Scale up study of sugarcane bagasse alkaline pretreatment process for second generation ethanol production

Author(s)

Simone Coelho Nakanishi

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: Lorena.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Escola de Engenharia de Lorena (EEL/ASDI)
• Defense date: 2016-10-05

Examining board members

George Jackson de Moraes Rocha; Mauricio Boscolo; Adilson Roberto Gonçalves; Inês Conceição Roberto

• Advisor: George Jackson de Moraes Rocha

Abstract

In this study, data scale up for an alkaline pretreatment process from lab to pilot scale was evaluated. Lab scale experiments indicated two potential conditions for the scale-up, namely: 130°C, 30 min, 1.5% w/v NaOH, 0.15% w/w anthraquinone , presenting the highest enzymatic conversion (64.5%); and 170°C, 30 min, 1.5% w/v NaOH, 0.15% w/w anthraquinone with the highest lignin solubilization (81.0 %). The experiments were performed on pilot scale under the aforementioned conditions, with and without anthraquinone. Data reproducibility on pilot scale was satisfactory considering the more efficient heating and stirring reactor system when compared to the reactor in lab scale. Anthraquinone decreases the solubilization of carbohydrates during pretreatment (avoiding 67% solubilization compared to the reaction without anthraquinone, at 130°C), but interferes negatively in the subsequent hydrolysis step, mostely at 170°C. Among the conditions tested, the test performed at 130°C, 30 min, 1.5% w/v NaOH and with 0.15% w/w anthraquinone was chosen as the best pretreatment condition, with the highest carbohydrate conversion after enzymatic hydrolysis, allowing 290 kg of glucose and 98 kg of xylose per a dry base ton of bagasse. In order to produce ethanol from this hydrolyzate, fermentations with three different yeasts were performed - S. cerevisiae CAT-1, S. stipites NRRL Y-7124, S. passalidarum NRRL Y-27907. Fed-batch fermentation with S. passalidarum cell recycling provided the best result, yielding 23.3 g/L ethanol, 97 % (theoretical yield) with 0.90 g/L.h productivity within 24 h of fermentation. The alkaline pretreatment process generates, besides the pulp rich in carbohydrates, a lignin-rich hydrolyzate. Lignin was precipitated from the hydrolyzate obtained after each pretreatment carried out and characterized, presenting heating values between 22.8 and 25.3 MJ/kg. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 13/11961-1 - Scale up study of sugarcane bagasse pre-treatment process for second generation ethanol production
• Grantee: Simone Coelho Nakanishi
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate