Whey Ethanol
Whey is a by-product of the cheese production process containing protein, fat, lactose sugars, and salts. Whey is processed to recover fat, protein, and sugars, creating a low-value, high BOD, whey permeate stream . Whey permeate contains lactose which can be fermented to produce ethanol but is not an ideal substrate due to:
- low sugar concentration,
- high salt content,
- susceptibility to bacterial infection.
Bio-Process has developed process systems and technologies for the efficient and economical production of ethanol and co-products from whey, whey permeate, permeate mother liquor, and lactose streams. A recent publication by the USDA describes the whey ethanol process and Bio-Process technologies and processes for whey processing (USDA-whey-ethanol-PDF)
The Bio-Process whey bio-refining system is robust and infection resistant process for converting high salt level whey streams into strong ethanol beers in batch, continuous, or continuous batch systems. The Bio-Process technologies and processes provide a commercially and economically viable process for processing whey into high value chemicals, feeds, and fuels.
Bio-Process Whey Technologies:
- Improved Salt Tolerant Organisms
- Reactor / Separator Systems
- Bacterial Resistant System Design
- High Ethanol Percentage Beer Production
- Low Energy Ethanol Product Recovery
- Versatile Production of Co-Products
Bio-Process provides the expertise, technologies, process engineering packages to help successfully develop your whey ethanol project- Converting a current environmental problem and operational cost into sustainable energy, fuel, and revenue.
Please contact us to learn more about our whey ethanol production technologies and processing systems.
