Combining shape-selective zeolites for the efficient recovery and purification of biobutanol via adsorption

Benjamin Claessens, Stijn Van Der Perre, Julien Cousin-Saint-Remi, Gino Baron, Joeri Denayer

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingMeeting abstract (Book)

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Abstract

Biobutanol is an important platform chemical which can be produced from renewable resources via the acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) fermentation process. However, product inhibition severely limits the final butanol concentrations (< 2 wt%), making the conventional downstream processing via steam-stripping distillation very expensive. One way to relieve product inhibition is by in situ product removal, using the fermentation gasses to strip the produced solvents from the fermenter. However, subsequent energy-intensive separation steps are still needed to completely recover and purify the produced biobutanol. In this work, a novel adsorption-desorption process is proposed to recovery biobutanol from the vapor mixture generated via gas-stripping. Two adsorbent materials, with a different selectivity, were combined in one cycle. In a first step, biobutanol is recovered from the vapor mixture using a butanol-selective zeolite (ITQ-29). During the regeneration of this material, co-adsorbed side products are captured using a second material (Si-CHA). This material is not selective for butanol, yet is able to remove the most important side products. In this way, 99% of the adsorbed 1-butanol on ITQ-29 could be recovered at a purity of 99.5 mole-%.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationCommunications in Agricultural and Applied Biological Sciences
Subtitle of host publicationSpecial Issue: 24th National Symposium for Applied Biological Sciences
Place of PublicationGhent
Pages29-29
Number of pages1
Volume84
Edition1
Publication statusPublished - Feb 2019
Event24th National Symposium of Applied Biological Sciences -
Duration: 4 Feb 20194 Feb 2019

Publication series

NameCommunications in Agricultural and Applied Biological Sciences
Number1
Volume84
ISSN (Electronic)1379-1176

Conference

Conference24th National Symposium of Applied Biological Sciences
Abbreviated titleNSABS 2019
Period4/02/194/02/19

Keywords

  • zeolite
  • Biobutanol
  • Adsorption

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