Cátedra Internacional ::: Facultad de Ingeniería

BIOFUELS: BIOETHANOL

July 21st – August 14th 2009

Ethanol is one current alternative for replacement of fossil fuels. It has become a very important energy alternative for a variety of reasons: it is a renewable source, it is widely recognized as environmentally friendly and it is an acceptable substitute for gasoline. At present, it is the most important liquid biofuel and it is in the agenda of the energy policies of the governments in the globe.

Considerable efforts have being done toward improving ethanol yield and reducing its production costs. Among the main costs associated to fermentative production of fuel ethanol are the substrates, starch and sugar, and the microbial enzymes used in enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose to fermentable sugars. Nowadays the expansion of fermentation process is directed towards utilization of lower-value substrates such as lignocellulosics that offers a great potential for reducing the production costs and increasing the use of ethanol as a fuel. Lignocellulosic biomass is the most abundant raw material from wood, grasses, agricultural residues and municipal solid wastes.

During this course, participants will learn about chemistry, enzymes, kinetics and process technologies of bioethanol production, bioethanol properties and environmental implications. For the first week, course will provide a description of the process of ethanol from sugar cane, in the second one the topic will be ethanol from starchy sources, in the third week ethanol from lignocellulosics and at the end of the course the participants will have the opportunity of applying this knowledge in practice at laboratory.

This course is targeted to students, engineers, chemists and anyone who would like to get into the bioethanol field.

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Course Coordinator:

	Mario Enrique Velásquez, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá Mario E. Velásquez L. is a Chemical Engineer of the National University of Colombia, did advanced studies in Packaging Engineering in the Packaging Institute of Japan, obtained a Master degree at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign and a Doctor in Engineering degree from the National University of Colombia. He has a broad experience in designing food and biotechnological processes. He has been professor at the National University of Colombia, teaching in the Design of Chemical and Biochemical Processes area. His areas of research are plant biotechnology to obtain secondary metabolites; biofuels: cellulosic ethanol, hydrogen from microorganisms; and development of photosynthetic plant cultures. Actually he is also the Coordinator of the Graduate Program in Chemical Engineering of the National University of Colombia.
Guest Speakers:
	Marcelo Guido Cerdan Fermentis He works in Fermentis (Division of SI Lesaffre-France) like “Sales manager” since 2005 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He is degree in Biological Sciences, targeting Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (University of Buenos Aires). In 1999 studied a PhD in the University of Buenos Aires, targeting Biology with a thesis award: Bernardo A. Science Prize Houssay the best research work; Awarded by the Biology Society of Argentina, Title: Tissue specificity of expression of eukaryotic genes in transgenic mice. He works in some research project: Beer production from grain sorghum using fungal and bacterial enzymes (CATIF – UNASM) and Production of edible fungi using waste breweries (patent pending). CATIF - UNASM - CONICET. He was the General Manager of Cordillera Brewing Company of Argentina SRL, which develop the microbrewery and brewpubs in Bs.As Argentina. CONICET Research Fellow at the Institute for Research on Genetic Engineering and Molecular Biology (INGEBI - CONICET), Buenos Aires. In 1993 he was a Trainee at the German Space Research Center DLR), Institute of Air and Space, Cologne-Germany. In 1991 – 1994, Research Fellow at the National Atomic Energy Commission, Department of Radiobiology in Argentina.
	William Francis Scolli Genencor He is a Technical Service Account Manager for the Grain Processing Division of Genencor (A Division of Danisco). His main areas of responsibility include using enzymes for the production of fuel alcohol and/or sweeteners from corn. He has over 24 years of global experience in providing technical service to the corn wet milling and ethanol industries regarding enzyme use, optimization and trouble shooting. Prior to his technical service experience he was a researcher for Corn Products International. There he worked on the development, scale-up and plant installation of processes for the production of glucose isomerase enzyme and high fructose corn syrup. Work history: 2002 - Present: Genencor (A Division of Danisco), Technical Service Account Manager, Grain Processing Division; main areas of responsibility include using enzymes for the production of fuel alcohol and/or sweeteners from corn. 1985 - 2001: Enzyme Bio-Systems, LTD., Senior Technical Service Manager; held technical service positions of increasing responsibility regarding the use of enzymes for the production of sweeteners and/or fuel alcohol from corn globally. 1969 - 1984: Corn Products International; held positions of increasing responsibility in the Fermentation and Enzymology Research Group including roles as an Analytical Chemist, Associate Research Chemist, Research Chemist, Enzyme Plant Microbiologist and Assistant Building Foreman and Researcher. Education: BA Chemistry 1969, Lewis College, Romeoville, IL; MS Biochemistry (minor in Microbiology) 1974, Roosevelt University, Chicago, IL.
	Vijay Singh, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, United States Vijay Singh studied Agricultural Engineering in G.B. Pant University, a Master in Agricultural Engineering and a Ph.D. in the same area in the University of Illinois. He has worked in many research areas, principally: Novel Corn Fractionation Technologies, Dry Grind Ethanol, Process Simulation and economic Analysis and Corn Wet Milling. His professional experience is completely academic. He has worked such as: Visiting Postdoctoral Research Associate (University of Illinois-Engineering Department, 1998), Visiting Scientist (USDAEastern Regional Research Center, 1998-2002), Visiting Assistant Professor (University of Illinois- Agricultural Engineering Department, 2002) and since 2002 he is working like Assistant Professor of Agricultural Engineering Department in the University of Illinois. The principal Honors and Awards that Vijay Singh has got are: Alpha Epsilon, inducted 1993 Gamma Sigma Delta, inducted 1994 Sigma Xi, inducted 1997 Best Research Paper Award, CCSE Research Unit, ERRC, ARS, USDA, 2003 Excellence in Research Award, College of ACES, 2007 Global Scholar, College of ACES, 2007 AACCI Young Scientist Award, 2007
	Edgar A. Cárdenas Rocha National University of Colombia He studied Animal Science in the National University of Colombia (1987), in 2003 studied a Master in Environment and Development in the National University of Colombia. Your PhD was about Animal Production in the same university (2007). He did a pos PhD in LEARN (Livestock Emission & Abatement Research Network) Agresearch - Palmerston North – New Zealand in 2008, about the Greenhouse Gas Measurement (Methane and Oxide of nitrogen) from livestock (Sheep and Cattle). His mean areas of research are the Protection of Environment, Pastures, Tropical Forage and Vegetable Cover, Production System of Herbivores and Agricultural Crop for Animal Feeding. He belongs to Ruminant Nutrition Research Group, with classification A in Colciencias. Since 1997 until today, he has been an associated Professor in the Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science Faculty and has participated like International Expositor in many Congress (2002 – 2008).
	Juan Carulla Fornaguera National University of Colombia His bachelor was about Animal Sciences (1984 – 1986), the Master in the Ruminant Nutrition Area (1987 – 1990) and the PhD in the same area of research. All of the studies have done in the University of Nebraska – Lincoln USA. He is an expert in Ruminant Nutrition and Feeding and Food Analysis for Ruminant. Since 2003 until today, he is associated Professor with exclusive dedication in the Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science Faculty, and since 2006 is the Dean of the same Faculty. He is the national coordinator for elaboration of ECAES for Animal Science Bachelor. He was a visitor professor in the Technical Institute of Zurich – Swiss, and worked in a research about the influence of the plants secondary metabolites on the methane production in Sheep.
	Melvin Martínez Ríos Ingenio Providencia S.A He is Chemical Engineering (1998 – 2004) of the National University of Colombia. He has worked in some important companies in our country: Manuelita S.A, Ingeniería y Especialidades (I&E), Incolsa Ltda, Extractos GMN Ltda. Since 2007 until today, he works as a Process Coordinator-Engineering in Ingenio Providencia S.A.. His main areas of working are programming, process control and optimization of production processes in industrial, chemicals and food plants.
	Julian Andrés Parra Garrido Ingenio Providencia S.A He is studying a Master in Management with emphasis in Strategic negotiation in the ICESI University (Cali-Colombia). He is Chemical Engineering of the National University of Colombia – Bogotá (2004). He has studied specially courses like: International Level Short Term Training Programme for Distillery - Vasantdada Sugar Institute (India) - Abril de 2005 and Training Course in Basic Microbiology - University of Pune (India) in the same date. He additionally has the following work experience: Sucromiles S.A (2003 – 2005): Citric Acid production Vinasse concentration plant. Incauca S.A (2005 – 2006): Engineering of Distillery. Ingenio Providencia S.A (2006 – today): Distillery Director.