Progress 05/15/09 to 01/14/10
Outputs
OUTPUTS: The use of the SPORL process for robust conversion of woody biomass to fermentable sugars through enzymatic hydrolysis for bioethanol production has had several outputs. First, several new techniques has been developed with experimentation throughout this project using a variety of temperatures and chemical loading. Second, several visiting scientists were able to work on the project, which allowed them to contribute to the project objectives, but also receive some learning, through mentoring, about wood physics and biotechnology in the pulp and paper and bioethanol industry. Third, the successful development of this technology has enhanced existing bio-processing through collaborations with industry that see a need for making new sources of materials available that can be used for a fermentation resource for local ethanol production in areas that have little available grain production. Finally, the extracted sugar hyrolysates have been shared with a number of research institutions for evaluation of fermentative ability. These evaluations through conducting and analyzing experiments have assisted researchers and students to better understand the nature of the hydrolysates and the best organisms for optimal ethanol production. The collaborative efforts of the Forest Products Laboratory and the University of Wisconsin have significantly helped to progress this project as well as contributing to this novel technology. PARTICIPANTS: Forest Products Laboratory collaborators include Dr. Jun Yong Zhu, Research Engineer, Dr. Shen Tian, Research Microbiologist, Wenyuan Zhu, Scientific Technician, and Roland Gleisner, General Engineer. Other participants to the SPORL experiments were Dr. Xuejun Pan, Biochemist, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. All scientists and technicians were able to provide training and mentoring to visiting scientists. BioPulping International contributions include Dr. Masood Akhtar, CEO, and PI of the project. Dr. Akhtar was crucial in experimental planning and data analysis. Finally, Eric Horn, Research Microbiologist for BPI, provided technical expertise for the pretreatments, sugar extractions, fiberization, sample collection, and sample facilitation. TARGET AUDIENCES: The target audiences for this research effort are three fold. First the biofuels industry is very enthusiastic for the research shown here in order for the development of an alternative fuel source using a variety of biomass in the forest. Secondly, the United States Forest Service is a significant target audience if alternative substrates from overcrowded forests are used for this process. The rural economic development will be an advantage, but if material thinned from our forests can be used then the health of the forests and help in prevention of forest fires. Third, the United States Department of Energy is the last target audience, as this technology will enhance our resource base by providing new carbohydrate for fermentation. Each new identified source of carbohydrate that can be converted into fuels and chemicals will help to increase our energy independence. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
A collaborative effort between BioPulping International, the USDA Forest Products Laboratory, and the University of Wisconsin have developed a new pretreatment using the SPORL process for robust conversion of woody biomass to fermentable sugars through enzymatic hydrolysis for bioethanol production. The SPORL process consists of reacting wood chips with a solution of sodium sulfite or calcium or magnesium or other sulfite at 160 to 180C and pH 2 to 5 for about 30 min, and then defiberized using a disk refiner to generate fibrous substrate for subsequent saccharification and fermentation. The work will involve FPL, UW-Madison, and Catchlight Energy, a Chevron Company. Presently ethanol is made where grain is available. The product from our pretreatment is a sugar resource that can be converted into ethanol or other fermentation products. An ethanol manufacturing facility could be located with a SPORL plant. Locating new ethanol production in areas where there is limited grain will allow for locally produced ethanol to be incorporated into transportation fuels with less expense. Additional impact can be derived if material from overcrowded forests is used for this process. The rural economic development will be an advantage, but if material thinned from our forests can be used then the health of the forests and help in prevention of forest fires will also be increased. This will enhance our resource base by providing new carbohydrate for fermentation and health of the environment by improving our standing forests. Each new identified source of carbohydrate that can be converted into fuels and chemicals will help to increase our energy independence. Our studies indicate that monomeric sugar recovery from spruce wood after a SPORL pretreatment was 261 g per kg oven dry wood with about 60 g per kg of glucose from dissolved cellulose by the pretreatment. Considering hemicellulose content of about 23 percent in spruce, monomer sugar recovery rate from hemicellulose is estimated to be 80 percent. Preliminary fermentation of the pretreatment spent liquor found that it can be easily fermented to produce good ethanol yield.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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