An integrated process to enhance ethanol production from steam-exploded corn stover

An integrated process of enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation was investigated to enhance ethanol production from steam-exploded corn stover. The process included enzymatic hydrolysis at a low substrate loading, fermentation of concentrated supernatant and solid state fermentation of enzymatic hydrolysis residue. The results suggested that enzymatic hydrolysis at a low substrate loading caused a high hydrolysis efficiency; Fermentation of concentrated supernatant provided a high ethanol concentration of 92.33 g/L, which helped to decrease the cost of subsequent ethanol distillation; Simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of enzymatic hydrolysis residue was carried out, in order to enhance ethanol production as much as possible.