SIMULAÇÃO DO PRÉ-TRATAMENTO ALCALINO DO BAGAÇO DE CANADE-AÇÚCAR E HIDRÓLISE ENZIMÁTICA PARA A PRODUÇÃO DO ETANOL DE SEGUNDA GERAÇÃO

Abstract

The use of fossil fuels is one of the factors associated with issues linked to the climate crisis; studies and technologies are necessary to be reversed. For this problem, combined with solutions we have sugar cane fuel, first generation ethanol. With advanced studies, it is now possible to obtain ethanol from lignocellulosic biomass, known as second generation ethanol. Sugarcane biomass is rich in lignocellulosic matter that can be reused, generating this byproduct. Pre-treatment of this material is crucial for the viability of the process. The present work aimed to analyze, through modeling and simulation, the stages of alkaline pre-treatment and enzymatic hydrolysis of sugarcane bagasse, aiming to break down the lignin to release the glucose contained in the raw material and the economic evaluation of the process. 12 simulations were carried out varying the residence time in the delignification reactor (30, 60 and 90 min) and the mass concentrations of NaOH (1.0%, 2.0%, 3.0% and 4.0%) with the objective of verifying the influence of these parameters on the production of glucose and xylose and on the total capital and total operating cost of alkaline pretreatment. The simulation with the best result had a residence time of 30 minutes and a NaOH mass concentration of 2.0%, removing 86.8% of lignin at a total capital cost of $20,087,586.87 and an operational cost of 6,692. 757.18. Alkaline pretreatment is an alternative to consider.