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Biobutanol recovery from model solutions using potassium pyrophosphate
Author(s) -
Xie Shaoqu,
Zhang Yulei,
Yi Conghua,
Qiu Xueqing
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of chemical technology and biotechnology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.64
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1097-4660
pISSN - 0268-2575
DOI - 10.1002/jctb.5113
Subject(s) - chemistry , acetone , butanol , solubility , biofuel , distillation , solvent , aqueous solution , salting out , ethanol , chromatography , organic chemistry , waste management , engineering
BACKGROUND Biobutanol has tremendous advantages over bioethanol, from use as an industrial solvent to a superior next‐generation biofuel. In order to compete with synthetic 1‐butanol or bioethanol, biobutanol still faces the challenge of developing product recovery methods to reduce production cost over the long term. Here we describe an in situ salting‐out technique utilizing potassium pyrophosphate ( K 4 P 2 O 7 ) as dehydrating agent to form new organic phases in acetone + 1‐butanol + ethanol ( ABE ) model solutions. RESULTS A higher K 4 P 2 O 7 content resulted in higher distribution coefficients of ABE . A change in temperature led to no appreciable change in the liquid–liquid phase equilibria. More than 90 wt% of ABE could be recovered and more than 99.75% of water remained in the bulk aqueous phase. Higher solvent level permits higher recovery of ABE . The linear correlation between the solubility of ABE and the molality of K 4 P 2 O 7 was demonstrated. CONCLUSION The salting‐out separation technique has potential for the selective recovery of ABE from fermentation broths to reduce the energy consumption in the subsequent distillation. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry