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Economic and environmental aspects of steam-explosion pretreatment

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Abstract

Steam explosion pretreatment allows deep disintegration of internal cell structures in biomass by a sharp pressure change. The process has been increasingly used in cases where lower natural resistance of biomass is needed for subsequent processing techniques. Steam-explosion is relatively energy-intensive and therefore it is preferably incorporated into technologies with excess of waste heat. Utilization of hot exhaust gases from a cogeneration unit of a biogas station is one of the most profitable examples. The portfolio of other potential applications includes various hydrolyzing and fermentation techniques for production of alcohols, biogas, animal feed or soil improvers. This comprehensive review of the topic summarizes the up–to–date knowledge for facilitation of its future research. The general objective is to facilitate any reasonable efforts to avoid unnecessary landfilling of organic matter that is poorly biodegradable in its natural form.

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Acknowledgments

Authors acknowledge the support provided by the Quality Innovation of the Year 2014 award.

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  1. The Institute of Technology and Businesses in České Budějovice, Okružní 517/10, České Budějovice, 370 01, Czech Republic

    Marek Vochozka, Anna Maroušková, Jan Váchal & Jarmila Straková

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  1. Marek Vochozka
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Correspondence to Marek Vochozka.

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Vochozka, M., Maroušková, A., Váchal, J. et al. Economic and environmental aspects of steam-explosion pretreatment. Waste Biomass Valor 7, 1549–1554 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-016-9555-8

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