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An aspen simulation of fuel production by hydrolysis of woody biomass

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Abstract

An integrated process, in which woody biomass was converted to fuel, was simulated using the ASPEN simulator. For purposes of simulation, the process was divided into four sections, biomass refining, hydrolysis, bioreaction, and fuel separation. Detailed attention was paid to the hydrolysis process and the bioreactor, while a general simulation of the front-end biomass refining process and fuel separation step at the end of the process is included. A simulation of the biomass and active microbial system required the definition of nonconventional streams. The emphasis in this study was upon the effect of varying acid recycle in the two-step hydrolysis process. As the recycle ratio increases the operating cost of the overall process passes through a minimum. Suggestions for the refinement and extension of this approach are discussed. Its advantages in establishing the cost of proposed technologies, assessing areas where research and development are required and evaluating schemes for enhancing energy efficiency were all evaluated.

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Abbreviations

CA :

Acid concentration in reaction, Normality

c :

Concentration of product (such as glucose, xylose) g/cm3

dp :

Particle diameter

kp :

Prehydrolysis rate constant, h-1

kh :

Hydrolysis rate constant, h-1

M :

Molecular weight

T :

Temperature (K)

t :

Time, h

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Charles, H.B. An aspen simulation of fuel production by hydrolysis of woody biomass. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 18, 143–157 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02930822

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02930822

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