(364c) Novel Lignocellulosic Biomass Pretreatment Using a Modified Taylor-Couette Mixer for Biofuels and Biomaterials

Bioethanol derived from lignocellulosic biomass can be a good candidate for energy alternative, not only because lignocellulosic biomass is abundant and sustainable, but also bioethanol production forms carbon cycle in a more timely fashion compared to fossil fuel, which leads to reduction of green gas emission. Lignocellulosic biomass pretreatment, which is one of the essential steps in bioethanol production, accounts for the majority portion of the overall bioethanol production cost. Hence an effective and efficient pretreatment method is highly demanded. Although this research area has been deeply investigated several decades ago, it has not attracted tremendous attention until recently. In our research, cost-effective and breakthrough biomass pretreatment was conducted with a novel modified Taylor-Couette mixing system, aiming to overcome the natural recalcitrance of lignocellulosic biomass in a short processing time and facilitate a better accessibility of enzymes to polysaccharides. Compositional analysis proved significant removals in both lignin and hemicellulose and rich glucan content left in the residue only after 2 minutes or less. Parameters like mixing speed, retention time, biomass loading and corresponding enzyme digestibility will be presented.