CATALYTIC HYDROTHERMAL CONVERSION OF INULIN-RICH BIOMASS AND PRODUCTION OF LEVULINIC ACID
Project no. 21134 · Status: Kapanmış · 2019
Summary
The production of bio-based chemicals based on renewable resources has become increasingly important in recent years. Chemicals synthesized based on raw materials produced from fossil resources necessitated the search for new resources and production technologies in terms of both the limitation of the reserve and the negative effects of the production process on the environment. Lignocellulosic biomass is seen as an important raw material due to their abundance and economical nature. Hydrothermal decomposition of glucose and fructose which is one of the building blocks of cellulose and hemicellulos, which are basic components of biomass, under subcritical conditions of water into valuable chemicals is one of the important methods in the literature [1–3]. In this study, Jerusalem artichoke, which is lignocellulosic biomass rich in inulin, was used as raw material. Hydrothermal decomposition experiments were carried out in batch-operated stirred reactors and in a temperature-programmed (heating speed adjusTablo PID unit) system. The reactors with an internal volume of 50 cm3 heated to the desired reaction temperature and were kept constant at this temperature for a reaction time of 120 minutes. In experimental studies, the effect of reaction temperature, time, pH, and feed solution concentration on the selective conversion of the platform chemicals in the presence of mineral acid (H2SO4 and HCl) was investigated. The effects of chloride and sulphate salts on the formation of valuable chemicals in the liquid product were investigated under the most favourable conditions. Liquid products determined in HPLC device; levulinic acid, hydroxymethyl furfural, acetic acid, and formic acid. The product yields were calculated by determining the amounts of these compounds and sugar monomers (glucose, fructose, arabinose, rhamnose, cellobiose, sucrose, mannose, xylose, galactose).