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Abstract
Biorefinery of sunflower whole plant was performed successfully using a thermo-mechano-chemical twin-screw reactor. This led to the aqueous extraction of oil and other biopolymers like proteins, pectins and non pectic sugars. It resulted in the overall fractionation of biomass, thus allowing a complete valorization of the input. This biorefinery process was not only efficient but it was also environment-friendly. In addition, it contributed to the production of different end products for various industrial applications. Firstly, the hydrophilic phase will be recycled to the process. Secondly, the densest oil-in-water emulsion is a promising candidate for the formulation of cosmetic creams. Thirdly, the upper hydrophobic phase will be usable for the waterproofing treatment of the surface of agromaterials by coating. Its demixing will also lead to the production of proteins with tensioactive properties. These will serve for the food industry. Lastly, the cake was a mixture of plasticized proteins and lignocellulosic fibers. It was thus considered as a natural composite. Its molding into cohesive fiberboards was conducted successfully using both thermopressing and compression molding processes. The self-bonded boards with high density will be suitable for use as load bearing boards in dry conditions (floor underlayers, interior partitions, furniture, etc.). Positioned in walls and ceilings, boards with medium and low density will contribute to the heat insulation of buildings. In addition, the bulk cake will be also usable as a loose fill insulation material. As proposed, this flow chart thus allows a valorization for all fractions originating from the twin-screw reactor.
Highlights
Faced with the awareness of the risks associated with the depletion of fossil resources on the one hand and with the emissions of greenhouse gases that causes their intensive exploitation on the other hand, research has been conducted since several years for the development of new processes for the fractionation of agricultural resources, oilseeds in particular, according to the biorefinery concept (Nieddu and Vivien, 2013)
Born in the nineties and based on the model of the oil refinery that uses crude oil from various sources to produce fuels and derivatives, the biorefinery concept was formalized from several criteria: (i) Considering the overall fractionation of biomass, including fractionation of whole plant, to allow a complete valorization of the input, including the cultivation byproducts, in order to provide a valuation for all components of the plant
The twin-screw reactor allows the thermomechano-chemical fractionation of the raw material, leading to the aqueous extraction of oil and other biopolymers from whole plant
Summary
Faced with the awareness of the risks associated with the depletion of fossil resources on the one hand and with the emissions of greenhouse gases (especially CO2) that causes their intensive exploitation on the other hand, research has been conducted since several years for the development of new processes for the fractionation of agricultural resources, oilseeds in particular, according to the biorefinery concept (Nieddu and Vivien, 2013). A new biorefinery process of sunflower whole plant has been recently developed (Evon, 2008; Evon et al, 2010a), and a patent has been filed on this occasion (Evon et al, 2012a) For almost all these researches, the twin-screw extrusion technology was chosen as the industrial tool for the thermo-mechano-chemical (TMC) fractionation of the plant material. The twin-screw extrusion has seen its scope expand to the field of thermo-mechano-chemical fractionation of plant material (Rigal, 1997, 2000) This new concept has allowed the development of real reactors capable of transforming or fractionating physically and chemically the plant material in a single step, leading to the separate production of a liquid extract and a solid raffinate through liquid/solid separation at the end of the screw profile (Bouvier and Campanella, 2014). It operates continuously and it can be provided with one or more filtration modules in order to allow the separate obtaining of a liquid extract and a solid raffinate (Rigal, 1997, 2000)
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