Bioproducts
Production of Advanced Biofuels and Chemicals using Enzymes
Our enzyme-based and physicochemical technologies convert agroindustrial residues such as bagasse and cane straw, corn stover, eucalyptus, bamboo, napier (elephant grass), coconut shells and paper waste into fermentable sugars and lignin-rich solids. These products are then used as building block for production of advanced biofuels such as second generation (2) ethanol, food-grade carbon dioxide, bio-oils, syngas and chemical specialties via integrated chemical and biotechnological processes under biorefinery configurations.
Production of Biochar and Bioenergy using Pyrolysis
Our technology enables the conversion of materials with high humidity through a thermochemical process in absence of oxygen (pyrolysis) to transform wastes into a fuel gas which, in turn, is used to generate clean and renewable electrical or thermal energy. Additionally, we obtain an agricultural input of high added value called biochar (biochar). When applied to the soil, biochar confers a series of properties that allow a gain in productivity, carbon sequestration from the atmosphere, water retention, incorporation of organic matter, reduction of fertilizer leaching, among other advantages.
Demonstration of system prototype in operational environment
Short Communication: Production of high-purity food-grade ethanol from different sugar-based substrates using pervaporation
Over the last years pervaporation has emerged to be a promising separation technique for the direct purification of ethanol produced from fermentation of sugar-rich substrates as well as from hydrated ethanol after primary purification by distillation using conventional columns and molecular sieves. As shown in the following table, the influence of fermentation-derived by-products on the purification efficiency of ethanol from water during hydrophillic pervaporation has been investigated at both bench and pilot plant scales.
Preliminary results evidenced that the presence of certain carbohydrates and salts tended to enhance the membrane performance due to specific effects that might have led to positively alter vapor/liquid equilibrium. Conversely, the presence of chemical species such as furfural and organic acids (particularly acetic acid) negatively influenced the ethanol flux and selectivity factor. Alcohol-related and hydroxyl containing compounds such as glycerol and isopropyl alcohol (IPA) exhibited no significant effect over the performance of the membranes. Complimentary trial runs evidenced elevated enrichment levels for ethanol and isopropyl alcohol (IPA), while methanol and organic acids (acetic and propionic acids) exhibited negligible permeation through hydrophillic membranes for dehydration purposes.
Ethanol (1G/2G) purification and industrial wastewater treatment using pervaporation membranes.
TRL-7
Demonstration of system prototype in operational environment