Kajian Pengaruh Ukuran Penambat Pada Fermentasi Etanol Secara Continue dengan Batu Apung Sebagai Media Penambat Pada Fermentor Kolom Fixed Bed

Abstract

Ethanol production is increasing every year due to the great need. Ethanol is widely used as chemical
synthesis ingredient, as a solvent and can be used as a fuel mixture of gasoline, there by ethanol become an
alternative renewable fuel. Difficulties often encountered in the fermentation process, namely the separation
of the product of yeast used. Tethered cell method (immobilized cell) may be one method that can be used as
an alternative, and pumice can be used as an immobilized media. The purpose of this study was to
determine ethanol concentration and value of ethanol yield in the continues fermentation process using
coloumn fixed bed fermenters with pumice as an immobilized cell media and comparing with free cell
condition. The parameters in this study is glucose concentration of 150 g / L with a temperature of 34 ° C,
pH 4.5, substrat flow rate of 0,555 mL/min , pumice height is 50% fermentor height, and the number of cells
that is tethered. While the variable in this study include the condition of the cell that is free and immobilized ,
pumice size with mesh 6/8 and mesh 16/18 . Results obtained with the best conditions on a continuous
ethanol fermentation in a fixed bed column was obtained on condition of immobilized cells with a pumice size
mesh 16/18 with ethanol consentrasion of 61.8 % v/ v, the value of ethanol yield at 23,22% w / w and the
average percentage of cells that escape 0.213%.