BACKGROUNDA self-made continuous solid-state fermentation bioreactor coupled with gas stripping and heat pump technology apparently improved the ethanol yield. The confirmation of ethanol separation ability and establishment of a separation model for the equipment was crucial before use and scale-up. RESULTSThe data calculated by the model was in good agreement with the experimental results, and the correlation coefficient of the fitting equation reached 0.928. The corresponding transfer coefficients of ethanol and water were 0.591 and 0.138kgm(-3)h(-1) kPa(-1), respectively, calculated by the model, and the equilibrium constant of ethanol was 48.784 kPa in the reported system. The distribution law of ethanol and water throughout the bioreactor showed that the partial pressures of ethanol and water in the circulation gas phase increased with the enhanced height of tower. Further study of the effect of circulation gas flow rate in the ethanol separation process showed that an appropriate gas flow should be greater than 15kgh(-1). CONCLUSIONSA preliminary ethanol separation model was established successfully for the self-made continuous solid-state fermentation bioreactor coupled with gas stripping and heat pump technology. (c) 2014 Society of Chemical Industry