PhD defence: Mai Østergaard Haven

Mai Østergaard Haven defends her thesis:

Recycling of cellulases in a continuous process for production of bioethanol

Summary
The focus of the work presented in this thesis is recycling of commercial enzymes in a continuous process

for production of bioethanol from biomass. To get a deeper understanding of the factors affecting the potential for enzyme recycling, the interactions between enzymes and biomass, the adsorption and desorption as well as stability and recovery of activity was investigated. More knowledge on these factors have enabled a process adapted for enzyme recycling. The driver being that enzyme consumption remains a major cost when producing bioethanol  from lignocellulosic biomass. Unlike previous studies, this PhD project investigates enzyme recycling at industrial relevant conditions in the Inbicon process, e.g. high dry matter conditions and process configurations that could be implemented in large scale.

The results point towards potential processes for industrial recycling of enzymes, but they also point towards generic challenges with the stability of the enzyme proteins. Quite unique for the first time results from large scale testing of enzyme recycling in a lignocellulosic biomass to ethanol process are reported.  

Principal Supervisor
Professor Claus Felby
Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, DK

Co-Supervisor
Senior Researcher Henning Jørgensen
Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering,Technical University of Denmark, DK

Assessment Committee
Senior Researcher Lisbeth Garbrecht Thygesen
Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, DK
Science Manager Katja Salomon Johansen
Novozymes A/S, Krogshøjvej 36, 2880 Bagsværd
Professor Jack Saddler
University of British Columbia, Faculty of Forestry, Forest Sciences Centre, Vancouver, Canada.

After the PhD defence there will be a reception on Rolighedsvej 23, canteen in the new building. All are welcome.