Biorefinery approaches can be utilised at distilleries using dark fermentation to treat whiskey production by-products and provide decarbonisation opportunities. A biorefinery can convert residues to hydrogen, carbon dioxide and volatile fatty acids (VFAs). This study investigated the effect of organic loading rate (OLR) on the production of VFAs and biogas in dark fermentation. Similar yields of hydrogen (5.6–6.9 ml H. g VS), carbon dioxide (18.3–24.9 ml CO. g VS), and VFAs (141.7–155.0 mg VFA. g VS) were found for all OLRs. However, the composition of VFAs altered; higher caproic acid levels (1.2 g. L) were observed at low OLRs and higher valeric acid levels at high OLRs (2.0 g. L). The most prominent VFAs were butyric acid and acetic acid across the OLR range. The biogenic carbon dioxide and hydrogen offset potential was also assessed. A 50 million-litre whiskey distillery could satisfy approximately half of the carbon dioxide requirement of the Irish brewing industry. Biogenic hydrogen was found to be best suited as a transport fuel. The biorefinery supports the distillery’s transition to circular production systems.

中文翻译：

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通过威士忌生产副产品的暗发酵开发酿酒厂生物精炼厂：有机负荷率对脱碳途径的影响

酿酒厂可以利用生物精炼方法，利用黑暗发酵来处理威士忌生产副产品并提供脱碳机会。生物精炼厂可以将残留物转化为氢气、二氧化碳和挥发性脂肪酸 (VFA)。本研究调查了有机负荷率 (OLR) 对暗发酵中 VFA 和沼气生产的影响。所有 OLR 的氢气产量 (5.6–6.9 ml H. g VS)、二氧化碳 (18.3–24.9 ml CO. g VS) 和 VFA (141.7–155.0 mg VFA. g VS) 产量相似。然而，VFA 的组成发生了变化；在低 OLR 下观察到较高的己酸水平（1.2 g.L），在高 OLR 下观察到较高的戊酸水平（2.0 g.L）。 OLR 范围内最突出的 VFA 是丁酸和乙酸。还评估了生物二氧化碳和氢气的抵消潜力。一座产能 5000 万升的威士忌酿酒厂可以满足爱尔兰酿酒业大约一半的二氧化碳需求。人们发现生物氢最适合作为运输燃料。生物精炼厂支持酿酒厂向循环生产系统的过渡。