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oai:library.wur.nl:wurpubs/373156 2026-03-31 edurep openaire public

urn:nbn:nl:ui:32-373156 2026-03-31 urn:nbn:nl:ui:32-373156/mods Pilot-scale conversion of lime-treated wheat straw into bioethanol: quality assessment of bioethanol and valorization of side streams by anaerobic digestion and combustion Maas R.H.W. 314616721 0000000390050900 aut Bakker R.R.C. 314611770 0000000392458598 aut Boersma A.R. aut Bisschops I. aut Pels J.R. aut de Jong E. 114309507 0000000113088396 aut Weusthuis R.A. 127309381 0000-0001-6452-5701 000000039356021X aut Reith H. aut text info:eu-repo/semantics/article 2008 10.1186/1754-6834-1-14 2-s2.0-55049122600 000272005400001 en The limited availability of fossil fuel sources, worldwide rising energy demands and anticipated climate changes attributed to an increase of greenhouse gasses are important driving forces for finding alternative energy sources. One approach to meeting the increasing energy demands and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions is by large-scale substitution of petrochemically derived transport fuels by the use of carbon dioxide-neutral biofuels, such as ethanol derived from lignocellulosic material. Results This paper describes an integrated pilot-scale process where lime-treated wheat straw with a high dry-matter content (around 35% by weight) is converted to ethanol via simultaneous saccharification and fermentation by commercial hydrolytic enzymes and bakers' yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). After 53 hours of incubation, an ethanol concentration of 21.4 g/liter was detected, corresponding to a 48% glucan-to-ethanol conversion of the theoretical maximum. The xylan fraction remained mostly in the soluble oligomeric form (52%) in the fermentation broth, probably due to the inability of this yeast to convert pentoses. A preliminary assessment of the distilled ethanol quality showed that it meets transportation ethanol fuel specifications. The distillation residue, which contained non-hydrolysable and non-fermentable (in)organic compounds, was divided into a liquid and solid fraction. The liquid fraction served as substrate for the production of biogas (methane), whereas the solid fraction functioned as fuel for thermal conversion (combustion), yielding thermal energy, which can be used for heat and power generation. Conclusion Based on the achieved experimental values, 16.7 kg of pretreated wheat straw could be converted to 1.7 kg of ethanol, 1.1 kg of methane, 4.1 kg of carbon dioxide, around 3.4 kg of compost and 6.6 kg of lignin-rich residue. The higher heating value of the lignin-rich residue was 13.4 MJ thermal energy per kilogram (dry basis). Bio Process Engineering VLAG AFSG Biobased Products Biobased Chemistry and Technology acid biomass enzymatic-hydrolysis ethanol-production fermentation lignocellulosic materials pretreatment saccharification saccharomyces-cerevisiae softwood Bio Process Engineering VLAG AFSG Biobased Products Biobased Chemistry and Technology Biotechnology for Biofuels 1 17546834 urn:nbn:nl:ui:32-373156/obj 2026-03-31 http://purl.org/eprint/accessRights/OpenAccess