Issue 15, 2023

Hydrocarbons from kraft pulp pre-hydrolysis liquors in two steps using heterogeneous catalysis

Abstract

Valorizing industrial side-streams that are burnt to a low value are important to make biorefining more sustainable. In this work, hemicellulose obtained as a pre-hydrolysis liquor from kraft pulping was converted to furfural in a 19 wt% yield based on hemicellulose content in raw biomass using a beta zeolite as a catalyst. Furfural was then directly hydro-processed to yield pentane and higher hydrocarbons in 60%. It was found that a combination of Pd/C and ZSM-5 gave full hydrodeoxygenation. Depending on reaction conditions, aromatic or aliphatic compounds could be generated. By using pentane as a carrier liquid, a 100% renewable hydrocarbon stream is possible. Off gases, comprising <C5 hydrocarbons (23% yield), could be reformed to green hydrogen to yield renewable hydrocarbon products. This way, the pulp mill is de-bottlenecked and thus can increase the production of pulp, and at the same time, another valuable product stream is generated.

Graphical abstract: Hydrocarbons from kraft pulp pre-hydrolysis liquors in two steps using heterogeneous catalysis

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
10 mai 2023
Accepted
12 jun 2023
First published
14 jun 2023
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

Sustainable Energy Fuels, 2023,7, 3637-3643

Hydrocarbons from kraft pulp pre-hydrolysis liquors in two steps using heterogeneous catalysis

D. Lebedeva and J. S. M. Samec, Sustainable Energy Fuels, 2023, 7, 3637 DOI: 10.1039/D3SE00616F

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