Development of Novel Microwave Biorefinery

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The global market size for emerging green chemicals and chemicals produced from lignocellulosic based materials is expected to reach about CAD $70 billion (annual growth of 5 %) and $5 billion (annual growth of 12.5 %), respectively by 2015. Biorefinery will play an important role in fulfilling this future demand for bioproducts. However, a lignocellulosic based biorefinery must be designed and assessed all the way from feedstock to end product in an integrated manner. Numerous technical, strategic and economic challenges are in the way to full-scale commercialization. Most importantly, biorefineries need to be still employed with the best pre-treatment, conversion and product upgrading technologies. There have been a number of biorefineries proposed and/or developed in Canada that are based on Kraft pulp mills, lignin recovery from black liquor, and starch. However, microwave technology based biorefinery is still largely unexplored in Canada. The conventional thermo-chemical system is facing two major challenges: high capital costs and poor product quality leading to long and expensive product upgrading. ***To address the challenges above, the long-term objective of the proposed research program is to develop a novel integrated microwave biorefinery based on lignocellulosic feedstock which will not only be energy efficient but will produce high quality bio-products. At first, a bench-scale microwave biorefinery will be developed for demonstration and for further scale-up. The specific short-term objectives include: a) To characterize and develop a pre-treatment method for different lignocellulosic materials, b) To design and develop a novel microwave reactor system for lignocellulosic biorefinery, c) To develop new knowledge on products characterization and product upgrading, and d) To evaluate energy, emissions and economic performance of the prototype microwave biorefinery. These long-term and short-term objectives will address the barriers with improved engineering solutions and advance scientific knowledge in biorefinery field. ***The key benefits lie not only in producing sustainable biofuels and bioproducts as an alternative solution to petroleum based products, but Canada will be the first in leading the development of novel microwave biorefinery technology. The successful realization of proposed technology will find wide applications throughout Canada and abroad, and will advance Canada's bioeconomy. It will eventually help create jobs and income to Canadian biomass producers. It will promote new uses of agricultural and forestry resources into high value-added products. The research program will also help develop skills and train highly qualified personnel for Canada's future biorefineries and bioeconomy.**