Auto-hydrolysis of lignocellulosics under extremely low sulphuric acid and high temperature conditions in batch reactor

Abstract

Batch reactors were employed to investigate the kinetics of cellulose hydrolysis under extremely low acid (ELA) and high temperature condition. The sawdust was pretreated by Autohydrolysis prior to the batch reaction. The maximum yield of glucose obtained from the batch reactor experiment was about 70% for the pretreated sawdust, this occurred at 210 and 220°C. The maximum glucose yield from the untreated sawdust was much lower at these temperatures, about 55%. The maximum yields of glucose from the lignocellulosics were obtained between 15th and 20th minutes after which gradual decrease was observed.