Patent ID: 8609399

Claim:
A method of reducing formation of insoluble deposits of phytic acid and/or salts of phytic acid in fuel ethanol processing plant equipment or a portion thereof during the production of a quantity of ethanol, wherein the production of a quantity of ethanol comprises a fermentation step and wherein the fuel ethanol processing plant comprises a piece of heat transfer equipment, the method comprising: providing an additive in an ethanol processing fluid in the plant, wherein the ethanol processing fluid comprises an amount of phytic acid and/or salts of phytic acid, and wherein the additive comprises phytase, wherein the phytase reduces the amount of phytic acid and/or phytic acid salts in the ethanol processing fluid by breaking down the phytic acid and/or phytic acid salts, wherein providing the additive comprising phytase in the ethanol processing fluid causes a reduction of the formation of insoluble deposits of phytic acid and/or salts of phytic acid in a piece of heat transfer equipment in the plant, and wherein the reduction in the formation of insoluble deposits of phytic acid and/or salts of phytic acid in fuel ethanol processing plant equipment or a portion thereof during production of the quantity of ethanol is accomplished substantially without the addition of an acidic compound that can break down organic phosphates and phosphonates into soluble inorganic phosphates in the presence of an oxidizer, oxidizing agent, or ultraviolet light.