A technical and economic analysis of acid-catalyzed steam explosion and dilute sulfuric acid pretreatments using wheat straw or aspen wood chips
- Solar Research Inst., Golden, CO (United States); and others
Lignocellulosic biomass is one of the most plentiful and potentially cheapest feedstocks for ethanol production. The cellulose component can be broken down into glucose by enzymes and then converted to ethanol by yeast. However, hydrolysis of cellulose to glucose is difficult, and some form of pretreatment is necessary to increase the susceptibility of cellulose to enzymatic attack. An analysis has been completed of two pretreatment options, dilute sulfuric acid hydrolysis and sulfur dioxide impregnated steam explosion, for two feedstocks, wheat straw and aspen wood chips. Detailed process flow sheets and material and energy balances were used to generate equipment cost information. A technical and economic analysis compared the two feedstocks for each of the two pretreatments. For the same pretreatment, sugars produced from aspen wood hydrolysis were cheaper because of the higher carbohydrate content of aspen, whereas dilute acid pretreatment is favored over acid-catalyzed steam explosion.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Badger Engineers, Inc., Tampa, FL (United States); Solar Energy Research Inst., Golden, CO (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 431571
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-900512-; TRN: 96:006510-0008
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 12. symposium on biotechnology fuels and chemicals, Gatlinburg, TN (United States), 7-11 May 1990; Other Information: PBD: 1991; Related Information: Is Part Of Twelfth symposium on biotechnology for fuels and chemicals; Greenbaum, E. [ed.] [Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)]; Wyman, C.E. [ed.] [Solar Energy Research Inst., Golden, CO (United States)]; PB: 934 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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