Bioprocessing

Abstract

Functionalized substrate materials, for example inorganic particles and/or synthetic polymeric particles, are used to enhance bioprocesses such as saccharification and fermentation.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fermentation system comprising:
 a functionalizing module comprising a particle beam and a quenching liquid or gas, wherein   said functionalizing module is for producing a functional group on an inorganic substrate by ionizing the inorganic substrate then quenching the inorganic substrate with the quenching liquid or gas, and the system further includes   a substrate delivery system for delivering the functionalized substrate to an organism and to a fermentation tank, wherein   the organism becomes immobilized on the substrate and ferments a low molecular weight sugar in the fermentation tank.   
     
     
         2 . The fermentation system of  claim 1  wherein the particle beam is an electron beam. 
     
     
         3 . The fermentation system of  claim 1  wherein the system includes one or more holding tanks, stripping columns, distillation units, mixers and drying units. 
     
     
         4 . The fermentation system of  claim 1  wherein the low molecular weight sugar is fermented to a product selected from the group consisting of alcohols, organic acids, hydrocarbons, hydrogen, proteins or mixtures of any of these materials 
     
     
         5 . The fermentation system of  claim 1  wherein the functionalization module is located at a different site from the substrate delivery system and fermentation tank. 
     
     
         6 . The fermentation system of  claim 1  wherein the functionalized substrate and organism can be reused for more than one fermentation. 
     
     
         7 . The fermentation system of  claim 1  wherein the substrate is functionalized with functional groups selected from the group consisting of aldehyde groups, nitroso groups, nitrile groups, nitro groups, ketone groups, amino groups, alkyl amino groups, alkyl groups, chloroalkyl groups, chlorofluoroalkyl groups, and enol groups 
     
     
         8 . The fermentation system of  claim 1  wherein the low molecular weight sugar is selected from the group consisting of sucrose, glucose, xylose, and mixtures thereof.