Scientists from the Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, together with their colleagues from the Kazan State Technological University (KSTU), have selected the optimal conditions for the production of bioethanol. This is an inexpensive and environmentally friendly fuel made from plant raw materials, which can be used both as a stand alone biofuel and as an additive to mineral fuel to improve it’s properties.
The researchers have found that steam explosion is a highly effective method of processing raw materials, making them suitable for the production of bioethanol. The scientists used pine wood and wheat straw as their raw materials. To conduct their research, the scientists assembled a pilot plant for the processing of materials into biofuel at the KSTU.
| Our team has found the most effective technology for the deep chemical processing of wood waste and plant biomass. The raw materials were activated by steam explosion at saturated steam temperatures of 165 °C and 210 °C. The results showed that steam explosion activation significantly increases the rate of hydrolysis and the yield of dissolved carbohydrates, which are necessary for the subsequent fermentation process by yeast and the production of ethanol. The activated pine wood released soluble carbohydrates 1.7 to 2.5 times faster than untreated wood. Additionally, activation at 210 °C allowed us to obtain carbohydrate solutions with minimal amounts of interfering sugars, which reduce the rate of ethanol production. As a result of our research, we have obtained a fiber with a high specific surface area and reactivity for the subsequent production of bioethanol, |
| said Yulia Kulikova, a researcher at the REC “Industrial Biotechnology” at the Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University. |
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