16-02: Andritz's Two-Stage advanced Steam Explosion Technology commercialized

Thursday, May 2, 2013: 1:25 PM
Pavilion, Plaza Level
Rodolfo A. Romero, Bertil Stromberg and Thomas Pschorn, Biochemical Technology, Andritz, Inc., Glens Falls, NY
The chemical and biological processing of lignocellulosic feedstocks involves the integration of feedstock handling and processing with pretreatment and saccharification technologies and biomass sugar conversion technologies leading to production of cellulosic ethanol and other biofuels, and separation and purification of the biofuel product.

Andritz is a global market leader for customized plant, systems and services for the pulp and paper, hydropower, steel and other specialized industries, including biofuels and bio power. Andritz is applying proven process technology, concepts and machines from the pulp and paper and environmental industry on various types of ligno-cellulosic feedstock for pre-treatment systems, liquid solid separation and reactor feed systems in the biofuels & biochemicals area.

After numerous experimentations and comparison between single stage and two stage steam explosion systems, the superiority of the two stage system is evident. Not only better saccharification yields of cellulose are obtained at low enzyme charge but also lower unwanted side reactions such as the degradation of sugars to furfural and HMF. Moreover better yields on C5 sugars productions are observed improving the economy of commercial scale cellulosic ethanol mills. By the specific design of Andritz two-stage technology, capital and operating cost are significantly reduced.

Andritz has delivered over a dozen of biomass pretreatment pilot, demo and commercial systems and unit components in the US, in Europe and Australia – most of them for the bio-chemical pathway.

Andritz will show process concept, equipment solutions and share its experiences in optimizing this process for maximum sugar yields at minimum enzyme loads