Optimization and modelling of bioethanol production by the fermentation of CCN-51 cocoa mucilage using the sequential simplex method and the modified Gompertz model

This work deals with the optimization of bioethanol production through a fermentation process of CCN-51 cocoa mucilage, based on increased concentrations of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast. Cocoa mucilage, considered biomass waste, was selected for its high productivity and the large volumes generated in the cocoa industrial chain in Ecuador. The optimization of the fermentation process was performed using the sequential simplex method with two variables, and the results were experimentally confirmed by quantifying bioethanol through the microdiffusion method. The best operational conditions corresponded to a temperature of 35°C and a pH of 4. Regarding the concentration of yeast, it was found that the optimal value was 8 g/L, since lower concentrations led to low productivities, while higher concentrations resulted in inadequate functioning of the bioreactor. The best results reached a productivity of 1.35 ± 0.04 g/L · h and a maximum bioethanol concentration of 28.3 ± 0.8 g/L for a processing time of 21 h. The production of bioethanol was modelled using the modified Gompertz equation and simulated in MATLAB®, yielding a bioethanol production rate of 2.42 g/L · h with a correlation coefficient (R²) of 0.95. These results contribute to the knowledge of bioethanol production using cocoa mucilage and seek to add a positive value to this residue, whose management and final disposition have both undesirable environmental and economic effects.