Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Pretreatment Techniques for Biofuels and Biorefineries pp 117–130Cite as

Microwave-Based Pretreatment for Efficient Biomass-to-Biofuel Conversion

  • Chapter
  • First Online:

Part of the book series: Green Energy and Technology ((GREEN))

Abstract

Pretreatment has been considered an important step for efficient and effective biomass-to-biofuel conversion. One of many promising methods of pretreatment includes the use of microwave (MW). MW-based pretreatment approach utilizes both thermal and non-thermal effects generated by an extensive intermolecular collision as a result of realignment of polar molecules with MW oscillations. Compared to conventional heating, electromagnetic field generated by MW has the ability to directly interact with the material to produce heat, thereby accelerating chemical, physical, and biological processes. The advantages of employing MW rather than the conventional heating include reduction of process energy requirements, selective processing, and capability for instantaneous start and ceasing of a process. This also offers enormous benefits such as energy efficiency due to rapid and selective heating, and the possibility for developing a compact process.

This chapter reviews recent advances on the utilization of MW irradiation for pretreatment of biomass for more efficient biofuel (bioethanol, biogas (methane), and biodiesel) production.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   89.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Kumar P, Barrett DM, Delwiche MJ, Pieter S (2009) Methods for pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass for efficient hydrolysis and biofuel production. Ind Eng Chem Res 48:3713–3729

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Mosier NS, Wyman C, Dale B, Elander R, Lee YY, Holtzapple M, Ladisch MR (2005) Features of promising technologies for pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass. Bioresour Technol 96:673–686

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Alvira P, Tomas-Pejo M, Ballesteros M, Negro MJ (2010) Pretreatment technologies for an efficient bioethanol production process based on enzymatic hydrolysis: a review. Bioresour Technol 101:4851–4861

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Mtui GYS (2009) Recent advances in pretreatment of lignocellulosic wastes and production of value added products. Afr J of Biotechnol 8(8):1398–1415

    Google Scholar 

  5. Mingos DMP, Baghurst DR (1997) Applications of microwave dielectric heating effects to synthetic problems in chemistry. In: Kingston HM (Skip), Haswell SJ (eds) Microwave-enhanced chemistry. American Chemical Society, ISBN 0-8412-3375–6, Washington, DC, pp 3–50

    Google Scholar 

  6. Kingston HM (Skip), Haswell SJ (1996) Microwave-enhanced chemistry: fundamentals, sample preparation and applications. American Chemical Society, ISBN 0-8412-3375–6, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  7. Banik S, Bandyopadhyay S, Ganguly S (2003) Bioeffects of microwave––a brief review. Bioresour Technol 87:155–159

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. De la Hoz A, Diaz-Ortiz A, Moreno A (2005) Critical review: microwaves in organic synthesis. Thermal and non-thermal microwave effects. Chem Soc Rev 34:164–178

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Jacob J, Chia LHL, Boey FYC (1995) Review: thermal and non-thermal interaction of microwave irradiation with materials. J Mater Sci 30:5321–5327

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Compere A, Parent D et al (2007) Increasing yield and quality of low-temperature, low-alkali kraft cooks with microwave pretreatment, US Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Reports

    Google Scholar 

  11. Abu Bakar S, Yusup S, Ahmad MM, Goto M, Quitain A (2011) Production of biodiesel from crude palm oil and jatropha oil using microwave technique. In: Proceedings of international symposium on ecotopia science, Nagoya, Japan, p 82

    Google Scholar 

  12. Quitain AT, Katoh S, Goto M (2011) Microwave-assisted synthesis of biofuels. In: Bernardes MA Dos Santos (ed) Biofuel production-recent developments and prospects. ISBN: 978-953-307-478-8. InTech. http://www.intechopen.com/books/biofuel-production-recent-developments-and-prospects/microwave-assisted-synthesis-of-biofuels

  13. Binod P, Satyanagalakshmi K, Sindhu R, Janu KU, Sukumaran RK, Pandey A (2012) Short duration microwave assisted pretreatment enhances the enzymatic saccharification and fermentable sugar yield from sugarcane bagasse. Renew Energ 37:109–116

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Keshwani DR, Cheng JJ, Burns JC, Li L, Chiang V (2007) Microwave pretreatment of switchgrass to enhance enzymatic hydrolysis. An ASABE meeting presentation number 077127. In: ASABE annual international meeting, Minneapolis Convention Center, Minneapolis, 2007

    Google Scholar 

  15. Balcu I, Macarie CA, Segneanu A-E, Pop RO (2011) Combined microwave-acid pretreatment of the biomass. In: Shaukat S (ed) Progress in biomass and bioenergy production. ISBN: 978-953-307-491-7. InTech. http://www.intechopen.com/books/progress-in-biomass-and-bioenergy-production/combined-microwave-acid-pretreatment-of-the-biomass

  16. Zou A, Shen C, Zhao L, Dai G (2011) Effect of microwave pretreatment on component fractionation and saccharification of corn stalk. Trans Chin Soc of Agric Eng 27(12):269–274

    Google Scholar 

  17. Intanakul P, Krairiksh M, Kitchaiya P (2003) Enhancement of enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulosic wastes by microwave pretreatment under atmospheric pressure. J Wood Chem Technol 23(2):217–225

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Jeyanthi GP, Subramanian J (2011) A comparison between microwave assisted alkaline sodium hydroxide and alkaline hydrogen peroxide pretreatments of green coconut fiber for bioethanol production. Asian J Microbiol Biotechnol Environ Sci 13(2):365–369

    Google Scholar 

  19. Xu J, Chen H, Kadar Z, Thomsen AB, Schmidt JE, Peng H (2011) Optimization of microwave pretreatment on wheat straw for ethanol production. Biomass Bioenergy 35:3859–3864

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Ha SH, Mai NL, An G, Koo Y-M (2011) Microwave-assisted pretreatment of cellulose in ionic liquid for accelerated enzymatic hydrolysis. Bioresour Technol 102(2):1214–1219

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Mitani T, Oyadomari M, Suzuki H, Yano K, Shinohara N, Tsumiya T, Sego H, Watanabe T (2011) A feasibility study on a continuous-flow-type microwave pre-treatment system for bioethanol production from woody biomass. J Jpn Inst Energy 90:881–885

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Sólyom K, Mato RB, Perez-Elvira SI, Cocero MJ (2011) The influence of the energy absorbed from microwave pretreatment on biogas production from secondary wastewater sludge. Bioresour Technol 102:10849–10854

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Eskicioglu C, Kennedy KJ, Droste RL (2008) Initial examination of microwave pretreatment on primary, secondary and mixed sludges before and after anaerobic digestion. Water Sci Technol 57(3):311–317

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Chang CJ, Tyagi VK, Lo SL (2011) Effects of microwave and alkali induced pretreatment on sludge solubilization and subsequent aerobic digestion. Bioresour Technol 102(17):7633–7640

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Chi Y, Li Y, Fei X, Wang S, Yuan H (2011) Enhancement of thermophilic anaerobic digestion of thickened waste activated sludge by combined microwave and alkaline pre-treatment. J Environ Sci 23(8):1257–1265

    Google Scholar 

  26. Saha M, Eskicioglu C, Marin J (2011) Microwave, ultrasonic and chemo-mechanical pretreatments for enhancing methane potential of pulp mill wastewater treatment sludge. Bioresour Technol 102(17):7815–7826

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Park WJ, Ahn JH (2011) Optimization of microwave pretreatment conditions to maximize methane production and methane yield in mesophilic anaerobic sludge digestion. Environ Technol 32(13):1533–1540

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Beszédes S, László Z, Szabó G, Hodúr C (2011) Effects of microwave pretreatments on the anaerobic digestion of food industrial sewage sludge. Environ Prog Sustainable Energy 30(3):486–492

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Jackowiak D, Bassard D, Pauss A, Ribeiro T (2011) Optimisation of a microwave pretreatment of wheat straw for methane production. Bioresour Technol 102(12):6750–6756

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Cheng SF, Nor LM, Chuah CH (2011) Microwave pretreatment: a clean and dry method for palm oil production. Ind Crops Prod 34(1):967–971

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of Science and Technology, Faculty of Engineering, Kumamoto University, 2-39-1 Kurokami, 860-8555, Kumamoto, Japan

    Armando T. Quitain & Mitsuru Sasaki

  2. Bioelectrics Research Center, Faculty of Engineering, Kumamoto University, 2-39-1 Kurokami, 860-8555, Kumamoto, Japan

    Motonobu Goto

Authors
  1. Armando T. Quitain
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mitsuru Sasaki
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Motonobu Goto
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Motonobu Goto .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xuefulu 88, Kunming, 650223, China, People's Republic

    Zhen Fang

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Quitain, A.T., Sasaki, M., Goto, M. (2013). Microwave-Based Pretreatment for Efficient Biomass-to-Biofuel Conversion. In: Fang, Z. (eds) Pretreatment Techniques for Biofuels and Biorefineries. Green Energy and Technology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-32735-3_6

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-32735-3_6

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-32734-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-32735-3

  • eBook Packages: EnergyEnergy (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation