Dissertation
Process and economic advantages of the ozone and soaking aqueous ammonia pretreatment
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Washington State University
01/2015
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/111706
Abstract
The biochemical conversion of lignocellulosic material into fuels and chemicals is a promising pathway that has the potential to replace a significant fraction of their petroleum equivalents. However, the commercialization of these processes face significant economic barriers due to comparatively low value of generated fuel products in the face of the complexity of the pretreatment, enzymatic saccharification, and fermentation operations required. This dissertation research investigates the novel ozone and soaking aqueous ammonia (OSAA) pretreatment and the advantages it brings in the form of lower capital cost and milder operating conditions. In addition, the chemical and physical phenomena behind the unique synergy present in the pretreatment process is elucidated, and lignin separated as a result of the process is characterized. First, the ozone and soaking aqueous ammonia pretreatment process is demonstrated to be effective at pretreating wheat straw at low temperatures and pressures with low capital cost equipment. Second, the delignification kinetics of this pretreatment process were experimentally determined, and a diffusion limited kinetics analysis using Chrastil’s approach demonstrated a lower inhibition for enzyme diffusion into cellulose. Third, this pretreatment was optimized for separation of lignin, and this lignin was characterized and shown to be comparable to other technical lignins suitable for substitution of phenol in the creation of resole phenol-formaldehyde resins. Finally, a technoeconomic analysis was conducted by replacement of pretreatment and product operations in a dilute acid biorefinery producing ethanol to generate a comparative analysis of the importance of a diverse, higher value product portfolio in improving the economic viability of a lignocellulosic biorefinery.
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Details
- Title
- Process and economic advantages of the ozone and soaking aqueous ammonia pretreatment
- Creators
- Allan Haiming Gao
- Contributors
- Shulin Chen (Advisor)James N Petersen (Committee Member)Cornelius F Ivory (Committee Member)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, School of
- Theses and Dissertations
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Washington State University
- Number of pages
- 144
- Identifiers
- 99900581525601842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Dissertation