Modeling and simulation of a sawdust mixture-based integrated biorefinery plant producing bioethanol.

The design, modeling and simulation of an integrated biorefinery plant assumed to convert different forestry assortments such as sawdust or shavings (sawmill waste) into bioethanol from cellulose and hemicellulose as the main product, and lignin as the most valuable co-product, was carried out. The proposed lignocellulosic ethanol biorefinery plant was simulated with ProSimPlus. The model was based on experimental results and includes an Organosolv pretreatment, enzymatic hydrolysis, fermentation and distillation to obtain bioethanol.

Hydrolysis and fermentation steps of a pretreated sawmill mixed feedstock for bioethanol production in a wood biorefinery.

The aim of this work was to demonstrate the feasibility of second-generation bioethanol production using for the first time a sawmill mixed feedstock comprising four softwood species, representative of biomass resource in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region (France). The feedstock was subjected to a microwave-assisted water/ethanol Organosolv pretreatment. The investigation focused on enzymatic hydrolysis of this pretreated sawmill feedstock (PSF) using Cellic® Ctec2 as the enzyme, followed by fermentation of the resulting sugar solution using Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain.

Microwave-assisted Organosolv pretreatment of a sawmill mixed feedstock for bioethanol production in a wood biorefinery.

A mixture of sawmill feedstocks comprising four softwood species (fir, spruce, Scots pine, and Douglas fir) was subjected to a microwave-assisted Organosolv pretreatment. The influence of HSO as a catalyst, ethanol-water ratio as the solvent, and temperature on wood fractionation, cellulose yield and purity, lignin recovery, and inhibitor formation were investigated. Minute addition of HSO (0.