LIGNOCELLULOSICS-DERIVED CARBOHYDRATES AS PLATFORM MOLECULES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF BIOFUELS AND BIOBASED PRODUCTS Isabella De Bari ENEA CR TRISAIA, ITALY Italian Representative Task IEA 42 Intertasks Workshop and Italian stakeholders meeting on biorefineries, Sassari, 5 May 2015
ENEA s research centres working on bioenergy/biorefineries Combustion technologies LCA Anaerobic digestion Microalgae growth, Anaerobic processes to CH 4 and H 2 Energy crops Test fields of energy crops Thermochemical processes Advanced biofuels Biorefineries and green chemistry
ITALIAN BIOMASS AVAILABILITY A recent analysis is detailed in the Sector Plan for Bioenergy (5 August 2014) by the Permanent Conference for relations between the State, the Regions and the Autonomous Provinces agricultural area was reduced by 28% in 40 years from 18 million hectares to 13 (abandonment and cementification) The agricultural areas for dedicated crops are less than 200,000 hectares but could be increased by 5 times without conflicting with food production. The forest area has increased in 40 years of 100% from 5.5 to 11 million hectares The estimated annual potential of residual biomass amounts to about 30 million tons (dry matter) 10 Mtoe.
Dedicated crops for biofuels and biobased products SEEDS BIOLYFE "Second BIOethanol process: demonstration scale for the step of LignocellulosichYdrolysis and Fermentation Giant reed (Arundo donax) Glucan 34.75 35 Xylan 20.10 14 Galactan 0.27 1,7 Arabinan 2.12 2,2 Mannan 0 1,1 Lignin Klason 22.0 25 Ash 7.70 8,1 EtOH Extractives 10.22 4,1 Lignocellulosic. residues from Cardoon VEGETABLE OILS
METHODS TO DISSOLVE LIGNOCELLULOSICS SUGARS PLATFORM breakdown of the raw materials into sugarsfermentation, dehydration, hydrogenation METHODS to dissolve lignocellulosic feedstocks: acid hydrolysis, liquefaction in ionic liquids., and IMPROVING THE PERFORMANCES
THE MAIN STEPS IN THE BIOCHEMICAL ROUTE 1 PRETREATMENT 2 BIOMASS HYDROLYZATE 3 ENZYMATIC HYDROLYSIS 1. Optimizazion of the pretreatment 2. Development of high gravity bioprocesses 3. Biomass derived sugarsfermentation, dehydration, hydrogenation. 6
ENEA S TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE BIOMASS PRETREATMENT ENEA BATCH PLANT ENEA CONTINUOS PLANT (300 kg/hr) Few % of additives catalyses the process at milder conditions / affects the biomass fractionations BIOMASS+ ACIDS BIOMASS + BASES Hemicellulose mostly hydrolized to monomers Hemicellulose mostly olygomeric I.e. Monomer sugars for fermentation, or dehydration I.e. olygomericsugars to produce barrier films
BIOMASS PRETREATMENT AND FRACTIONATION PRETREATMENT FRACTIONATIONATION Waste paper WOOD ARUNDO DONAX Plant size 300 kg/h HEMICELLULOSE STRAW Lignocellulosic biomass LIGNIN (residual sugars 2%) CELLULOSE ( 80%) GRAPE STALKS
Process severity time Temperature PRETREATMENT OF WOODY BIOMASS (ASPEN CHIPS) CELLULOSE HYDROLYSIS YIELD (LOW SOLIDS LOADING)
ACID-CATALYZED STEAM PRETREATMENT OF ARUNDO DONAX [1,4%WT] Before After T[ C], t(min) Klason lignin ARABINAN Galactan Glucan Xylan % COMPOSITION OF THE WATER-INSOLUBLE FRACTION 196 C+acid 27.1 0.69 0.21 36.0 8.6 200 C+acid 25.7 0.50 0.20 35.1 6.0 205 C+acid 23.5 0.52 0.18 34.9 4.8 210 C+acid 23.0 0.40 0.120 33.7 3.5 % OF SOLUBLE CARBOHYDRATES 196 C+acid 0.55 0.31 1.70 6.0 200 C+acid 0.80 0.40 2.4 9.5 205 C+acid 0.63 0.36 2.5 5.2 210 C+acid 0.51 0.25 1.7 4.3 C5 RECOVERY: 70%
Level of microbial inhibitors 4-HBA a SYR b 5-HMF b 2-FUR d CAT e F. acid f A. acid g (mg/kg) (mg/kg) (mg/kg) (mg/kg) (g/kg) (g/kg) (g/kg) 196 C+acid 64 77 86 538 2.9 4 8.5 200 C+acid 112 77 128 747 4.9 7 15.6 205 C+acid 98 47 86 700 5.3 7.1 18 210 C+acid 194 126 35 954 1.4 8.4 23.9 a 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde. b Syringaldehyde. c 5-(Hydroxymethyl)furfural. d 2-Furaldehyde. e catechol. f formic acid. g acetic acid The effect of these degradation products on the hydrolizates fermentabilitywill depend on the microorganism and process set-up(inoculum size, ph, and process strategy)
HIGH GRAVITY HYDROLYSIS Effect of the pretreatment on the biomass hydrolizability High gravity hydrolysis of biomass Hybrid simultaneous saccharification and fermentation
High gravity hydrolyis High gravity hydrolysis = process in which the solids content is above 20%
EFFECT OF HIGH SOLIDS CONTENT ON THE BIOMASS HYDROLYSIS The Challenges of high gravity hydrolysis: High viscosities mass transfer limitations poor mixing Inhibition by end-products The Challenges of high gravity fermentation: High concentration of microbial inhibitors Osmotic stress due to high solutes concentration Toxic effect of ethanol (synergistic inhibition) glucose yield [ %] 100 80 60 40 20 144 hr 48 hr 0 10 20 30 s/l [%] xylose yield, %% 90 70 50 30 0 10 20 30 s/l [%]
Research activities 1.Investigate bioreactor geometries suitable for the processing of concentrated slurries 2.Optimize the bioreactor feeding strategies (bach, fed-batch) 3.Optimize the use of enzymatic mixtures (dosage, effect of auxiliary components, effect of surfactants) 4.Find the optimal process strategy (SSF, SHF, hybrid process) 5.Reduce the hydrolyzates toxicity to the fermentation microrganisms and to grow resistant microrganisms
1 2 EFFECT OF THE MIXING 3
Mixing in shaken flasks and bioreactor (1 and 2) ph 4.8 ph 5.5 Arundo fiber, 20% solids loading, 50 C.
Mixing in stirred bioreactor and gravimetric shaker (2 and 3) Gravimetric shaking in rotating drum system was much more effective (Arundo fiber) Glucose, [g/l] 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 MIXING GEOMETRY GRAVIMETRIC MIXING STIRRED TANK 0 25 50 75 100 Time [h]
HYBRID HYDROLYSIS AND FERMENTATION SHF: separate hydrolysis and fermentation SSF: simultaneous saccharification and fermentation biomass SSF H-SSF : hybrid simultaneous saccharification and fermentation Optimization depends on the subsequent fermentation strategy (i.e. fermentation or cofermentation, type of microrganism). the liquefaction time is an important variable. 19
Production of bioethanol through hybrid process Enzyme dosage [g/g biomass DM] Microrganisms Process Type Yeast inoculation T [ C] Ethan ol (%wt) 0,07 S. cerevisiae SHF B 32 C 3,5 0,07 S. cerevisiae SSF B 32 C 3,9 0,027 S. cerevisiae HSSF B 37 C 3,7 0,027 S. cerevisiae HSSF FB3 50-37 C 3,8 0,027 S. cerevisiae HSSF FB1 50-37 C 3,8 0,07 K. marxianus H SSF FB 2 50-32 C 4,7 0,07 K. marxianus H SSF B 32 C 4,4 0,07 S. cerevisiae HSSF FB1 50-37 C 4,2 0,07 S. cerevisiae HSSF B 37 C 4,2 0,07 S. cerevisiae H SSF B 32 C 4,6 0,07 S. cerevisiae H SSF FB 2 50-32 C 5,0 B=batch; FB= Fed-Batch
Microorganisms inhibition thresholds Microorganisms resistance to the biomass degradation products is an important requirement for the conversion of lign. cellulosic derived carbohydrates to biobased products Inhibitor Conc. (g/l) Yeasts Strain 5-HMF 4 S.cerevisiae Tembec T1 5-HMF 4 S.cerevisiae CBS 8066 Reducti on of ethanol yield (%) Reduction of of ethanol productivity (%) 12 45 5-HMF 4 S.cerevisiae Y-1528 11 40 Furfural 4 S.cerevisiae CBS 8066 69 Furfural 1.6 S.cerevisiae Tembec T1 27 Furfural 1.6 S.cerevisiae Y-1528 25 Acetic acid 4.3 S.cerevisiae 50 Acetic acid 8 P.stipitis 98 40 Value added product Butanol Xylitol Microrganism Inhibition threshold Clostridium beijerinckii Candica Tropicalis Lactic acid Lactobacillus acidophilus Biosuccinic acid Tryacylglycerides.. Actinobacillus succinogenes Cryptococcus curvatus..
PRODUCTION OF CLEAN SUGARS Hydrolyzates detoxyfication is sometime necessary to increase the microbial conversion efficiency Pretreated biomass/hydrolyzates ION-EXCHANGE RESINS OVERLIMING Detoxification =rimoval of degradation by-products (i.e. organic acids, furan compounds, phenols) STEAM STRIPPING. ADAPTATION Fermentation MICROBIAL ADAPTATION FERMENTATION AT HIGH CELLS CONCENTRATION (IMMOBILIZATION) 22
Microbial adaptation 23
FERMENTATION WITH CO-IMMOBILIZED CELLS OF S. Cerevisiae and P. stipitis Yeast(s) conditions WILD P. adapted up to 40% P. adapted up to 40% (repeated cycles) P. and S. adapted + EtOH Process scheme Beads uptake P/S % xylose consumption at maximum ethanol % glucose consumption at ethanol maximum COF 4 16 100 68 4,70E+08 COF 4 16 100 66 COF 0,25 16 100 64 6,80E+08 COF 0,25 16 100 63 COF 20 97 68 COF 17 100 60 COF 17 93 56 COF 1,25,E+09 4 33 100 61 COF 31 100 53 COF 34 100 51 COF 67 100 49 COF 4 34 100 72 3,25E+06 COF 4 42 100 80 COF 0,25 41 100 64 3,70E+07 COF 0,25 33 100 71 SEQ 10^9 [S] 1,36x10^9 [P] 4 73 100 61 SEQ 10^9 [S] 5x10^9[P] 4 39 100 COF= cofermentation SEQ= sequential fermentation 24 Y% 69
EUROPEAN PROJECTS ON 2G BIOETHANOL Project Main Partners 5FP BIO-H2: Production of clean hydrogen for fuel cells by reformation of bioethanol CR FIAT, ECN, Un. Patrasso, Queens, CNRS, Peugeot, Renault 7FP BIOPAL Algae as raw material for production of bioplastics and biocomposites contributing to sustainable development of european coastal regions TIME Technological Improvement for ethanol production from lignocellulose BIOLYFE "Second BIOethanol process: demonstration scale for the step of LignocellulosichYdrolysis and Fermentation" CEVA, FIAT, Un. Pisa, DEMOKRITOS, OWS VTT, Un. Lund, Roal, Un. Budapest, Nedalco, Biochemtex, ENEA, Novozymes, Lund University, IFEU, WIP Running (7FP) GRAIL Glycerol Biorefinery Approach for the Production of High Quality Products of Industrial Value IUCT, ENEA, In.Bio-Consorzio, STUBA, Megara, Biozoon, CENTIV, DBFZ, Universidad Valparaíso, PI, SINTEF, Queen s University Belfast, Aalborg University
Funding Ministry Italian projects on biofuels/biobased products Project acronym FULL TITLE MIPAAF MULTISORGO Integrated production of bioethanol and biogas FITOPROBIO from sweet sorghum: technological, economic, energy and environmental aspects Phytodepuration treatments using cellulosic biomass to obtain second generation ethanol" BIOSEGEN Innovative chain for the production of second generation biofuels from agricultural and agro-industrial residues and biomass crops. MSE INDUSTRIA 2015 PRIT Development of an Italian pretreatment technology for the production of second generation bioethanol (COORDINATED BY BIOChemtex) MIUR BIT3G REBIOCHEM ALBE research activities within the green chemistry cluster - spring
Process Flowsheet Analysis and Synthesis for a Lignocellulosic Biorefinery producing ethanol and biobased products ENEA, University of Salerno, Department of Industrial Engineering (A. Giuliano, D. Barletta)
Lignocellulosic Biorefinery Flowsheet: base case BIOMASS STEAM EXPLOSION ENZYMATIC HYDROLYSIS ETHANOL FERMENTATION ETHANOL DISTILLATION AND PURIFICATION HEMICELLULOSE RICH HEMICELLULOSE UPGRADING AND FERMENTATION WASTE WATER WASTE WATER TREATMENT BIOGAS LIGNIN LIGNIN COMBUSTION BIOMASS PROCESS PROCESS ENERGY PRODUCTS
Sensitivity on enzyme price 1,60 1,40 1,20 *PSP Enzyme in situ /PSP BaseProcess 1,00 0,80 0,60 0,40 0,20 0,00 1 2 3 4 5 Enzyme price ( /kg)
Xylitol is a platform molecule
Scenario with xylitol co-production BIOMASS STEAM EXPLOSION ENZYMATIC HYDROLYSIS ETHANOL FERMENTATION ETHANOL DISTILLATION AND PURIFICATION HEMICELLULOSE RICH HEMICELLULOSE UPGRADING AND FERMENTATION WASTE WATER WASTE WATER WASTE WATER TREATMENT BIOGAS LIGNIN LIGNIN COMBUSTION PRELIMINARY ESTIMATIONS FROM OUR EVALUATIONS BIOMASS PROCESS PROCESS ENERGY PRODUCTS
Furans are platform molecules Fine chemical O OCH 3 O O O O O O O HO H H Furfural H 5-Hydroxymethylfurfurfual Furfural Biofuel HO O OH O O Source: ( Angew 2007) Polymer
Scenario with furfural co-production BIOMASS STEAM EXPLOSION ENZYMATIC HYDROLYSIS ETHANOL FERMENTATION ETHANOL DISTILLATION AND PURIFICATION HEMICELLULOSE RICH WASTE WATER WASTE WATER WASTE WATER TREATMENT BIOGAS LIGNIN COMBUSTION LIGNIN PRELIMINARY ESTIMATIONS FROM OUR EVALUATIONS BIOMASS PROCESS PROCESS ENERGY PRODUCTS
COMPARISON C5 XYLITOL/FURFURAL SCENARIO 1 2 Main Product Ethanol Ethanol Co-Product Xylitol Furfural Payback selling price for the co-product through our simulation ( /kg) 2 3 Estimated market price ( /kg)* 3.5 0.9-1.3 Tot Yield (t PRODUCTS /t BIOMASS ) 25 % 24 % Electricity balance (MW PROD MW CONS ) 8.1-4.7 (heat integration is necessary) Required Steam (t/h) 84 122
Succinic Acid is a platform molecule
Scenario with succinic acid co-production SUCCINIC ACID FERMENTATION CO2 SUCCINIC ACID PURIFICATION SUCCINIC ACID BIOMASS STEAM EXPLOSION ENZYMATIC HYDROLYSIS ETHANOL FERMENTATION ETHANOL DISTILLATION AND PURIFICATION HEMICELLULOSE RICH HEMICELLULOSE UPGRADING AND FERMENTATION WASTE WATER WASTE WATER TREATMENT BIOGAS LIGNIN LIGNIN COMBUSTION PRELIMINARY ESTIMATIONS FROM OUR EVALUATIONS BIOMASS PROCESS PROCESS ENERGY PRODUCTS
Scenario with succinic acid and xylitol co-production SUCCINIC ACID FERMENTATION CO2 SUCCINIC ACID PURIFICATION SUCCINIC ACID BIOMASS STEAM EXPLOSION ENZYMATIC HYDROLYSIS ETHANOL FERMENTATION ETHANOL DISTILLATION AND PURIFICATION HEMICELLULOSE RICH WASTE WATER WASTE WATER WASTE WATER TREATMENT BIOGAS LIGNIN COMBUSTION LIGNIN PRELIMINARY EVATUATIONS FROM OUR ESTIMATIONS BIOMASS PROCESS PROCESS ENERGY PRODUCTS
Scenario with succinic acid/furfural co-production SUCCINIC ACID FERMENTATION CO2 SUCCINIC ACID PURIFICATION SUCCINIC ACID BIOMASS STEAM EXPLOSION ENZYMATIC HYDROLYSIS ETHANOL FERMENTATION ETHANOL DISTILLATION AND PURIFICATION HEMICELLULOSE RICH WASTE WATER WASTE WATER WASTE WATER TREATMENT BIOGAS LIGNIN COMBUSTION LIGNIN PRELIMINARY ESTIMATIONS FROM OUR EVALUATIONS BIOMASS PROCESS PROCESS ENERGY PRODUCTS
Scenario with ethanol+succinic acid co-production: COMPARISON C5 ETHANOL/XYLITOL/FURFURAL SCENARIO 1 2 3 Main Product Ethanol Ethanol Ethanol Co-Products Succinic Acid Succinic Acid + Xylitol Payback selling price for the co-product (RED) through our simulation ( /kg) Estimated market price ( /kg)* Succinic Acid + Furfural 5.4 2.6 3.5 2.7 3.5 0.9-1.3 Tot Yield (t PRODUCTS /t BIOMASS ) 23 % 24 % 24 % Electricity balance (MW PROD MW CONS ) -4.1-5.2-5.5 Required Steam (t/h) 129 129 159 The biorefinery is no longer self sufficient for the energy need. A detailed LCA is necessary
Concluding remarks CHALLENGES Capitalization of the knowledge developed in the sector of biofuels for the maximum exploitation of the biomass barrel. Optimize multi-products biorefineries by improving the existing pioneering technologies Develop new processes for the conversion of side streams from lignocellulosic biorefineries Improve the process integration 40
ENEA s FACILITIES FOR BIOREFINING Pretreatment and fractionation at pilot scale (300 kg/h) Production of second generation sugars Process scale up/downstream processing Technological platforms for thermal valorization of biomass residues (pyro-gasification Identification of new proteins and key enzymes involved in specific substrate degradation /biomass degradation (proteomics) RECENT ACTIVITIES Fully equipped analytical labs for materials characterization and process analysis 41
THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION isabella.debari@enea.it +39 0835974313