Sugarcane Biomass Delignification via Chlorine Dioxide
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current paper production processes face challenges in efficiently extracting high-resistance cellulose and hemicellulose from sugarcane leaves and buds, leading to environmental concerns and high energy consumption, as existing methods require chemical and enzymatic processes that can harm the environment and are costly.
Innovation Solution
A two-stage process involving the reduction of lignocellulosic biomass particle size, followed by treatment with a mixture of solvents and catalysts, including ethanol and chlorine dioxide, to delignify the material while protecting hemicellulose, and subsequent rapid decompression to produce high-resistance cellulose and hemicellulose fibers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If chemical and enzymatic processes are used to extract cellulose from lignocellulosic biomass, then cellulose extraction efficiency is improved, but environmental harm increases due to organo-chlorine compound generation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the extraction process by using alkaline conditions (sodium hydroxide solution) instead of traditional acid-based or enzymatic methods. This parameter change allows effective delignification and cellulose extraction while avoiding the formation of harmful organo-chlorine compounds, thus resolving the contradiction between extraction efficiency and environmental harm
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs chlorine dioxide as a selective oxidizing agent to delignify the lignocellulosic biomass. This strong oxidant selectively removes lignin while preserving cellulose and hemicellulose, achieving high cellulose extraction efficiency without generating harmful organo-chlorine compounds under the controlled alkaline conditions
2Productivity
If traditional pulping methods are used to process sugarcane biomass, then fiber production is achieved, but energy consumption increases due to prolonged processing time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary size reduction of the sugarcane biomass to 3-15 mm particles before the chemical treatment. This preliminary action increases the surface area and accessibility of the biomass to the alkaline solution and chlorine dioxide, accelerating the delignification process and reducing the overall processing time and energy consumption while maintaining high fiber production output
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses elevated temperatures (383-403 K) and specific pressure conditions during the delignification process. These parameter changes accelerate the chemical reactions, reducing the processing time from traditional extended pulping cycles to just 5-125 minutes, thereby lowering energy consumption while maintaining high productivity
3Manufacturing precision
If delignification is performed to remove lignin from biomass, then cellulose purity is improved, but hemicellulose degradation occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses chlorine dioxide as a selective oxidizing agent that preferentially attacks lignin structures over hemicellulose and cellulose. This selectivity allows effective delignification to achieve high cellulose purity while preserving hemicellulose integrity, resolving the contradiction between purification and composition stability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs controlled alkaline conditions (sodium hydroxide solution) during the delignification process. These parameter changes create an environment where lignin is solubilized and removed while hemicellulose remains stable, achieving both high cellulose purity and hemicellulose preservation simultaneously
4Productivity
If particle size reduction is applied to lignocellulosic biomass, then treatment efficiency is improved, but processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies simple size reduction to 3-15 mm particles as a preliminary step before chemical treatment. This moderate size reduction is sufficient to improve treatment efficiency by increasing surface area accessibility, while avoiding the complexity of fine grinding or ultra-fractionation processes, thus resolving the contradiction between productivity and device complexity
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 method achieves high cellulose efficiency (>50%) and low lignin content, resulting in fibers suitable for paper production with improved physical properties, such as longer fiber length and enhanced tear resistance, while reducing environmental impact and energy consumption.
Implementation Method 1
treatment with a mixture of solvents and catalysts, including ethanol and chlorine dioxide, to delignify the material
Implementation Method 2
subsequent rapid decompression to produce high-resistance cellulose and hemicellulose fibers
Data Source
AI summary
Method for production of cellulose and hemicellulose fibers from lignocellulose biomass obtained from sugarcane leaves and buds by applying a process comprising the stages of: a) Diminishing the particle size of the lignocellulose biomass to a range between 3 and 15 mm, b) Subjecting the product obtained to treatment with one or more solvents and/or a mixture of specific catalysts, c) Carry out sudden decompression to an atmospheric pressure, d) Collecting the pretreated material in a cyclone, e) Optionally separating the liquid and solid fractions through washing and filterung f) Optionally, treating the solid fraction in a reactor with a mixture of ethanol and chlorine dioxide, d) Wash the product obtained to achieve cellulose efficiency above 50% and of lignin of 5 to 7%, fiber lengtht in a range to 1,5 to 2,7 mm, breaking length (km) of 7,0 -8,9, Burst index (kPam2/g) of 4,5-7,2 and Tear index (mNm2/g) of 8,2-8, The obtained high-resistance cellulose and hemicellulose is especially suitable for the paper production and polymer-type plastics.