Produção de açúcares a partir da palha de cana-de-açúcar para a produção de etanol

Abstract

The growing demand for technologies that produce sustainable biofuels encourages the use of various lignocellulosic materials for this purpose. The aim of this study was to compare the potential production of sugars (glucose and xylose) from sugarcane straw and bagasse. First, the biomasses were characterized, showing very similar percentage of cellulose and hemicellulose (42.1% and 22.6% for the bagasse and 39.2% and 22.7% for the straw, respectively). This is a evidence that the potential of sugar production for bagasse and straw are almost the same. Laboratory experiments were carried out to compare the results of xylose yield and production of furfural after acid hydrolysis reactions for both biomasses in order to determine whether this process, commonly used for bagasse, can be used for straw. The variables that were evaluated were acid concentration (0.5 to 3.0 wt.%), reaction time (15-60min) and liquid-solid ratio (RSL - 0.1-0.2 wt.%). Concentrations of 42.72 g/L to 41.31 g/L of xylose were found to straw and bagasse, respectively, reaching xylose yields higher than 80% in laboratory reactions. Also acid hydrolysis reactions in pilot plant and enzymatic hydrolysis reactions in laboratory were carried out to evaluate the results of straw glucose yields. Also the results of xylose yields and production of inhibitors for these reactions were evaluated and compared to the data obtained in the laboratory. Concentrations of 35.2g/L of xylose and 27.3g/L of glucose were found for straw, reaching xylose yields close to 100% and glucose yields up to 64%, in pretreatment reactions in pilot plant and in enzymatic hydrolysis reactions in the laboratory. It was observed that acid concentration and solid: liquid ratio are the variables that most influence in the results of formation of xylose and glucose