FAQ
Lentikats Biotechnology finds its application in the fermentation of sugars solutions, where the immobilised yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, bacteria Zymomonas mobilis or any other microbial ethanol producers, either natural or genetically modified, are used for conversion of sugars into ethanol. Lentikats Biotechnology can be further utilised in the saccharification of liquefied starch solutions using immobilised enzyme glucoamylase or in the process of cellulose hydrolysis with immobilised enzyme β-glucosidase.
Modern technologies are capable of achieving alcohol yields from sugars entering the fermentation process of 85 to 90 %. In comparison with these technologies, Lentikats Biotechnology works with the conversion rate of 95 %. The higher yield is mainly a result of the ratio of free and immobilised biomass (still present in the system). The ratio of free and immobilised biomass that participates in the fermentation process based on Lentikats Biotechnology ranges within 2-5 / 98-95. It means that only 2-5 % of the entire amount of biomass utilises sugars for their growth and not directly for the alcohol production.
The ratio of free and immobilised biomass that participates in the fermentation process ranges around 2-5/98-95, i.e. not more than 2-5 % of the total biomass leaves the system at the end of the fermentation process in free suspended form. The free biomass content ranges from 0.1 to 0.3 g/L in distilleries based on Lentikats Biotechnology (dry weight of suspended solids).
The risk of contamination is reduced due to the fast fermentation reaction rate caused by the high biomass concentration within the PVA matrix and consequently in the reactor. Further dosing of natural antibacterial agent based on hops acids, which supresses growth and reproduction of lactic acid bacteria, helps to reduce the contamination risk. A solution based on immobilised nanoparticles of silver is currently being prepared for the applications in molasses and sugar juice processing distilleries, making the fermentation process even more stable in microbiological terms.
Operational stability of Lentikats Biocatalyst with immobilised enzyme glucoamylase ranges from 1,200 to 1,500 working hours. After that the enzyme's activity decreases and the Biocatalyst is replaced with a new, fully active one. Lentikats Biocatalyst with immobilised anaerobic bacteria Zymomonas mobilis or with immobilised yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is able to work in a system for 18-24 months or 8–12 months, respectively without any deterioration in its production activity, provided the Biocatalyst is handled according to instructions. The Biocatalyst is replaced by a new, fully active one once its activity drops permanently below its guaranteed level.
Lentikats Biocatalyst is based on hydrogel, i.e. its water content ranges around 80 %. After its depletion, the Biocatalyst is usually dried and can be incinerated without posing any ecological threats or having any negative influence on the environment.
The ongoing cost associated with Lentikats Biocatalyst will reflect in the operating costs of the distillery. However, the higher ethanol yields resulting from the use of Lentikats Biotechnology ultimately increase the refinery's economical performances to such an extent that the above mentioned costs are balanced for creating even higher profits in comparison to traditional technologies. Adding also the significant reduction in the investment costs and the savings of other operating costs (chemicals, separation, and energy), Lentikats Biotechnology is clearly an economically profitable solution and a strong competitor for the conventional technologies.