Two Stage Acid Hydrolysis of Agricultural Waste Using Microwave Reactor Technology

The alarming rate of fossil fuels depletion has increased the concern for alternative energy sources like bio-ethanol, bio-diesel, fuel cell, solar energy etc. Cellulosic ethanol offers great promise as an alternative fuel with the availability of 73.9 teragrams agricultural waste [1] around the world every year. Cellulosic ethanol is a technically viable but not a cost effective process because of low yield of glucose during the hydrolysis of cellulose. The use of microwaves is making in roads into organic synthesis with the advantages of high reaction rates, energy savings and reduction in process time .The idea of two stage acid hydrolysis in the presence of microwaves is investigated for maximum yield of glucose. First order kinetics is assumed for both main reaction and side reaction, and activation energy constants are estimated.

References:

[1] Seungdo Kim, Bruce E. Dale , Biomass and Bio-energy, 26 (2004) 361-375.