ETHANOL INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGIES DIVISION
The Division of Ethanol Industrial Technologies focus mostly on the engineering, processing and equipment design aspects of bioethanol production.
Concerning ethanol industrial processes, the main challenges are related to increasing productivity (amount of ethanol by sugarcane ton), energy saving, water saving and minimizing environment impacts of the process as a whole. Several advances are expected in specific technological topics of sugarcane reception; juice extraction; hydrolysis processes; fermentation; distillation and waste recycling and disposal and co-generation. Alternative industrial processes could be also studied and developed.
Research on cellulosic ethanol and hydrolysis is one of the main goals of the Division. Lignin cellulose fiber and hemicelluloses sugarcane can be employed to produce fermentable sugars by hydrolysis, leading to an increase in ethanol production. The hydrolysis technology agenda includes topics as: pretreatments, enzymatic hydrolysis systems and processes, equipments, product separation, waste management, and others.
Hydrolyzed lignin, once successfully separated, can be burned to improve energy balance of the new process.
Commercial development of hydrolysis technologies is directly related to the success of the energy-sugarcane new paradigm. Enzymatic hydrolysis technologies promise best results from a medium and long run perspective. Hydrolysis through the acid route is presently the only feasible technology, and can also become a relevant pretreatment for enzymatic methods. Thus, research in both hydrolysis technologies, acid and enzymatic, is necessary and has a strategic nature.
It is well known that Brazil in general and the sugar and ethanol segment in particular have the best conditions for introducing commercial production of ethanol from cellulosic materials, considering that there is a large and active fuel ethanol program and bagasse is probably the most adequate lignocellulosic resource for hydrolysis.
Bagasse has the lowest price compared to other sources since it is already available at the production site and it does not need practically any prior treatment for processing. Bagasse cost is two to three times less expensive as compared to the price of biomass cultures for lignocellulosic materials in developed countries (switch grass for instance). Sugar and ethanol production generates an excess of bagasse and, if required, the available quantity can still be increased. Agricultural trashes are discarded today at the crop site but, it can be forecast as a novel resource for hydrolytic conversion by direct use or by substitution of bagasse as the fuel used by the sugar sector.
A model for introduction of hydrolysis in Brazil is strengthened due to the integration of sugar mills and distilleries. Those will provide their infrastructure for energy production, maintenance and administrative support, effluent treatment, ethanol storage and transporting. The ethanol market for local consumption and export is well established and all the network for transporting, local and export exists.
The use of lignin-cellulose biomass remaining after juice extraction will be able to raise the ethanol yield per hectare, diminishing the pressure for new areas for sugar crops.