Abstract
A one tonne per day pilot plant for continuous high temperature dilute acid hydrolysis of cellulosic wastes to glucose has been used to convert feedstocks ranging from sawdust through waste paper pulp to municipal solid waste. Good conversion yields have been achieved, with low energy consumption. Trials have shown that the product is fermentable to ethanol, which is only one of several processing alternatives. The lignin byproduct has also been tested and shown to have a potential market. Economic assessments have included a full engineering feasibility study, and recently contracts have been let for design of a full-scale plant using a slightly modified version of the process in Canada. This paper discusses some of the chemical and thermodynamic principles involved in the hydrolysis reaction, and some of the practical details in implementing it, particularly for recent trials with municipal solid waste.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Proceedings of the 14th Australasian Chemical Engineering Conference, Adelaide, Australia, August 19-22, 1986 |
| Publisher | Inst of Chemical Engineers |
| Pages | 458-462 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| ISBN (Print) | 0864000073 |
| State | Published - 1986 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Engineering