Process Simulation Tools for the Assessment of Biorefinery Process Intensification by Ultrasound Technology

Abstract

In the present work, on the basis of literature and experimental data, some correlations for ultrasoundassisted dissolution of lignin and hemicelluloses from the lignocellulosic raw material were defined in Aspen Plus as function of the applied power and length of the ultrasound treatment. The dissolution yield of these biomass components was represented against the applied acoustic energy, taking into account the volume of solvent-solid treated in each case, making possible the scale-up of US-power consumption in a simulated biorefinery pretreatment process. The proposed ultrasound-assisted process was techno economically evaluated in terms of process yield and utilities requirement. Furthermore, energetic and exergetic analyses were performed in order to evaluate the profitability of the simulated ultrasoundassisted biomass fractionation processes.