Abstract
The production of cellulosic ethanol is a biochemical process of not edible biomasses which contain the cellulose. The process involves the use of enzymes to hydrolyze the cellulose in fermentable sugars to finally produce ethanol via fermentative microorganisms (i.e. yeasts). These biomasses are
the leftover of agricultural productions (straws), not edible crops (giant reed) or wood, thus the ethanol so produced is also called second generation (or 2G ethanol), which differs from the first generation produced from starch (sugar beets mostly). In the industrial production of cellulosic ethanol high solids strategy resulted critical for its cost effectiveness: high concentration of initial biomass it will lead to high concentration of the final product (ethanol), thus more convenient to isolate.
This thesis investigate the implementation of a high solids loading concept into cellulosic ethanol technology using new enzymatic cellulolytic cocktails, and how a high solids setup may affect the overall process design. The thesis focuses on two main biomasses: an agricultural feedstock such as wheat straw and a woody feedstock such as Norwegian spruce. The best performing strategy for cellulosic ethanol fermentation at high solids loading, in terms of maximized final conversion yield, is the overall aim of the work conducted. This thesis also revisits the knowledge already acquired in light of new enzymatic activities recently discovered i.e. lytic polysaccharides mono oxygenases (LPMOs), and how these ffects cellulosic ethanol processing at high solids conditions. Moreover for the first time in literature the activity of LPMOs on real lignocellulosic substrate and during cellulosic ethanol production is characterized. Hence describing the enzymatic scale dynamics when resembling in planta conditions, i.e. environments resembling the natural conditions of lignocellulose as substrate a d high dry matter. This can in turn lead to a better understanding of what could happen and be optimized while designing a reactor for a high solids environment
the leftover of agricultural productions (straws), not edible crops (giant reed) or wood, thus the ethanol so produced is also called second generation (or 2G ethanol), which differs from the first generation produced from starch (sugar beets mostly). In the industrial production of cellulosic ethanol high solids strategy resulted critical for its cost effectiveness: high concentration of initial biomass it will lead to high concentration of the final product (ethanol), thus more convenient to isolate.
This thesis investigate the implementation of a high solids loading concept into cellulosic ethanol technology using new enzymatic cellulolytic cocktails, and how a high solids setup may affect the overall process design. The thesis focuses on two main biomasses: an agricultural feedstock such as wheat straw and a woody feedstock such as Norwegian spruce. The best performing strategy for cellulosic ethanol fermentation at high solids loading, in terms of maximized final conversion yield, is the overall aim of the work conducted. This thesis also revisits the knowledge already acquired in light of new enzymatic activities recently discovered i.e. lytic polysaccharides mono oxygenases (LPMOs), and how these ffects cellulosic ethanol processing at high solids conditions. Moreover for the first time in literature the activity of LPMOs on real lignocellulosic substrate and during cellulosic ethanol production is characterized. Hence describing the enzymatic scale dynamics when resembling in planta conditions, i.e. environments resembling the natural conditions of lignocellulose as substrate a d high dry matter. This can in turn lead to a better understanding of what could happen and be optimized while designing a reactor for a high solids environment
| Original language | English |
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| Publisher | Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen |
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| Number of pages | 125 |
| Publication status | Published - 2013 |