Process Design for Value-Added Products in a Biorefinery Platform from Agro and Forest Industrial Byproducts

CLAUSER, NICOLÁS M.; FELISSIA, FERNANDO E.; AREA, MARÍA C.; VALLEJOS, MARÍA E.

Polymers

MDPI AG

Año: 2023 vol. 15 p. 1 - 15

Agroforestrywastes are industrial byproducts available locally such as eucalyptus sawdust(EUC) and sugarcane bagasse (SCB). These byproducts can be used aslignocellulosic raw materials to produce high-value products. This study is atechno–economic analysis of four potential scenarios to producepolyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) and levulinic acid (LA) from hemicellulosic sugars bya fermentative pathway in a biomass waste biorefinery. Mass and energy balanceswere developed, and technical and economic assessments were carried out toobtain gas, char, and tar from esidual solids from autohydrolysis treatment. Itwas determined that microbial culture could be an attractive option foradded-value product production. More than 1500 t/year of PHB and 2600 t/year ofLA could be obtained by the proposed pathways. Microbial and enzymaticconversion of LA from sugars could significantly improve energy consumption onthe conversion strategy. The products from solid residual valorization (charand tar) are the most important for economic performance. Finally, a variationin specific variables could mean substantial improvements in the finalindicators of the processes, reaching a higher NPV than USD 17 million.