Kinetics of levulinic acid and furfural production from Miscanthus×giganteus

K. Dussan, B. Girisuta, D. Haverty, J. J. Leahy, M. H.B. Hayes

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

This study investigated the kinetics of acid hydrolysis of the cellulose and hemicellulose in Miscanthus to produce levulinic acid and furfural under mild temperature and high acid concentration. Experiments were carried out in an 8L-batch reactor with 9%-wt. biomass loading, acid concentrations between 0.10 and 0.53M H2SO4, and at temperatures between 150 and 200°C. The concentrations of xylose, glucose, furfural, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural and levulinic acid were used in two mechanistic kinetic models for the prediction of the performance of ideal continuous reactors for the optimisation of levulinic acid and the concurrent production of furfural. A two-stage arrangement was found to maximise furfural in the first reactor (PFR - 185°C, 0.5M H2SO4, 27.3%-mol). A second stage leads to levulinic acid yields between 58% and 72%-mol at temperatures between 160 and 200°C.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)216-224
Number of pages9
JournalBioresource Technology
Volume149
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Sep 2013

Keywords

  • Acid hydrolysis
  • Furfural
  • Kinetic modelling
  • Levulinic acid
  • Miscanthus

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