A feasibility study to optimise extraction of bio-based materials following fermentation of distillery waste

大麻啤酒是威士忌行业的主要废水副产品，产量很大，每升人造威士忌生产8.5-10升大麻啤酒。处理技术在很大程度上被限制在将热量施加到锅中以产生糖蜜类型的糖浆，或者通过AD提取能量来产生热量和电力。一份苏格兰零废物报告称，可用于生物精炼的罐装啤酒可达20亿升。实验室研究表明，二次发酵过程能够产生一种被称为挥发性脂肪酸(VFAS)的有价值的化合物。其中最主要的是己酸，一种C6短链酸，在包括食品、制药、化妆品和塑料在内的广泛行业中有多种用途。世界上的己酸供应主要来自棕榈油，而棕榈油主要产于东南亚。据估计，全球己酸生产的碳足迹超过3700万吨/二氧化碳当量。与生物可再生能源开发中心(BDC)开展的工作目前正在从AD数字遗产的样本中识别产生己酸的细菌。现在的任务是扩大这项研究，并进行可行性研究，以确定如何最好地从发酵混合物中提取和储存VFA。然后，结果将在整个流程中确定该要素的成本概况。这是确定流程优化的重要一步，并为财务决策提供信息，以承诺投入大量资金建设全尺寸工厂。

Pot-ale is the principal effluent co-product of the whisky industry and is produced in copious quantities with between 8.5 -10 litres of pot-ale being created for each litre of manufactured whisky. Treatment technologies have largely been restricted to applying heat to pot-ale to create a molasses type syrup or energy extraction via AD to create heat and electricity. A Zero Waste Scotland report suggested that up to 2 billion litres of pot-ale could be available for bio-refining.Laboratory research has demonstrated that a secondary fermentation process is capable of producing a valuable class of compounds known as 'volatile fatty acids'(VFAs). Chief amongst these is hexanoic acid, a C6 short-chain acid which has numerous uses across a wide range of industries, including food, pharma, cosmetics and plastics. World supplies of hexanoic acid are largely derived from palm oil which is predominantly grown in South-East Asia. The carbon footprint for world hexanoic acid production is estimated to be in excess of 37M tonnes/CO2eq. per annum.Work undertaken with the Bio-Renewables Development Centre (BDC) is currently in the process of identifying hexanoic acid producing bacteria from samples of AD digestate. The task is now to extend this research and undertake a feasibility study to determine how to best extract and store VFAs from the fermentation mixture. The results will then establish the cost profile for this element within the overall process. This is an important step in determining process optimisation and informing the financial decision to commit substantial funds to full sized plant.