the discharge tube of the sterilizer, we place two valves or two cocks S, 81
between which we adinit by means of the valve It a pressure of steam corresponding
to the pressure of steam in the boilers of the factory, that is to say, a pressure
exceeding that which the sterilizer receives during the sterilization We thus
render it impossible for liquid which is not sterilized to pass into the cooler
and the various apparatuses in which the saccharification and fermentation are
carried on
The apparatus above described may of course be replaced either by an apparatus
of different form, or by a angle apparatus divided into a number of compartments
permitting of the same conditions being attained with regard to the separate
development of the various organisms In conclusion, by the method of direct
fermentation above described, w btain the following advantages:-
1 The suppression of the daily addition of mucedineae and of yeast, and conse-
quently of all the risks of failure which result therefrom
2 The operation is much more rapid.
3. There is a considerable saving in cost of labour
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. The special arrangement herein before described of let-off tubes and valves
of the sterilizer, so arranged as to ensure an effective sterilization substantially as
described.
2 The improved method of operating consisting essentially in the continuous
saccharification and fermentation in a series of aseptic vessels wherein are caused
to re-act successively the different micro-organisms made use of, namely, one or
more cultures or descriptions of mucedineaae, with or without the aid of yeast for
the purpose of obtaining a regular and constant production, substantially as
described
.
W. P THOMPSON & Co,
322, High Holborn, London, WC, Patent Agents for the Applicant.