biobutanol recovery processes based on thermal regeneration have been reported in
the literature. Both processes start from liquid mixtures and employ a drying step to
remove the interstitial liquid between the adsorbent pellets, before fully heating and
purging the packed adsorption column. This drying step leads to an important
increase in purity of the recovered bioethanol or biobutanol. Using ITQ-29 and
chabazite zeolites, a dual-column process was reported to purify biobutanol from the
fermentation gases produced during the ABE fermentation. By exploiting the differences in selectivity of these materials, the purity of the final butanol product could
be significantly increased.
Still, on the process side, many aspects remain unexplored. Few studies focus on
the regeneration step, inevitably necessary to recover a pure product. For instance,
the use of a vacuum during the regeneration can increase the desorption efficiency.
Alternatives for the classical thermal desorption, such as desorption using displacers,
might further decrease the energy demand of the process.
References
1. Sheldon RA (2014) Green and sustainable manufacture of chemicals from biomass: state of the
art. Green Chem 16:950–963. https://doi.org/10.1039/c3gc41935e
2. Climent MJ, Corma A, Iborra S (2014) Conversion of biomass platform molecules into fuel
additives and liquid hydrocarbon fuels. Green Chem 16:516–547. https://doi.org/10.1039/
C3GC41492B
3. Schutyser W, Renders T, Van Den Bosch S et al (2018) Chemicals from lignin: an interplay of
lignocellulose fractionation, depolymerisation, and upgrading. Chem Soc Rev. https://doi.org/
10.1039/c7cs00566k
4. Koutinas AA, Vlysidis A, Pleissner D et al (2014) Valorization of industrial waste and
by-product streams via fermentation for the production of chemicals and biopolymers.
Chem Soc Rev 43:2587–2627. https://doi.org/10.1039/c3cs60293a
5. Menon V, Rao M (2012) Trends in bioconversion of lignocellulose: biofuels, platform
chemicals & biorefinery concept. Prog Energy Combust Sci 38:522–550. https://doi.org/10.
1016/j.pecs.2012.02.002
6. Kushwaha D, Srivastava N, Mishra I et al (2019) Recent trends in biobutanol production. Rev
Chem Eng 35:475–504. https://doi.org/10.1515/revce-2017-0041
7. Ibrahim MF, Kim SW, Abd-Aziz S (2018) Advanced bioprocessing strategies for biobutanol
production from biomass. Renew Sust Energ Rev 91:1192–1204. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.
rser.2018.04.060
8. Kujawska A, Kujawski J, Bryjak M, Kujawski W (2015) ABE fermentation products recovery
methods – a review. Renew Sust Energ Rev 48:648–661. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2015.
04.028
9. Chen C, Liao JC (2016) Frontiers in microbial 1-butanol and isobutanol production. FEMS
Microbiol Lett 363:1–13. https://doi.org/10.1093/femsle/fnw020
10. Branduardi P, de Ferra F, Longo V, Porro D (2013) Microbial n-butanol production from
clostridia to non-clostridial hosts. Eng Life Sci 14:16–26. https://doi.org/10.1002/elsc.
201200146
11. Atsumi S, Hanai T, Liao JC (2008) Non-fermentative pathways for synthesis of branchedchain higher alcohols as biofuels. Nature 451:86–89. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature06450
108
B. Claessens et al.
the literature. Both processes start from liquid mixtures and employ a drying step to
remove the interstitial liquid between the adsorbent pellets, before fully heating and
purging the packed adsorption column. This drying step leads to an important
increase in purity of the recovered bioethanol or biobutanol. Using ITQ-29 and
chabazite zeolites, a dual-column process was reported to purify biobutanol from the
fermentation gases produced during the ABE fermentation. By exploiting the differences in selectivity of these materials, the purity of the final butanol product could
be significantly increased.
Still, on the process side, many aspects remain unexplored. Few studies focus on
the regeneration step, inevitably necessary to recover a pure product. For instance,
the use of a vacuum during the regeneration can increase the desorption efficiency.
Alternatives for the classical thermal desorption, such as desorption using displacers,
might further decrease the energy demand of the process.
References
1. Sheldon RA (2014) Green and sustainable manufacture of chemicals from biomass: state of the
art. Green Chem 16:950–963. https://doi.org/10.1039/c3gc41935e
2. Climent MJ, Corma A, Iborra S (2014) Conversion of biomass platform molecules into fuel
additives and liquid hydrocarbon fuels. Green Chem 16:516–547. https://doi.org/10.1039/
C3GC41492B
3. Schutyser W, Renders T, Van Den Bosch S et al (2018) Chemicals from lignin: an interplay of
lignocellulose fractionation, depolymerisation, and upgrading. Chem Soc Rev. https://doi.org/
10.1039/c7cs00566k
4. Koutinas AA, Vlysidis A, Pleissner D et al (2014) Valorization of industrial waste and
by-product streams via fermentation for the production of chemicals and biopolymers.
Chem Soc Rev 43:2587–2627. https://doi.org/10.1039/c3cs60293a
5. Menon V, Rao M (2012) Trends in bioconversion of lignocellulose: biofuels, platform
chemicals & biorefinery concept. Prog Energy Combust Sci 38:522–550. https://doi.org/10.
1016/j.pecs.2012.02.002
6. Kushwaha D, Srivastava N, Mishra I et al (2019) Recent trends in biobutanol production. Rev
Chem Eng 35:475–504. https://doi.org/10.1515/revce-2017-0041
7. Ibrahim MF, Kim SW, Abd-Aziz S (2018) Advanced bioprocessing strategies for biobutanol
production from biomass. Renew Sust Energ Rev 91:1192–1204. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.
rser.2018.04.060
8. Kujawska A, Kujawski J, Bryjak M, Kujawski W (2015) ABE fermentation products recovery
methods – a review. Renew Sust Energ Rev 48:648–661. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2015.
04.028
9. Chen C, Liao JC (2016) Frontiers in microbial 1-butanol and isobutanol production. FEMS
Microbiol Lett 363:1–13. https://doi.org/10.1093/femsle/fnw020
10. Branduardi P, de Ferra F, Longo V, Porro D (2013) Microbial n-butanol production from
clostridia to non-clostridial hosts. Eng Life Sci 14:16–26. https://doi.org/10.1002/elsc.
201200146
11. Atsumi S, Hanai T, Liao JC (2008) Non-fermentative pathways for synthesis of branchedchain higher alcohols as biofuels. Nature 451:86–89. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature06450
108
B. Claessens et al.