2 replies to this topic

Hi,

I'm working on a design project for bio-fuel production from glucose. As part of the preliminary economic analysis, I need to find a company that produces commercial glucose on a large scale, where purchases could be in the 1000's of kg. I'm struggling to find a company that offers sales over 1 kg. In addition, I need purity spec's and a general description of the process they use for production (enough to draw a rough block flow diagram) as well as a price quote. But, obviously companies don't want to advertise the commercial process they use. I found a generic flow diagram for sugar production in Kirk-Othmer, but it appears to be tailored towards sucrose production rather than glucose production. I know it's produced through the enzymatic hydrolysis of starch derived from plant sources (corn mainly) in a gelatinous slurry with a-amylase which is then liquefied and "saccharified" with Aspergillus niger which is then filtered and concentrated in a multiple effect evaporator. But, a more detailed description of the process would be really great, and I really need a company that uses it for commercial-scale production. Thanks a lot for any help.

[Allen]

Way back in 1971 I worked as a process worker on a Glucose plant in germany. The process comprised of hydrolysis of starch under pressure under acidic conditions. The process used a batch reactor where starch slurry was added with acid and the reactor pressurised with steam. The resulting glucose solution was then filtered, evaporated and decolourised with carbon. In all quite a primitive process and I honestly have no idea if it has any validity now days.

As an aside, the company also made dextrose using enzyme action on starch.

[Qalander (Chem)]

Dear Allen I believe this is a nice guiding info and most probably the process might still be in use in certain parts of world and OP may find through googling the further desired details.