Energy efficient microbubbles generated by fluidic oscillation are a recent advance in bio/chemical
processing, with applications to lab and industrial scale bioreactors. Because the microbubbles are
generated cheaply and controllably, they have been shown at the lab scale to lead to substantially lower
costs / higher productivity for transfer processes in bioreactors. In this programme, microbubbles will
be developed for selected microbial processes. The commercial exemplars are three major aspects of
bioethanol production -- yeast propagation (aerobic), fermentation (anerobic), & distillation operations,
with the promise of a paradigm shift in energy efficiency and productivity. In addition, studies at the lab
& pilot scale will form the basis for design and operation guidelines, engaging the whole supply chain to
plan incorporation in industrial plant to estimate CAPEX, OPEX, and benefits for economic assessment.
The new paradigm should be equally applicable to other bioliquid/biochemical processing from biomass.