Descrizione del progetto
Migliorare l’efficienza della purificazione e della conversione degli zuccheri in un concetto di bioraffineria
La lignocellulosa è la biomassa con la più alta disponibilità al mondo, essendo di particolare importanza per la bioeconomia per quanto concerne la produzione di sostanze chimiche e materiali di origine biologica. Attualmente, le inefficienze di processo comportano costi elevati per quanto riguarda l’utilizzo di energia e risorse. Il progetto BioSPRINT, finanziato dall’UE, intende sviluppare e convalidare metodi di intensificazione del processo per migliorare la purificazione e la conversione della frazione emicellulosica della biomassa lignocellulosica come il legno duro e la paglia. In questo modo si consente la trasformazione in nuove resine biocompatibili ed è possibile sostituire i polimeri a base fossile. BioSPRINT si concentrerà su quattro aree di attività: depurazione a monte, conversione catalitica, depurazione a valle e polimerizzazione. L’obiettivo generale è realizzare operazioni biocompatibili «a rifiuti zero» concentrandosi su tecnologie in grado di intensificare i metodi di lavorazione e applicando un concetto di bioraffineria integrato che porti a una maggiore efficienza delle risorse e quindi alla riduzione delle risorse energetiche e delle emissioni di gas serra.
Obiettivo
Building on successful projects and relevant assets from partners and an interdisciplinary approach, BioSPRINT applies process intensification in the context of biorefining operations, so as to improve the efficiency of the purification and conversion of sugars from the hemicelluloses fraction of lignocellulosic biomass and to enable their transformation into new bio-based resins for substituting fossil based polymers in a range of applications. The ultimate objective is to lead to a reduction in operation costs, feedstock and energy resources, greenhouse gas emissions and higher yields, while increasing operation safety, by concentrating on technologies which can intensify processing methods and create an integrated biorefinery concept. Of particular interest in BioSPRINT is the valorisation of hemicelluloses streams derived from hard wood and straw, from processes employed in the production of paper pulp or biofuels. Such streams are readily available from the pilot or production processes of the project’s research and industrial partners (Fraunhofer and UPM). A case study using a stream from Clariant will also be carried out. With regards to processing technologies, BioSPRINT will focus on 4 activity areas (a) Upstream purification; (b) Catalytic conversion; (c) Downstream purification and (d) Polymerisation. The project will develop and validate an intensified and integrated purification strategy leveraging innovative anti-solvent precipitation and membrane separation methods, novel intensified and integrated catalytic processes for dehydration of C5 and C6 hemicelluloses sugars into monomers, extractive-reaction methods to isolate the reaction products from the reaction medium in situ, heterogeneous catalysts and an intensified polymerisation process for furan-based derivatives. Cross-cutting activities will cover process simulation and optimisation, an integrated Lifecycle sustainability assessment, standardisation, dissemination and exploitation activities
Campo scientifico
- engineering and technologychemical engineeringseparation technologies
- natural scienceschemical sciencescatalysis
- engineering and technologyindustrial biotechnologybiomaterialsbiofuels
- agricultural sciencesagricultural biotechnologybiomass
- agricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesforestry
Parole chiave
Programma(i)
- H2020-EU.3.2. - SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine, maritime and inland water research, and the bioeconomy Main Programme
- H2020-EU.2.1.4. - INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies – Biotechnology
- H2020-EU.3.2.6. - Bio-based Industries Joint Technology Initiative (BBI-JTI)
Argomento(i)
Meccanismo di finanziamento
RIA - Research and Innovation actionCoordinatore
60486 Frankfurt
Germania