Technologies for Biochemical Conversion of Biomass

Hongzhang Chen, Lan Wang

• Publisher: Academic Press
• Year: 2016
• Print ISBN: 9780128024171
• eBook ISBN: 9780128025949
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• Subtopic: Chemical & Biochemical Engineering
• Index: Technology & Engineering

Technologies for Biochemical Conversion of Biomass introduces biomass biochemical conversion technology, including the pretreatment platform, enzyme platform, cell refining platform, sugar platform, fermentation platform, and post-treatment platform. Readers will find a systematic treatment, not only of the basics of biomass biochemical conversion and the introduction of each strategy, but also of the current advances of research in this area.Researchers will find the key problems in each technology platform for biomass biochemical conversion identified and solutions offered. This valuable reference book features new scientific research and the related industrial application of biomass biochemical conversion technology as the main content, and then systematically introduces the basic principles and applications of biomass biochemical conversion technology.- Combines descriptions of these technologies to provide strategies and a platform for biochemical conversion in terms of basic knowledge, research advances, and key problems- Summarizes models of biomass biochemical conversion for multiple products- Presents products of biomass biochemical conversion from C1 to C10

Chapter 1

Introduction

Abstract

Biomass, a renewable resource in nature, has been used by humans for a long time. The value-added utilization of biomass has arisen in recent years due to the energy crisis. Limited by the compact structure of biomass itself, various conversion technologies are necessary to obtain high-value products. In this chapter, physical, chemical, and biochemical conversion technologies will be described briefly. Compared with physical and chemical conversion technologies, biochemical conversion technology shows more advantages, which should be studied further for multidirectional utilization of biomass.

Keywords

biomass

conversion technology

conversion platform

Chapter Outline

1.1 The Concept of Biomass

1.2 Biomass Conversion Methods

1.2.1 Biomass Physical Conversion Technologies

1.2.2 Biomass Chemical Conversion Technologies

1.2.3 Biomass Biochemical Conversion Technologies

1.3 Role and Status of Biochemical Conversion Technologies of Biomass

1.4 Overview of Biochemical Conversion Platform of Biomass

1.5 Prospects of Biochemical Conversion of Biomass Industry

References

1.1. The Concept of Biomass

Biomass is a solar energy resource that has been utilized by humans for a long time. Solar energy is saved in the form of chemical energy through plant photosynthesis, and thus things like oxygen for breathing, plants and animals for food, wood for building and making fire, and clothes for cover and warmth appeared. However, it has been only 50 years since biomass was truly defined by humans.

Biomass in English was first used in 1934 (it was defined as living weight in Merriam-Webster). According to the foreign retrospective database, biomass was defined as what it is nowadays in the Journal of Plant and Soil of America (Tergas & Popenoe, 1971). In 1976, four years after the 1972 oil crisis, an article (Tergas & Popenoe, 1971) introducing biochemical engineering proposed that wasted biomass could be reused as a kind of raw material. In 1979, an article (Crutzen, Heidt, & Krasnec, 1979) in Nature pointed out that the combustion of biomass produced polluted gases, while in 1980, the college of Process Engineering of Agriculture at the University of Netherlands indicated that biomass could be regarded as the source of energy materials (Bruin, 1980). In 1981, Oak Ridge National Laboratory of America started the security assessment of biomass energy technologies (Watson & Etnier, 1981). Since then, reports and research about biomass energy have come to the stage (Mes-Hartree & Saddler, 1983; Miller & Fellows, 1981; Schwarzenbach & Hegetschweiler, 1982; Stout, 1982; Zadražil & Brunnert, 1982; HongZhang & ZuoHu, 2000; Chen & Qiu, 2010).

If we set the year 1980 as the origin of biomass utilization research, it has been over 30 years since then, which is also the time that a child takes to pay back to his or her family and society from birth. Within this time, biochemical conversion technology of biomass has developed rapidly, similar to the payback to family and society by the grown-up child. Research into biochemical conversion technology of biomass also began its journey to industrial application.

The definition of biomass according to the US Department of Energy includes any animal and plant organisms. In particular, biomass in the USA includes agriculture and forestry waste, municipal solid waste, industry waste, and terrestrial and aquatic crops.

The definition of biomass according to China’s Renewable Energy Association covers all kinds of organisms formed through plant photosynthesis, including all animals, plants, and microorganisms.

Plants are autotrophs (producers), while animals are heterotrophic organisms (consumers). Humans selected those animals and plants for their own benefit during their survival process, and used animals the most. Regarding plants, humans used fruits that are rich in starch, protein, fat, and vitamins. Humans did not look for ways to use the other parts of plants, as there was no urgent need to do so. The biomass mentioned in this book refers to the lignocellulosic waste of plants besides those used for food and medicine.

1.2. Biomass Conversion Methods

Lignocelluloses are mainly composed of cell walls of dead cells. The main components of cell walls are cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, while pectin is the main component of the intercellular layer. Hemicellulose and lignin are connected to each other by chemical bonds, and the three components are connected by hydrogen bonds, resulting in the tight cell walls based on the skeleton formed by multistage fiber structure. In order to utilize lignocellulosic materials, the first step is to destroy the existing cell walls.

There are various...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title page
• Table of Contents
• Copyright
• Preface
• Chapter 1: Introduction
• Chapter 2: Pandect of Practice Unit and Process Engineering of Biomass Biochemical Conversion
• Chapter 3: Pretreatment Strategies for Biochemical Conversion of Biomass
• Chapter 4: Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Pretreated Biomass
• Chapter 5: Microbial Cell Refining for Biomass Conversion
• Chapter 6: Sugar Strategies for Biomass Biochemical Conversion
• Chapter 7: Microbial Fermentation Strategies for Biomass Conversion
• Chapter 8: Posttreatment Strategies for Biomass Conversion
• Chapter 9: Coproducts Generated from Biomass Conversion Processes
• Index