ABE fermentation is a process that utilizes bacterial fermentation to produce acetone, butanol and ethanol from starch. It was the primary process used to make acetone during World War II, such as to produce Cordite. The process is anaerobic (it must not have any oxygen present), similar to how yeast ferments sugars to produce ethanol for wine, beer, or fuel. The process produces these solvents in a ratio of 3-6-1, or 3 parts acetone, 6 parts butanol and 1 part ethanol. It usually uses a strain of bacteria from the Clostridia Class (Clostridium Family). Clostridium acetobutylicum is the most well known strain, although Clostridium beijerinckii has also been used for this process, with good results.
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