GREEN CHEMISTRY
BioSprint
Process intensification and catalyst discovery are thoroughly exploited within the BioSprint ( Biorefining of Sugars via Process Intensification ) project . This comprises a consortium of 13 European universities , research institutes and industries . It is funded from the Bio-based Industries Joint Undertaking under the EU ’ s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme , and supported by the Bio-based Industries Consortium . The BioSprint project focuses on the use of process intensification technologies to concentrate and purify HMC feedstocks , catalytically convert sugars into furan platform molecules , separate and purify the furan products and polymerise them into biorenewable resins . It is also looking at the development of biorenewable furan-based polymers . In the upstream purification processes , we are applying techniques that enable lignin and sugar components ( monomers and oligomers ) to be separated and recovered in as pure a form as possible . Precipitation techniques relying on intensified heat transfer principles in evaporative precipitation of lignin and mixing intensification principles in anti-solvent precipitation of sugars are being investigated using spinning disc technology for purification of HMC feedstocks of different origins . It is envisaged that the thermal efficiency of the process will substantially increase , while
Figure 2 - Key areas of technology development within the BioSprint project
minimal anti-solvent volumes can be implemented compared to conventional systems , due to the intensification capabilities of spinning disc technology . Work is also ongoing on developing a membrane-based separation process where the HMC streams can concentrated and purified of their acid and inorganic constituents . The ultimate aim is to design a spinning disc precipitator integrated with a membrane system to recover the purest sugars possible for further processing in the catalytic reaction steps . Catalyst development in BioSprint is driven by the need to selectively convert the multiple sugars present in complex matrices of HMC hydrolysates into different furan products . Furan platform molecules , particularly 5-hydroxymethylfurfural , have been identified as some of the most promising and business-desirable biorenewable chemicals for which process technology is still lacking . The dehydration of sugars into furans is associated with specific kinetics , and different sugars require different types of active acid sites in order to undergo conversion . This challenge is particularly exciting , due to the need to design different metal catalysts that allow optimisation of process yields , depending on the pre-treatment method used to process the lignocellulosic biomass feedstock , and depending on the stream compositions derived from different species and / or harvest seasons . Additionally , there is the need to address different industries requirements in terms of final products . Within this project , catalyst discovery and formulation to control the type and ratio of acid sites are being accelerated using highthroughput screening platforms , such as Asynt ’ s Multicell reactors , which are capable of high-pressure and high-temperature operation . Machine learning tools are also being used to aid in rationalisation of the screening data , to speed up and streamline experimentation , and to allow optimisation of catalyst formulations . At later stages in the project , process intensification methods will also be playing a pivotal role in the selective isolation of the reaction products , which are unstable reactive intermediates . To reduce thermal decomposition when distillation separation is unavoidable , careful selection and design of intensified reaction and separation technologies that minimise furans time in reactive streams is currently being undertaken , jointly with energy integration studies to reduce the biorefinery energetic footprint . The furan derivatives will then be applied in the development of new bio-based polymers intended for a range of applications . Polymerisations can be tricky to work with , primarily due to be build up of viscosity as long polymer chains are formed . This can have a detrimental impact on the transfer of molecules in the bulk volume . Here too there is an opportunity to apply intensification techniques in small reaction volumes to accelerate the polymerisation reaction by removing mixing , mass transfer and heat transfer limitations . •
Fernando Russo Abegão
LECTURER
NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY k + 44 191 208 6677 J fernando . russo-abegao @ ncl . ac . uk j www . biosprint-project . eu
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