Biomass Hydrothermal Decomposition Apparatus Countercurrent Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for biomass hydrothermal decomposition face challenges such as the need for constant sulfuric acid supply, inefficient enzymatic saccharification due to cellulose inhibitors like lignin, and the requirement for specific enzymes for cellulose and hemicellulose components, leading to reduced sugar yield and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
A biomass hydrothermal decomposition apparatus that uses countercurrent contact between biomass material and hot compressed water to separate lignin and hemicellulose components, facilitating efficient enzymatic saccharification and producing sugar solutions suitable for fermentation into organic materials like alcohols or amino acids.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If sulfuric acid is used for hydrothermal decomposition, then decomposition efficiency is improved, but equipment cost and acid disposal cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes lignin components from the biomass material through hydrothermal treatment before enzymatic saccharification. By separating the inhibitory lignin from the cellulose, the system eliminates the need for sulfuric acid pre-treatment, thereby reducing both equipment corrosion costs and acid disposal costs while maintaining decomposition efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces hot compressed water as an intermediary substance to facilitate the separation of lignin from cellulose. This intermediary enables selective extraction of lignin without requiring harsh chemical acids, thus achieving the same decomposition efficiency with reduced environmental impact and lower operational costs
2Ease of operation
If lignin components are not removed before enzymatic saccharification, then process simplicity is maintained, but enzymatic saccharification efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention performs preliminary hydrothermal treatment to remove lignin components before the enzymatic saccharification step. This preliminary action eliminates cellulose inhibitors in advance, ensuring that the subsequent enzymatic process operates at maximum efficiency without requiring complex additional purification steps
3Speed
If acid treatment is used for saccharification, then decomposition speed is improved, but sugar yield decreases due to excessive decomposition
Solution Approach 1:
The invention converts the harmful effect of lignin (which inhibits enzymatic saccharification) into a beneficial separation process. By using hydrothermal treatment to selectively dissolve and remove lignin, the system achieves rapid decomposition while preserving sugar integrity, thus converting what was previously a harmful inhibitor into a separated byproduct and achieving both high speed and high yield
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enhances the efficiency of enzymatic saccharification, reduces side reaction products, and allows for the effective production of various organic materials by separating and utilizing cellulose and hemicellulose components, thereby improving sugar yield and reducing operational costs.
Implementation Method 1
allows hot compressed water to be fed from an other end of a feed section for the biomass material into the main body, so as to cause the biomass material and the hot compressed water to countercurrently contact with each other and undergo hydrothermal decomposition
Implementation Method 2
cause the biomass material and the hot compressed water to countercurrently contact with each other
Implementation Method 3
elutes a lignin component and a hemicellulose component into the hot compressed water, so as to separate the lignin component and the hemicellulose component from the biomass material
Implementation Method 4
elutes a lignin component and a hemicellulose component into the hot compressed water
Data Source
AI summary
A biomass hydrothermal decomposition apparatus includes, a biomass feeder (31) that feeds biomass material (11) under normal pressure to under increased pressure, a hydrothermal decomposition device (42A) that allows the fed biomass material (11) to be gradually moved inside a device main body (42A) from either end thereof in a consolidated condition, and also allows hot compressed water (15) to be fed from an other end of a feed section for the biomass material into the main body (42A), so as to cause the biomass material (11) and the hot compressed water (15) to countercurrently contact with each other and undergo hydrothermal decomposition, and that elutes a lignin component and a hemicellulose component into the hot compressed water, so as to separate the lignin component and the hemicellulose component from the biomass material (11); and a biomass discharger (51) that discharges, from the side where the hot compressed water is fed into the device main body, a biomass solid residue (17) under increased pressure to under normal pressure.