Succinic acid biorefineries
Publication date: 16/10/2015.
Last update: 20/12/2016.
Introduction
The blog will open
soon a new section focused on summarizing the information available about the
commercial and pilot plants of the most promising Biobased Chemical Building Blocks
(BCBB). The section will contain links to monographic posts updated in a regular
basis. I have chosen bio-succinic acid to start the series because some
companies have achieved important milestones related to its large-scale commercialization.
Clearly, it is one of the DoE´s top 12 BCBB that it is fulfilling the previous
generated expectations.
Description 1,2,3
Succinic acid (butanedioic
acid), is a diprotic, dicarboxylic acid with chemical formula C4H6O4.
It is a water-soluble, colorless crystal with an acid taste. The name derives
from Latin “succinum”, meaning amber, from which the acid was originally
obtained by pulverising and distilling it using a sand bath. It is produced
naturally as a product of cellular metabolism. In the chemical industry, it
also plays an important role, being a key intermediate component for various
products and processes.
Process
technologies 2
Succinic acid is
produced by several methods. Common industrial routes include hydrogenation of
maleic acid, oxidation of 1,4-butanediol, and carbonylation of ethylene glycol.
More recently, succinic acid has been produced through the fermentation of
glucose from renewable feedstock and purification of raw biobased succinic
acid. The tools used for this route of manufacturing succinic acid are bacteria
or yeasts in a bioreactor known as a fermenter.
Figure 1.
Simplified diagram process of succinic acid production through a biobased route
(extracted from BioAmber web page)
Applications 2,4,5,6
Viewed chemically,
the biobased compound is absolutely identical with the product manufactured
conventionally, so it has the same properties and applications. There is a
multitude of potential uses for succinic acid:
- Polybutylene Succinate (PBS) production. It is one of the newest biopolymers under development for numerous applications worldwide (mulch films, disposable cups, plastic bags,...).
- Plasticizers production for PVC manufacture. It can also be used to meet the growing demand for plasticizers for biobased plastics.
- Replace petrochemical-based adipic acid in the production of polyester polyols for polyurethanes (adhesives, coatings, sealants, shoe soles, flexible and rigid foams,…).
- 1,4-Butanediol (BDO) production to obtain tetrahydrofuran (elastane fibers) and polybutylene terephthalate (electrical equipment, wheel covers, gearshift knobs,…).
- Di-methyl Succinate (DMS) production. It is a biobased solvent, miscible with alcohols, ethers, ketones and most hydrocarbons. It is used as a coalescing agent for emulsion paints in low VOC coating applications.
Commercial plants
- Operational 7,8,9,10,11,12
Figure 2. Myriant’s
Lake Providence Commercial Facility for Bio-Succinic Acid (extracted from Myriant
web page)
Cassano
Biorefinery
|
|
Owner
|
Reverdia (www.reverdia.com/). It is a JV of DSM and
Roquette Frères.
|
Location
|
Cassano Spinola (Italy).
|
Feedstocks
|
Starch
and sugars.
|
Technology
|
Biosuccinium™ developed by Reverdia.
Hydrolysis and low pH yeast
fermentation.
|
Capacity
|
10,000 tons per year.
|
Start-up
|
December 2012.
|
Lake
Providence Biorefinery
|
|
Owner
|
Myriant (www.myriant.com/).
|
Location
|
Lake Providence (Lousiana, USA)
|
Feedstocks
|
Renewable
feedstocks. Some of these feedstocks include grain sorghum, sugarcane bagasse
and other cellulosic feedstocks.
|
Technology
|
Single-step, anaerobic fermentation
process developed by Myriant. Proprietary microorganisms.
|
Capacity
|
13,600 tons per year.
|
Start-up
|
June 2013.
|
Montmeló
Biorefinery
|
|
Owner
|
Succinity GmbH (www.succinity.com/).
It is a JV of Corbion Purac and BASF.
|
Location
|
Montmeló (Spain)
|
Feedstocks
|
Renewable substrates (glycerol,
sugars,…).
|
Technology
|
Succinity® developed by Succinity
GmbH.
Proprietary fermentation process
based on the bacterium Basfia succiniciproducens.
Proprietary gypsum-free downstream
purification process.
|
Capacity
|
10,000 tons per year.
|
Start-up
|
March 2014.
|
Sarnia
Biorefinery
|
|
Owner
|
BioAmber (www.bio-amber.com/) and Mitsui & Co
(www.mitsui.com).
|
Location
|
Sarnia (Ontario, Canada)
|
Feedstocks
|
Glucose sourced from southern Ontario
agricultural suppliers.
|
Technology
|
The production process is based on
fermentation technology that uses a proprietary yeast.
|
Capacity
|
30,000 tons per year.
|
Start-up
|
August 2015.
|
Previous
pilot plant
|
Companies:
BioAmber and ARD.
Location: Pomacle (France).
Capacity: 3.000 tons/y.
Operational
from January 2010 to December 2014.
|
Commercial plants –
Under construction or planning 13,14,15
|
Location
|
Companies
|
Capacity
|
Status
|
|
Shandong province (China)
|
Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology (TIB)
|
50,000 tons/y
|
Under construction
|
|
China
|
BioAmber and CJ CheilJedang Corporation (CJCJ)
|
36,000 tons/y
|
Planned
|
Pilot plants 14
Location
|
Companies
|
Capacity
|
Status
|
Nanjing (China)
|
Sinopec Yangzi Petrochemical Company
|
1,000 tons/y
|
Start-up Q1 2013
|
______________________________________________________________________
REFERENCES
1 T. Werpy, G.R.
Petersen: “Top Value Added Chemicals from
Biomass. Volume 1: Results of Screening for Potential Candidates from Sugar and
Systhesis Gas”. US DoE, August 2004.
15 http://investor.bio-amber.com/2016-12-19-BioAmber-and-CJ-CheilJedang-Plan-JV-for-Succinic-Acid-Production-in-Asia.
