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Low-Molecular-Weight Lignin Recovery with Nanofiltration in the Kraft Pulping Process

Battestini Vives, Mariona LU ; Thuvander, Johan LU ; Arkell, Anders LU and Lipnizki, Frank LU orcid (2022) In Membranes 12(3). p.13-13
Abstract
Kraft lignin is an underutilized resource from the pulp and paper industry with the potential of being a key raw material for renewable fuels and chemicals. The separation of high-molecular-weight lignin from black liquor by ultrafiltration has been widely investigated, while the permeate containing low-molecular-weight lignin has received little attention. Nanofiltration can concentrate the low-molecular-weight lignin. This work, therefore, evaluates nanofiltration for the separation and concentration of low-molecular-weight lignin from the ultrafiltration permeate. For this study, eight flat polymeric sheet membranes and one polymeric hollow fiber membrane, with molecular weight cut-offs ranging from 100 to 2000 Da, were tested. A... (More)
Kraft lignin is an underutilized resource from the pulp and paper industry with the potential of being a key raw material for renewable fuels and chemicals. The separation of high-molecular-weight lignin from black liquor by ultrafiltration has been widely investigated, while the permeate containing low-molecular-weight lignin has received little attention. Nanofiltration can concentrate the low-molecular-weight lignin. This work, therefore, evaluates nanofiltration for the separation and concentration of low-molecular-weight lignin from the ultrafiltration permeate. For this study, eight flat polymeric sheet membranes and one polymeric hollow fiber membrane, with molecular weight cut-offs ranging from 100 to 2000 Da, were tested. A parametric study was conducted at 50 °C, 2.5–35 bar, and crossflow velocity of 0.3–0.5 m/s. At a transmembrane pressure of 35 bar, the best performing membranes were NF090801, with 90% lignin retention and 37 L/m2·h, and SelRO MPF-36, with 84% lignin retention and 72 L/m2·h. The other membranes showed either very high lignin retention with a very low flux or a high flux with retention lower than 80%. Concentration studies were performed with the two selected membranes at conditions (A) 50 °C and 35 bar and (B) 70 °C and 15 bar. The NF090801 membrane had the highest flux and lignin retention during the concentration studies. Overall, it was shown that the nanofiltration process is able to produce a concentrated lignin fraction, which can be either used to produce valuable chemicals or used to make lignin oil. (Less)
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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Membranes
volume
12
issue
3
article number
310
pages
13 - 13
publisher
MDPI AG
external identifiers
  • pmid:35323785
  • scopus:85126527613
ISSN
2077-0375
DOI
10.3390/membranes12030310
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
261c0c6c-9124-4ac6-8d72-2356be3c392d
date added to LUP
2022-03-25 15:27:59
date last changed
2023-12-19 20:54:10
@article{261c0c6c-9124-4ac6-8d72-2356be3c392d,
  abstract     = {{Kraft lignin is an underutilized resource from the pulp and paper industry with the potential of being a key raw material for renewable fuels and chemicals. The separation of high-molecular-weight lignin from black liquor by ultrafiltration has been widely investigated, while the permeate containing low-molecular-weight lignin has received little attention. Nanofiltration can concentrate the low-molecular-weight lignin. This work, therefore, evaluates nanofiltration for the separation and concentration of low-molecular-weight lignin from the ultrafiltration permeate. For this study, eight flat polymeric sheet membranes and one polymeric hollow fiber membrane, with molecular weight cut-offs ranging from 100 to 2000 Da, were tested. A parametric study was conducted at 50 °C, 2.5–35 bar, and crossflow velocity of 0.3–0.5 m/s. At a transmembrane pressure of 35 bar, the best performing membranes were NF090801, with 90% lignin retention and 37 L/m<sup>2</sup>·h, and SelRO MPF-36, with 84% lignin retention and 72 L/m<sup>2</sup>·h. The other membranes showed either very high lignin retention with a very low flux or a high flux with retention lower than 80%. Concentration studies were performed with the two selected membranes at conditions (A) 50 °C and 35 bar and (B) 70 °C and 15 bar. The NF090801 membrane had the highest flux and lignin retention during the concentration studies. Overall, it was shown that the nanofiltration process is able to produce a concentrated lignin fraction, which can be either used to produce valuable chemicals or used to make lignin oil.}},
  author       = {{Battestini Vives, Mariona and Thuvander, Johan and Arkell, Anders and Lipnizki, Frank}},
  issn         = {{2077-0375}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{03}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{13--13}},
  publisher    = {{MDPI AG}},
  series       = {{Membranes}},
  title        = {{Low-Molecular-Weight Lignin Recovery with Nanofiltration in the Kraft Pulping Process}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/membranes12030310}},
  doi          = {{10.3390/membranes12030310}},
  volume       = {{12}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}