Analytical Control of the Process of Preparing Lignocellulose for Obtaining Levoglucosan
Proceedings of the 6th Meeting of the Nordic-Baltic Network in Wood Material and Engineering (WSE) 2010
Aigars Pāže, Māris Puķe, Jānis Zandersons

The yield of the main product of the thermal destruction of cellulose - 1,6-anhydro-β,D-glucopyranose or levoglucosan (LG) in the fast thermolysis of hardwood increases several times, if pre-hydrolysis of wood in the presence of a sulphuric acid catalyst at the temperature 150 -155°C is carried out, thereby achieving the hydrolysis of the main part of hemicelluloses. The lignocellulose (LC) obtained after washing are also the LG raw material. In the study, the chemical composition of the intermediate products formed in the technological process of preparing LC as well as the degree of polymerisation (DP) of cellulose in wood and the obtained LC are investigated. A possible correlation between the DP and the LG yield is discussed. The component composition is determined, and the applicability and purification potentialities of the obtained intermediate products – prehydrolysis condensates and LC washing waters are evaluated. The pre-hydrolysis process condensate contains a considerable amount of acetic acid and furfural, namely, 5% and 12% from the oven dry wood mass, respectively. The obtained LC chips are washed with water till the pH 2.0-2.2 or the H2SO4 concentration from oven dry LC about 0.1% from its mass. 19-21% of oven dry wood organic substances, from which 78-88% are monosaccharides, are diluted in the washing waters. After the washing, the LC yield is 52-55% in terms of oven dry wood. During the pre-hydrolysis, as a result of the action of sulphuric acid and elevated temperature, the DP of cellulose decreased from 1800-1900 in alder wood to 1200-1400 in LC. Comparing the LG yields from Kuerschner cellulose preparations prepared from the initial wood and LC, a considerably higher LG yield is obtained from the latter. The thermolysis with the corresponding wood and LC samples, carried out in parallel, has shown that the acid-treated material (LC) demonstrated considerably higher LG yields, which, taking into account the cellulose content in LC (45-55%), actually correspond to the LG yield from the corresponding Kuerschner cellulose preparation. The use of the condensate for obtaining furfural and acetic acid is technically feasible. The applicability of the LC washing waters is still under study, although they do not present any problems in the wastewater biological treatment facilities.


Atslēgas vārdi
Levoglucosan, pre-hydrolysis, pyrolysis, lignocellulose, degree of polymerisation
Hipersaite
http://www.nordicforestresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/2010_report_wse.pdf

Pāže, A., Puķe, M., Zandersons, J. Analytical Control of the Process of Preparing Lignocellulose for Obtaining Levoglucosan. No: Proceedings of the 6th Meeting of the Nordic-Baltic Network in Wood Material and Engineering (WSE), Igaunija, Tallinn, 21.-22. oktobris, 2010. Tallinn: Tallinn University of Technology Press, 2010, 194.-194.lpp. ISBN 978-9949-23-033-4.

Publikācijas valoda
English (en)
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