Laboratory and pilot scale pretreatment of sugarcane bagasse by acidified aqueous glycerol solutions

• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2013.03.065
• Publication Date: 2013-03-28T04:31:44Z
• Authors: Zhanying Zhang; Heng H. Wong; Peter L. Albertson; William O.S. Doherty; Ian M. O’Hara
• Keywords: Glycerol; Time Factors; Hydrolysis; Temperature; 0211 other engineering and technologies; Pilot Projects; 02 engineering and technology; Saccharum; Solutions; Kinetics; Bioreactors; Cellulase; Hydrochloric Acid; Cellulose; Laboratories; Glucans

Pretreatment of sugarcane bagasse with acidified aqueous glycerol solution was evaluated at both laboratory and pilot scales. Laboratory scale pretreatment (4.00 g dry mass in 40.00 g liquid) with glycerol solutions containing ≤ 20 wt.% water and 1.2 wt.% HCl at 130°C for 60 min resulted in biomass having glucan digestibilities of ≥ 88%. Comparable glucan enzymatic digestibility of 90% was achieved with bagasse pretreated at pilot scale (10 kg dry mass in 60 kg liquid) using a glycerol solution containing 0.4 wt.% HCl and 17 wt.% water at 130°C for 15 min. We attribute more efficient pretreatment at pilot scale (despite shorter reaction time and reduced acid content) to improved mixing and heat transfer in a horizontal reactor. Pretreatment of sugarcane bagasse with acid-catalysed glycerol solutions likely produces glycerol-glycosides, which together with hydrolysed lignin are potential substrates for the production of biopolymers.