Supercomputer helping crack cellulose enzyme mysteries
The San Diego Supercomputer Center is crunching a few billion numbers to help scientists produce a virtual look into producing ethanol from cellulose. We know that making ethanol from cellulose feedstocks is more efficient in the long run than corn, and cellulose feedstocks won't bother the world's food supply. But engineers have a tough time breaking down the cellulose into sugars, which are then fermented into ethanol. Scientists are conducting molecular simulations to improve the conversion.
This virtual microscope allows scientists to see a process that occurs far too fast to capture visually. According to the center, the simulation runs about 6 million time steps over a 12-nanosecond timeframe. This is considered long in molecular terms but requires some 80,000 processor hours on the computer.
[Source: San Diego Supercomputer Center]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Billy Hendrix 2:10PM (3/13/2009)
Why is this enzyme be kept a secret?
I think all of us who are interested in producing ethanol from cellulose is a needed component in the process.
I have been going on the assumption that I would have to treat the cellulose with H2SO4 before adding the enzymes to break the cellulose down for the fermentation.
Would give me your recommend process to make ethanol from cellulose.
Thank you.
Billy Hendrix
3212393792
PS
We are projecting 43,000,000 Tons of Cellulose waste that could be used this October. Maybe you can calculate how much ethanol could be produced from this volumn.
I have tried, and I think we could get close to 60,000,000 Million gallons of ethanol.
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