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Economic evaluation of isolation of hemicelluloses from process streams from thermomechanical pulping of spruce

Persson, Tobias LU ; Nordin, Anna-Karin LU ; Zacchi, Guido LU and Jönsson, Ann-Sofi LU (2007) In Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology 137-140(1-12). p.741-752
Abstract
Hemicelluloses, which are abundant in nature and have potential use in a wide variety of applications, may make an important contribution in helping relieve society of its dependence on petrochemicals. However, cost-efficient methods for the isolation of hemicelluloses are required. This article presents an economic evaluation of a full-scale process to isolate hemicelluloses from process water from a thermomechanical pulp mill. Experimental data obtained in laboratory scale were used for the scale up of the process by computer simulation. The isolation method consisted of two process steps. The suspended matter in the process water was removed by microfiltration and thereafter the hemicelluloses were concentrated by ultrafiltration, and... (More)
Hemicelluloses, which are abundant in nature and have potential use in a wide variety of applications, may make an important contribution in helping relieve society of its dependence on petrochemicals. However, cost-efficient methods for the isolation of hemicelluloses are required. This article presents an economic evaluation of a full-scale process to isolate hemicelluloses from process water from a thermomechanical pulp mill. Experimental data obtained in laboratory scale were used for the scale up of the process by computer simulation. The isolation method consisted of two process steps. The suspended matter in the process water was removed by microfiltration and thereafter the hemicelluloses were concentrated by ultrafiltration, and at the same time, separated from smaller molecules and ions in the process water. The isolated hemicelluloses were intended for the production of oxygen barriers for food packaging, an application for which they have been shown to have suitable properties. The solution produced contained 30 g hemicelluloses/L with a purity (defined as the ratio between the hemicelluloses and the total solids) of approx 80%. The evaluation was performed for a plant with a daily production of 4 metric tonnes (0 of hemicelluloses, which is the estimated future need of barrier films at Tetra Pak (Lund, Sweden.). The production cost was calculated to be EURO 670/t of hemicelluloses. This is approx 9 times lower than the price of ethylene vinyl alcohol, which is produced by petrochemicals and is currently used as an oxygen barrier in fiber-based packaging materials. This indicates that it is possible to produce oxygen barriers made of hemicelluloses at a price that is competitive with the materials used today. (Less)
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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
ultrafiltration, hemicelluloses, galactoglucomannan, barrier film, economic evaluation, thermomechanical pulp
in
Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology
volume
137-140
issue
1-12
pages
741 - 752
publisher
Humana Press
external identifiers
  • wos:000246616900062
  • scopus:41849134220
  • pmid:18478431
ISSN
1559-0291
DOI
10.1007/s12010-007-9094-7
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
a42bb2f9-a2a7-4e3c-808c-cfbbf21d9026 (old id 657967)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 11:34:20
date last changed
2023-11-10 17:06:17
@article{a42bb2f9-a2a7-4e3c-808c-cfbbf21d9026,
  abstract     = {{Hemicelluloses, which are abundant in nature and have potential use in a wide variety of applications, may make an important contribution in helping relieve society of its dependence on petrochemicals. However, cost-efficient methods for the isolation of hemicelluloses are required. This article presents an economic evaluation of a full-scale process to isolate hemicelluloses from process water from a thermomechanical pulp mill. Experimental data obtained in laboratory scale were used for the scale up of the process by computer simulation. The isolation method consisted of two process steps. The suspended matter in the process water was removed by microfiltration and thereafter the hemicelluloses were concentrated by ultrafiltration, and at the same time, separated from smaller molecules and ions in the process water. The isolated hemicelluloses were intended for the production of oxygen barriers for food packaging, an application for which they have been shown to have suitable properties. The solution produced contained 30 g hemicelluloses/L with a purity (defined as the ratio between the hemicelluloses and the total solids) of approx 80%. The evaluation was performed for a plant with a daily production of 4 metric tonnes (0 of hemicelluloses, which is the estimated future need of barrier films at Tetra Pak (Lund, Sweden.). The production cost was calculated to be EURO 670/t of hemicelluloses. This is approx 9 times lower than the price of ethylene vinyl alcohol, which is produced by petrochemicals and is currently used as an oxygen barrier in fiber-based packaging materials. This indicates that it is possible to produce oxygen barriers made of hemicelluloses at a price that is competitive with the materials used today.}},
  author       = {{Persson, Tobias and Nordin, Anna-Karin and Zacchi, Guido and Jönsson, Ann-Sofi}},
  issn         = {{1559-0291}},
  keywords     = {{ultrafiltration; hemicelluloses; galactoglucomannan; barrier film; economic evaluation; thermomechanical pulp}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1-12}},
  pages        = {{741--752}},
  publisher    = {{Humana Press}},
  series       = {{Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology}},
  title        = {{Economic evaluation of isolation of hemicelluloses from process streams from thermomechanical pulping of spruce}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12010-007-9094-7}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s12010-007-9094-7}},
  volume       = {{137-140}},
  year         = {{2007}},
}