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Title: Ammonia-recycled percolation process for pretreatment of biomass feedstock

Conference ·
OSTI ID:150391
 [1]; ;  [2]
  1. Kyungwon Univ., Seoul (Korea, Democratic People`s Republic of)
  2. Auburn Univ., AL (United States)

An ammonia-based biomass pretreatment method named ammonia recycled percolation (ARP) process was investigated. The process characteristics are: (1) Aqueous ammonia is used as a pretreatment reagent; (2) A packed bed flowthrough-type reactor (percolation reactor) is used in recirculation mode; and (3) ARP-Ammonia is continuously recycled. The experimental data on hybrid poplar indicate that the ARP is a highly effective pretreatment method. The digestibility of the best-case ARP sample approached that of filter paper. The extent of delignification in the ARP process was in the range of 23-63%. The ARP process solubilized significant amounts of xylan into the pretreatment effluent, yet left most of the glucan fraction intact. It was demonstrated that pretreatment with pure water at elevated temperatures (autohydrolysis) prior to the ARP selectively removed most of the hemicellulose. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) examination of the solid samples revealed that ARP induces considerable morphological changes reflecting an increase in pore size and porosity. The overall ammonia material balance has shown that in excess of 99% can be recovered.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
OSTI ID:
150391
Report Number(s):
CONF-940526-; TRN: 95:007973-0003
Resource Relation:
Conference: 16. symposium on biotechnology for fuels and chemicals, Gatlinburg, TN (United States), 9-13 May 1994; Other Information: PBD: 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of Sixteenth symposium on biotechnology for fuels and chemicals; Davison, B.H. [ed.] [Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)]; Wyman, C.E. [ed.] [National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (United States)]; PB: 823 p.
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English