Oral Presentation 6A-02
Progress in Softwood to Ethanol Process Development
Olga Mirochnik,1 David Gregg,1* John N. Saddler,1 Sheldon Duff,2 Claudio Arato3
and Kendall Pye3
1
Forest Products Biotechnology, Department of Wood Science\The University of British Columbia
*2424 Main Mall
Vancouver B.C. Canada V6T 1Z4
Telephone: (604) 822-5053;
Fax: (604) 822-9104;
Email: djgregg@interchange.ubc.ca
2
Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of British Columbia3
Lignol Innovations Corp., Vancouver, BC Canada
Softwoods are generally considered to be the most difficult lignocellulosic feedstocks to convert to ethanol. This is primarily due to the nature and amount of lignin found in these feedstocks. Consequently, if the effect of the lignin can be significantly reduced then softwoods may become a more sought-after feedstock and potentially provide a means to enhance the processing of other lignocellulosic substrates through similar strategies.
UBC has been developing a softwood-to-ethanol process over the last 14 years and up until recently focused on a steam-explosion process. However, in the last year we have also had the opportunity to evaluate two organosolv processes (acetic acid- and ethanol-based). As an example lignin, from a steam explosion process, due to its low reactivity, is generally considered to be a low-value by-product whereas in an organosolv process it becomes either the main product or a valuable co-product. The costs (operating and capital) and processing objectives for the lignin and ultimately the overall process are significantly different when it is considered a by-product versus a co-product.
This presentation will provide a brief insight into the technical and economic challenges of each of these processes and provide some guidance for future development.