Sweet sorghum: broth clarification with enzymatic treatment increases the quality of the fermentation wort for ethanol production

Sweet sorghum is currently being evaluated throughout the world as a raw material for biofuel production because its stem juices are rich in sugars that can be directly fermented to ethanol. In this work, the fermentative efficiency of three sweet sorghum genotypes was evaluated, aiming at ethanol production, harvested in two seasons, clean and whole stems, and the treatment of the juice and broth with amylolytic enzymes in order to use the present starch to increase the production of ethanol. The experiment was carried out in the 2013/2014 harvest, in the municipality of Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brasil, located at 21°14'05''S and 48°17'09''W. The experimental design was completely randomized, with sub-subdivided plots and four replications. The primary treatments were the sweet sorghum genotypes (CV147, CV198, and BRS508), the secondary treatments, the type of harvest (whole stems and clean stems); the tertiary the two sampling times (102 and 116 days after sowing - d.a.s) and the quaternary the application of enzymes. In the fermentation process, the yeast PE-2 was used, at the end, the wine was recovered and characterized. Fermentation efficiency and liters of ethanol per ton of sorghum were calculated. The clarification of the juice with enzymatic treatment increases the quality of the fermentation broth and makes it possible to obtain wines with lower levels of RRTs and Brix. Fermentation efficiency is not affected by the genotype; however, it is influenced by the time of harvest and the technological quality of the juice. The use of amylolytic enzymes makes it possible to obtain wines with lower levels of RRTS and Brix. The best period of industrialization was at 102 d.a.s., and the processing of whole stalks resulted in less ethanol production.

Produção de bioetanol a partir da fermentaçãode caldo de sorgo sacarino e cana-de-açúcar / Bioethanol production from sweet sorghum broth and sugar cane fermentation

Os biocombustíveis apresentam-se com grande importância para suprir a demanda global de energia. São produzidos a partir de biomassa vegetal, emitem menor quantidade de dióxido de carbono e de partículas poluentes ao ambiente quando utilizados e possuem grande vantagem por serem combustíveis renováveis. Entre as matérias-primas com potencial para produção de etanol, cita-se o sorgo sacarino. Objetivou-se comparar o processamento industrial do genótipo de sorgo sacarino CVSW80007 e da cultivar de cana-de-açúcar 'RB966928' para produção de bioetanol em início de safra. As análises realizadas foram: brix; pH, ART, AR, acidez total, ARRT, glicerol, teor alcoolico, viabilidade celular, viabilidade de brotos e brotamentos. Quanto às características químico-tecnológicas, as matérias-primas apresentaram-se aptas ao processamento industrial, com índices superiores para a cana-de-açúcar. O desenvolvimento das fermentações ocorreu de forma adequada para ambas, sendo que o mosto fermentado (vinho), produzido a partir do mosto de cana-de-açúcar, apresentou maior teor alcoolico e rendimento fermentativo.

Biofuels have great importance to supply the global energy demand. These fuels are produced from plant biomass, emit less carbon dioxide and particulate pollutants to the environment when used and have great advantage of being renewable fuels. Among the raw materials with potential for ethanol production, is cited sweet sorghum. This study aimed to compare industrial processing of genotype sorghum CVSW80007 and the cultivar sugar cane 'RB966928' for bioethanol production in early season. The analyzes performed were: brix, pH, ART, AR, total acidity, ARRT, glycerol, alcohol content, cell viability, shoots viability and buds. Regarding the chemical-technological characteristics, raw materials were suitable for industrial processing, with higher rates for sugar cane. The development of fermentations occurred appropriately for both, and the fermented must (wine) produced from the must of sugar cane had higher alcohol content and fermentation yield.