Dilute phosphoric acid-catalysed hydrolysis of municipal bio-waste wood shavings using autoclave parr reactor system

The visibility of using municipal bio-waste, wood shavings, as a potential feedstock for ethanol production was investigated. Dilute acid hydrolysis of wood shavings with H ₃PO ₄ was undertaken in autoclave parr reactor. A combined severity factor (CSF) was used to integrate the effects of hydrolysis times, temperature and acid concentration into a single variable. Xylose concentration reached a maximum value of 17g/100g dry mass corresponding to a yield of 100% at the best identified conditions of 2.5wt.% H ₃PO ₄, 175°C and 10min reaction time corresponding to a CSF of 1.9. However, for glucose, an average yield of 30% was obtained at 5wt.% H ₃PO ₄, 200°C and 10min. Xylose production increased with increasing temperature and acid concentration, but its transformation to the degradation product furfural was also catalysed by those factors. The maximum furfural formed was 3g/100g dry mass, corresponding to the 24% yield.