A thermochemical-biochemical hybrid processing of lignocellulosic biomass for producing fuels and chemicals.
Thermochemical-biological hybrid processing uses thermochemical decomposition of lignocellulosic biomass to produce a variety of intermediate compounds that can be converted into fuels and chemicals through microbial fermentation. It represents a unique opportunity for biomass conversion as it mitigates some of the deficiencies of conventional biochemical (pretreatment-hydrolysis-fermentation) and thermochemical (pyrolysis or gasification) processing. Thermochemical-biological hybrid processing includes two pathways: (i) pyrolysis/pyrolytic substrate fermentation, and (ii) gasification/syngas fermentation. This paper provides a comprehensive review of these two hybrid processing pathways, including the characteristics of fermentative substrates produced in the thermochemical stage and microbial utilization of these compounds in the fermentation stage. The current challenges of these two biomass conversion pathways include toxicity of the crude pyrolytic substrates, the inhibition of raw syngas contaminants, and the mass-transfer limitations in syngas fermentation. Possible approaches for mitigating substrate toxicities are discussed. The review also provides a summary of the current efforts to commercialize hybrid processing.
Energy Systems Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL 60539, USA.
Yanwen
Y
Shen
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.
Laura
L
Jarboe
Center for Sustainable and Environmental Technologies, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.
Robert
R
Brown
Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA. Electronic address: wenz@iastate.edu.
Zhiyou
Z
Wen
D056804:Biofuels; D018533:Biomass; D005285:Fermentation; D006868:Hydrolysis; D008031:Lignin / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism
D056804:Biofuels; C036909:lignocellulose; D008031:Lignin
Biomass; Commercialization; Detoxification; Fast pyrolysis; Hybrid process; Mass transfer limitation; Pyrolytic substrates; Syngas fermentation; bio-oil fractionation