Oral presentation 3B-05

Preliminary results on optimising hydrothermal treatment used in co-

production of biofuels

Mette Hedegaard Thomsen1*, Anne Belinda Thomsen1, Henning Jørgensen2 and Børge Holm
Christensen3

1
Plant Research Department, Risoe National laboratory,
POB 49, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
Phone: +45 46 77 42 23 email: mette.hedegaard.thomsen@risoe.dk
2
Danish Center for Forest, Landscape and Planning, KVL, The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural
University, Højbakkegård Allé 1, DK-2630 Taastrup, Denmark

3
Sicco K/S, Odinshøjvej 116, DK-3140 Aalsgaarde, Denmark

In December 2002, an EU-project for co-production of biofuels was started. The overall objective is to
develop cost and energy effective production systems for co-production of bio ethanol and electricity
based on integrated biomass utilization. During the first 12 months period of the project, a pilot plan
reactor for hydrothermal treatment (and other pre-treatments including wet oxidation) with a capacity of
100 kg/hour was constructed and tested for pre-treatment of wheat straw to be used for ethanol and/or
electricity production. Pre-treatment by hydrothermal treatment (or wet oxidation) is performed to
solubilize the hemicellulose fraction in straw, open the cellulose structure to increase accessibility of
enzymes, and to remove the alkaline salts (e.g. potassium chloride). Alkaline salts cause corrosion
problems in conventional boilers during incineration of straw for electricity production. The solubilised
hemicellulose is in a second step converted by either enzymes or weak acid hydrolyses to monomeric
sugar compounds for ethanol production. The cellulose fraction containing the lignin will be burned for
electricity or part of it may be used for ethanol production by means of SSF. By-products from the pre-
treatment and fermentation processes will be concentrated and used for animal feed.

Several trials were made with varying parameters of water level, chemical addition and flow in the
reactor. All experiments were performed at 190°C, except for a single experiment performed at 200°C.
The results illustrates that it is possible to extract more than 95% of the alkaline salts (at 200°C) leaving a
solid cellulose rich biofuel for combustion or for further treatment in the ethanol process. In the
experiments performed at 190°C, the best total glucose yield after pre-treatment and following enzymatic
hydrolysis was found in the experiment with Na2CO3 addition (61% glucose yield), but improved
conversion was found in the experiment at 200°C (97% glucose yield). Very good glucose recovery (80-
100%) was found in all of these trials. The highest total yield of hemicellulose (67%) was found in the
experiment with high flow. In this experiment the hemicellulose recovery was 87%. The highest
hemicellulose recovery (91%) was found in the experiment with Na2CO3 addition.