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Glucaric acid biorefineries

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Publication date: 14/12/2015 Last update: 24/05/2017 Description 1,2,3,4 D-Glucaric acid, also called saccharic acid, is a chemical compound with formula C 6 H 10 O 8 and member of a large family of molecules known as oxidized sugars. It is a naturally occurring aldaric acid, typically found in small amounts in a variety of fruits and vegetables. It is a highly functionalized compound with four chiral carbons and a plethora of reaction pathways. Its commercial potential was unveiled in the report “Top Value Added Chemicals from Biomass” from the Department of Energy of USA which described its use as a building block for a number of polymers, including new nylons and hyperbranched polyesters. Process technologies 1,3,4,5,6,7,8 The synthetic preparation of D-glucaric acid dates back to a report of Sohst and Tollens (1888) who carried out the nitric acid oxidation of D-glucose to D-glucaric acid. Current methods for its production are based on this process and in...
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UPM Lappeenranta Biorefinery

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Nombre / Name UPM Lappeenranta Biorefinery Empresa / Company UPM Biofuels  ( www.upmbiofuels.com ) Localización / Location Lappeenranta (Finland) Categoría / Category Comercial / Commercial Estado / Status Operación / Running Plataforma / Platform Aceites /  Oil Materia prima / Feedstock Tall oil Producto / Product Biodiésel  / Biodiesel Puesta en marcha / Start-Up Enero 2015  / January 2015 Figure 1. UPM Lappeenranta Biorefinery (extracted from UPM Biofuels webpage) La primera biorrefinería del mundo que produce biodiesel a partir de residuos forestales inició su funcionamiento comercial en enero de 2015. La instalación está localizada en el mismo enclave que la planta papelera Kaukas de UPM en las orillas del lago Saimaa en Lappeenranta al sudeste de Finlandia. La capacidad de la planta es de 100.000 de toneladas al año y emplea a un...
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thyssenkrupp commissions a PLA plant for COFCO in China

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Type of post: NEWS. Uhde Inventa-Fischer (UIF), subsidiary of thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions, has developed the PLAneo® process to produce polylactide (PLA) from lactic acid. The world’s first commercial plant based on this technology has recently started production in Changchun (China). It is operated by the Jilin COFCO Biomaterial Corporation (subsidiary of COFCO , China’s largest food and beverage group). thyssenkrupp has provided services of engineering, supervision of construction and commissioning, and it has supplied key plant components. The new plant produces all standard PLA types, among other products for the manufacturing of eco-friendly packaging, fibers, textiles and engineering plastics. Press release: “ thyssenkrupp commissions first commercial bioplastics plant for COFCO in China ”, 18/8/2018. Figure 1. New COFCO bioplastics plant (extracted from the press release) PLAneo technology converts lactic acid into PLA in a particularly efficient and re...
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Biorefinery platforms – Lignin

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Versión en Español BIOREFINERY PLATFORMS Concept - Lignin is a natural amorphous polymer, which acts as the essential glue that gives plants their structural integrity. Nature produces lignin by the enzymatic dehydrogenative polymerization of coniferyl alcohol (common in softwoods), syringyl alcohol (common in hardwoods) and coumaryl alcohol (common in grasses). - Of the three major natural polymers that make up ordinary plants (cellulose, lignin and hemicellulose), lignin is the second most abundant fraction behind cellulose. - Lignin is based on aromatic units. The structure of lignin is complex and changes according to biomass source. It is composed of phenylpropenyl (C9) randomly branched units. The phenylpropenyl building blocks, guaiacols and syringols, are connected through carbon-carbon and carbon-oxygen (ether) bonds. Trifunctionally linked units provide numerous branching sites and alternate ring units. - Currently, most lignin on the market is a by-product from the pulp an...
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Biorefinery models - Lignocellulosic biorefinery

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Publication date: 25/04/2016 Last update: 25/04/2016 ABOUT THE SERIES OF POSTS “BIOREFINERY MODELS” This post belongs to a series called “ Biorefinery Models ”. This series is devoted to briefly describe the models or concepts of advanced biorefineries which have emerged in the last few years and that are rising currently. These models are simplified representations which enable us to understand in a simple way the structure and characteristics of a general biorefinery type. Some of these models refer to the type of feedstock while other focus on the technologies involved. A biorefinery may resemble these models or be the result of variations and combinations of them. It should be noted that although these paradigms are very useful and instructive, they show limitations in describing and classifying complex systems with high level of integration. In order to define and describe a specific complex case, the blog recommends use the classification proposed by IEA Bioenerg...
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