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Design and simulation of an organosolv process for bioethanol production

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Abstract

Organosolv pulping can be used as a pretreatment step in bioethanol production. In addition to ethanol, organosolv pulping allows for the production of a pure lignin product and other co-products. Based on publicly available information, conceptual process design and simulation model were developed for an organosolv process. The simulation model was used to calculate the mass and energy balances and approximate fossil-based carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions for the process. With a hardwood feed of 2,350 dry metric tons (MT) per day, 459 MT/day (53.9 million gallons per year) of ethanol was produced. This corresponded to a carbohydrate to ethanol conversion of 64 %. The production rates of lignin, furfural, and acetic acid were 310, 6.6, and 30.3 MT/day, respectively. The energy balance indicated that the process was not energy self-sufficient. In addition to bark and organic residues combusted to produce energy, external fuel (natural gas) was needed to cover the steam demand. This was largely due to the energy consumed in recovering the solvent. Compared to a dilute acid bioethanol process, the organosolv process was estimated to consume 34 % more energy. Allocating all emissions from natural gas combustion to the produced ethanol led to fossil CO2 emissions of 13.5 g per megajoule (MJ) of ethanol. The total fossil CO2 emissions of the process, including also feedstock transportation and other less significant emission sources, would almost certainly not exceed the US Renewable Fuel Standard threshold limit (36.5 g CO2/MJ ethanol).

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Abbreviations

AFEX:

Ammonia fiber explosion

CO2 :

Carbon dioxide

DP:

Furfural degradation products

EtOH:

Ethanol

F:

Furfural

GHG:

Greenhouse gas

H2SO4 :

Sulfuric acid

HCl:

Hydrochloric acid

HMF:

5-Hydroxymethylfurfural

k i :

Kinetic coefficients

LMW:

Low molecular weight

LTW:

Liquid-to-wood ratio

MT:

Metric ton

NaOH:

Sodium hydroxide

NREL:

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

NRTL:

Non-random two-liquid

NRTL-HOC:

Non-random two-liquid-Hayden-O’Connel

SPORL:

Sulfite pretreatment to overcome lignocelluloses recalcitrance

TOPO:

Trioctyl phosphine oxide

v/v :

Volume/volume (volume concentration)

wt%:

Mass percentage

WWT:

Wastewater treatment

X:

Monomeric xylose

XO:

Oligomeric xylan

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Acknowledgments

The Finnish Cultural Foundation and the Walter Ahlström Foundation are acknowledged for allocating funding to the first author (Kautto). The second author (Realff) gratefully acknowledges partial financial support from NSF grant and GOALI program, CBET 0933392.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Paper Science and Technology, Georgia Institute of Technology, 500 10th Street N.W., Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA

    Jesse Kautto

  2. Department of Industrial Management, Lappeenranta University of Technology, Skinnarilankatu 34, P.O. Box 20, Lappeenranta, 53851, Finland

    Jesse Kautto

  3. School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 311 Ferst Drive N.W., Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA

    Matthew J. Realff

  4. School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Institute of Paper Science and Technology, Georgia Institute of Technology, 500 10th Street N.W., Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA

    Arthur J. Ragauskas

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  1. Jesse Kautto
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Correspondence to Jesse Kautto.

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Kautto, J., Realff, M.J. & Ragauskas, A.J. Design and simulation of an organosolv process for bioethanol production. Biomass Conv. Bioref. 3, 199–212 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13399-013-0074-6

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