Sugars-To-Bioproducts Scalable Platform Technology

Executive Summary

While tremendous progress has been achieved on creating routes for the production of chemicals and fuels from lignocellulosic biomass, many of these processes are not economic due to the number of process steps required and the requirement for significant inter-stage separations. This project is developing a modularized chemical process intensification technology for the production of bio-para-xylene (biopX) from glucose. This process has received significant attention as a route to meet the high growth rate of pX (CAGR = 7%) and at the same time as we are seeing declining petroleum-based pX production in North America due to the reduction of naphtha cracking. This approach also meets the rising consumer demand for sustainable feedstocks to manufacture materials. This project focuses on the significant reduction of biopX production costs (>20%) using a novel, biphasic, multifunctional, continuous flow microreactor to carry out a cascade of four reactions combined with reactive extraction and potential in-situ generated H2 – all in a single pot – followed by hydrophobicity-driven separation and a second multiphase microreactor. ‘Smart’ organic solvent selection as a common platform for all processes will also be explored to minimize separations. Fast and efficient microwave (MW)-based heating will also be implemented.

Technical Challenge

  • Managing solvent selection and flow conditions to allow for “single pot” processing
  • Effective use of in-situ separations, novel heating approaches, and microfluidic mixing/separation

Potential Impact

The success of this program can have a major impact on US economic development and sustainability. The proposed MCPI will enhance the reaction rate, minimize total reaction and heating time from hours to seconds, improve carbon efficiency, minimize separation complexity, and increase energy efficiency. These improvements enable >20% reduction in biopX minimum selling price—from the current estimated value of ~$1300/ton—and 20% energy savings, potentially making bioPX production commercially viable. Furthermore, the MCPI technology proposed herein can impact other bio-products’ production, such as bio-acrylic acid, bio-jet fuels, bio-surfactants, and bio-lubricants.

Resources

The University of Delaware has experts with proven record in conversion of glucose and xylose to HMF and furfural with high yields. They have developed process models and designs for scalable MCPI technology leveraging years of expertise on PI, short contact time processes, microreactors, and reactive separation.

Investigator

Dion Vlachos

Allan and Myra Ferguson Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Date Approved
Project Number
-
Initial TRL Level
-
Current TRL level
4
Project Funding
3,300,000
Focus Areas
Partner Organization