Separation and purification processes play a critical role in biorefineries and their optimal selection, design and operation to maximise product yields and improve overall process efficiency. Separations and purifications are necessary for upstream processes as well as in maximising and improving product recovery in downstream processes. These processes account for a significant fraction of the total capital and operating costs and also are highly energy intensive. Consequently, a better understanding of separation and purification processes, current and possible alternative and novel advanced methods is essential for achieving the overall techno-economic feasibility and commercial success of sustainable biorefineries.
This book presents a comprehensive overview focused specifically on the present state, future challenges and opportunities for separation and purification methods and technologies in biorefineries.
Topics covered include:
Equilibrium Separations: Distillation, liquid-liquid extraction and supercritical fluid extraction.
Affinity-Based Separations: Adsorption, ion exchange, and simulated moving bed technologies.
Membrane Based Separations: Microfiltration, ultrafiltration and diafiltration, nanofiltration, membrane pervaporation, and membrane distillation.
Solid-liquid Separations: Conventional filtration and solid-liquid extraction.
Hybrid/Integrated Reaction-Separation Systems: Membrane bioreactors, extractive fermentation, reactive distillation and reactive absorption.
For each of these processes, the fundamental principles and design aspects are presented, followed by a detailed discussion and specific examples of applications in biorefineries. Each chapter also considers the market needs, industrial challenges, future opportunities, and economic importance of the separation and purification methods. The book concludes with a series of detailed case studies including cellulosic bioethanol production, extraction of algae oil from microalgae, and production of biopolymers.
Separation and Purification Technologies in Biorefineries is an essential resource for scientists and engineers, as well as researchers and academics working in the broader conventional and emerging bio-based products industry, including biomaterials, biochemicals, biofuels and bioenergy.
Table of Contents:
List of Contributors xix
Preface xxiii
PART I INTRODUCTION 1
1 Overview of Biomass Conversion Processes and Separation and Purification Technologies in Biorefineries 3
Hua-Jiang Huang and Shri Ramaswamy
1.1 Introduction 3
1.2 Biochemical conversion biorefineries 4
1.3 Thermo-chemical and other chemical conversion biorefineries 8
1.4 Integrated lignocellulose biorefineries 14
1.5 Separation and purification processes 15
1.6 Summary 27
References 28
PART II EQUILIBRIUM-BASED SEPARATION TECHNOLOGIES 37
2 Distillation 39
Zhigang Lei and Biaohua Chen
2.1 Introduction 39
2.2 Ordinary distillation 40
2.3 Azeotropic distillation 45
2.4 Extractive distillation 48
2.5 Molecular distillation 54
2.6 Comparisons of different distillation processes 55
2.7 Conclusions and future trends 58
Acknowledgement 58
References 58
3 Liquid-Liquid Extraction (LLE) 61
Jianguo Zhang and Bo Hu
3.1 Introduction to LLE: Literature review and recent developments 61
3.2 Fundamental principles of LLE 62
3.3 Categories of LLE design 65
3.4 Equipment for the LLE process 67
3.5 Applications in biorefineries 70
3.6 The future development of LLE for the biorefinery setting 74
References 75
4 Supercritical Fluid Extraction 79
Casimiro Mantell, Lourdes Casas, Miguel Rodríguez and Enrique Martínez de la Ossa
4.1 Introduction 79
4.2 Principles of supercritical fluids 81
4.3 Market and industrial needs 83
4.4 Design and modeling of the process 84
4.4.1 Film theory 88
4.5 Specific examples in biorefineries 89
4.6 Economic importance and industrial challenges 93
4.7 Conclusions and future trends 96
References 96
PART III AFFINITY-BASED SEPARATION TECHNOLOGIES 101
5 Adsorption 103
Saravanan Venkatesan
5.1 Introduction 103
5.2 Essential principles of adsorption 104
5.3 Adsorbent selection criteria 110
5.4 Commercial and new adsorbents and their properties 111
5.5 Adsorption separation processes 116
5.6 Adsorber modeling 123
5.7 Application of adsorption in biorefineries 124
5.8 A case study: Recovery of 1-butanol from ABE fermentation broth using TSA 136
5.9 Research needs and prospects 142
5.10 Conclusions 143
Acknowledgement 143
References 143
6 Ion Exchange 149
M. Berrios, J. A. Siles, M. A. Martín and A. Martín
6.1 Introduction 149
6.1.1 Ion exchangers: Operational conditions—sorbent selection 150
6.2 Essential principles 151
6.3 Ion-exchange market and industrial needs 153
6.4 Commercial ion-exchange resins 154
6.5 Specific examples in biorefineries 156
6.6 Conclusions and future trends 164
References 164
7 Simulated Moving-Bed Technology for Biorefinery Applications 167
Chim Yong Chin and Nien-Hwa Linda Wang
7.1 Introduction 167
7.2 Essential SMB design principles and tools 171
7.3 Simulated moving-bed technology in biorefineries 191
7.4 Conclusions and future trends 197
References 197
PART IV MEMBRANE SEPARATION 203
8 Microfiltration, Ultrafiltration and Diafiltration 205
Ann-Sofi Jönsson
8.1 Introduction 205
8.2 Membrane plant design 207
8.3 Economic considerations 210
8.4 Process design 213
8.5 Operating parameters 216
8.6 Diafiltration 222
8.7 Fouling and cleaning 224
8.8 Conclusions and future trends 226
References 226
9 Nanofiltration 233
Mika Mänttäri, Bart Van der Bruggen and Marianne Nyström
9.1 Introduction 233
9.2 Nanofiltration market and industrial needs 235
9.3 Fundamental principles 236
9.4 Design and simulation 238
9.5 Membrane materials and properties 241
9.6 Commercial nanofiltration membranes 245
9.7 Nanofiltration examples in biorefineries 246
9.8 Conclusions and challenges 256
References 256
10 Membrane Pervaporation 259
Yan Wang, Natalia Widjojo, Panu Sukitpaneenit and Tai-Shung Chung
10.1 Introduction 259
10.2 Membrane pervaporation market and industrial needs 260
10.3 Fundamental principles 261
10.4 Design principles of the pervaporation membrane 265
10.5 Pervaporation in the current integrated biorefinery system 283
10.6 Conclusions and future trends 288
Acknowledgements 289
References 289
11 Membrane Distillation 301
M. A. Izquierdo-Gil
11.1 Introduction 301
11.2 Membrane distillation market and industrial needs 304
11.3 Basic principles of membrane distillation 308
11.4 Design and simulation 313
11.5 Examples in biorefineries 315
11.6 Economic importance and industrial challenges 317
11.7 Comparisons with other membrane-separation technologies 319
11.8 Conclusions and future trends 321
References 322
PART V SOLID-LIQUID SEPARATIONS 327
12 Filtration-Based Separations in the Biorefinery 329
Bhavin V. Bhayani and Bandaru V. Ramarao
12.1 Introduction 329
12.2 Biorefinery 330
12.3 Solid–liquid separations in the biorefinery 335
12.4 Introduction to cake filtration 336
12.5 Basics of cake filtration 336
12.6 Designing a dead-end filtration 340
12.7 Model development 346
12.8 Conclusions 348
References 348
13 Solid–Liquid Extraction in Biorefinery 351
Zurina Zainal Abidin, Dayang Radiah Awang Biak, Hamdan Mohamed Yusoff and Mohd Yusof Harun
13.1 Introduction 351
13.2 Principles of solid–liquid extraction 352
13.3 State of the art technology 356
13.4 Design and modeling of SLE process 357
13.5 Industrial extractors 363
13.6 Economic importance and industrial challenges 368
13.7 Conclusions 371
References 371
PART VI HYBRID/INTEGRATED REACTION-SEPARATION SYSTEMS—PROCESS INTENSIFICATION 375
14 Membrane Bioreactors for Biofuel Production 377
Sara M. Badenes, Frederico Castelo Ferreira and Joaquim M. S. Cabral
14.1 Introduction 377
14.2 Basic principles 381
14.2.1 Biofuels: Production principles and biological systems 381
14.3 Examples of membrane bioreactors for biofuel production 390
14.4 Conclusions and future trends 403
References 404
15 Extraction-Fermentation Hybrid (Extractive Fermentation) 409
Shang-Tian Yang and Congcong Lu
15.1 Introduction 409
15.2 The market and industrial needs 410
15.3 Basic principles of extractive fermentation 412
15.4 Separation technologies for integrated fermentation product recovery 413
15.5 Examples in biorefineries 426
15.6 Economic importance and industrial challenges 428
15.7 Conclusions and future trends 431
References 431
16 Reactive Distillation for the Biorefinery 439
Aspi K. Kolah, Carl T. Lira and Dennis J. Miller
16.1 Introduction 439
16.2 Column internals for reactive distillation 441
16.3 Simulation of reactive distillation systems 446
16.4 Reactive distillation for the biorefinery 451
16.5 Recently commercialized reactive distillation processes for the biorefinery 458
16.6 Conclusions 458
References 459
17 Reactive Absorption 467
Anton A. Kiss and Costin Sorin Bildea
17.1 Introduction 467
17.2 Market and industrial needs 468
17.3 Basic principles of reactive absorption 468
17.4 Modelling, design and simulation 469
17.5 Case study: Biodiesel production by catalytic reactive absorption 470
17.6 Economic importance and industrial challenges 482
17.7 Conclusions and future trends 482
References 482
PART VII CASE STUDIES OF SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGIES IN BIOREFINERIES 485
18 Cellulosic Bioethanol Production 487
Mats Galbe, Ola Wallberg and Guido Zacchi
18.1 Introduction: The market and industrial needs 487
18.2 Separation procedures and their integration within a bioethanol plant 488
18.3 Importance and challenges of separation processes 490
18.4 Pilot and demonstration scale 498
18.5 Conclusions and future trends 500
References 500
19 Dehydration of Ethanol using Pressure Swing Adsorption 503
Marian Simo
19.1 Introduction 503
19.2 Ethanol dehydration process using pressure swing adsorption 504
19.3 Future trends and industrial challenges 510
19.4 Conclusions 511
References 511
20 Separation and Purification of Lignocellulose Hydrolyzates 513
G. Peter van Walsum
20.1 Introduction 513
20.2 The market and industrial needs 516
20.3 Operation variables and conditions 517
20.4 The hydrolyzates detoxification and separation processes 519
20.5 Separation performances and results 524
20.6 Economic importance and industrial challenges 525
20.7 Conclusions 527
References 527
21 Case Studies of Separation in Biorefineries—Extraction of Algae Oil from Microalgae 533
Michael Cooney
21.1 Introduction 533
21.2 The market and industrial needs 534
21.3 The algae oil extraction process 539
21.4 Extraction 540
21.5 Separation performance and results 546
21.6 Economic importance and industrial challenges 548
21.7 Conclusions and future trends 549
References 550
22 Separation Processes in Biopolymer Production 555
Sanjay P. Kamble, Prashant P. Barve, Imran Rahman and Bhaskar D. Kulkarni
22.1 Introduction 555
22.2 The market and industrial needs 556
22.3 Lactic acid recovery processes 559
22.4 Separation performance and results of autocatalytic counter current reactive distillation of lactic acid with methanol and hydrolysis of methyl lactate into highly pure lactic acid using 3-CSTRs in series 561
22.5 Economic importance and industrial challenges 564
22.6 Conclusions and future trends 565
Acknowledgements 566
References 566
Index 569
About the Author :
Shri Ramaswamy, Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering, University of Minnesota, USA.
Hua-Jiang Huang, Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering, University of Minnesota, USA.
Bandaru V. Ramarao, Department of Paper & Bioprocess Engineering, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, USA.
