ABSTRACT
The fermentation process BIOSTIL was developed at the end of the 1970s for continuous production of ethanol. The BIOSTIL process is described as applied to two typical raw materials, molasses and wheat. The economic improvements obtained, such as higher yield or a lower energy consumption, disappear unless the accessibility of the plant is high. Infection can be devastating to the process, and the plant must therefore be resistant to infection. A remarkable feature of the BIOSTIL process is its resistance to infection. Careful investigation has confirmed that the level of bacteria in the fermentor is kept in check by the combined effect of several process features. Effluent problems are in most cases a plague to the distillery and fermentation industry. Fermentation has great chances of becoming a future production technique, provided that industry’s stringent requirements with regard to energy consumption, environmental impact, and accessibility can be met in a cost-effective manner.
