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Techno‐economic comparison of three scenarios for upgrading a hemicellulose‐rich pre‐pulping extract to mixed‐alcohols
Author(s) -
Engelberth Abigail S.,
Clayton Wheeler M.,
Peter van Walsum G.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
biofuels, bioproducts and biorefining
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.931
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1932-1031
pISSN - 1932-104X
DOI - 10.1002/bbb.1928
Subject(s) - hemicellulose , chemistry , pulp and paper industry , kraft process , hydrogenolysis , cellulose , gasoline , pulp (tooth) , organic chemistry , raw material , lignin , ethanol , waste management , kraft paper , catalysis , engineering , medicine , pathology
Conversion of a hemicellulose‐rich pre‐pulping extract into long‐chain alcohols could alleviate problems facing the liquid fuel supply and could boost the revenues of pulp mills. Kraft pulping requires only the cellulose fraction of wood, leaving much of the hemicellulose available for extraction and subsequent conversion into gasoline‐blendable alcohols. Three possible pathways for upgrading the hemicelluloses are: CKA: carboxylates → ketones → alcohols; CEA: carboxylates → esters → alcohols, and CHEA: carboxylates → acids → esters → alcohols. The scenarios were modeled using AspenPlus® to determine material and energy balances. Economic parameters were determined using the Aspen Process Economic Analyzer. The minimum ethanol selling price (MESP) for a 1000 tpd facility, which takes into account the operating and capital costs, was found to be: $3.31 for CKA, $4.56 for CEA, and $4.26 for the CHEA. The cost of hydrogen necessary for hydrogenolysis proved to be a notable expense. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd