Abstract: A system comprising one or more transducers and an alcohol production facility having a liquid medium processing stream, the alcohol production facility adapted for use with the one or more transducers is provided. In one embodiment, the one or more transducers apply sonication to the liquid medium processing stream in one or more locations. In one embodiment, the alcohol production facility is an ethanol production facility. In one embodiment, the ethanol production facility utilizes a dry grind process, modified dry grind process or wet mill process. The systems of the present invention utilize sonication at the frequencies and intensities required on an industrial scale to reduce the production cost of alcohol, such as ethanol, by improving alcohol yield per bushel, reducing processing times for higher throughput, reducing operating costs, and increasing the marketability of co-products, among other benefits.

Abstract: A method comprising applying ultrasonic energy to a biomass to alcohol production process is provided. In one embodiment the alcohol production process is an ethanol production process. In one embodiment, the biomass to alcohol process employs ultrasonic energy as the only means of pretreatment. In one embodiment, the biomass to alcohol process additionally employs a concentrated acid hydrolysis pretreatment. In one embodiment, the biomass to alcohol process additionally employs any conventional pretreatment, such as a hydrothermal or chemical pretreatment, followed by an enzymatic hydrolysis step or a simultaneous enzymatic hydrolysis and saccharification step. In one embodiment, the conventional pretreatment is selected from the group consisting of dilute acid hydrolysis, high pressure hot water-based methods, i.e., hydrothermal treatments such as steam explosion and aqueous hot water extraction, reactor systems (e.g.