INFLUÊNCIA DA GRANULOMETRIA NA SACARIFICAÇÃO E FERMENTAÇÃO NA PRODUÇÃO DE ETANOL DE MILHO

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the influence of corn particle size on ethanol production, considering the liquefaction, saccharification, and alcoholic fermentation stages. Ground corn samples with sieved granulometry (20 Mesh) and unsieved granulometry were used, subjected to the addition of 0.32 mL of αamylase at 90°C and 0.32 mL of glucoamylase at 60°C, followed by fermentation with Saccharomyces cerevisiae (FT858L) at 30°C, 150 rpm, in a shaker incubator for 24 hours. The experiments were carried out on a laboratory scale, monitoring parameters such as starch content, soluble solids (°Brix), and alcohol content. The results showed that particle size variation did not promote significant differences in saccharification or fermentation, since both samples presented very similar soluble solids (°Brix) during saccharification, as well as close alcoholic content (°GL) and productivity, with mean values between 1.33 and 1.55 g/L for the sieved sample and 1.91 and 1.98 g/L for the unsieved sample. The average efficiency of the processes, regarding ethanol production based on processed starch dry mass, ranged from 43.97 to 47.27%. Under the conditions evaluated in this work, the use of standardized or heterogeneous corn particle size was not a limiting factor for ethanol production, reinforcing the importance of commercial enzymes and fermentation process standardization as key determinants for yield.