Microwave and Ultrasound for Process Intensification of Biocatalysis in Bioethanol and

Biodiesel Production

M. Sc. Camilo Barroso Teixeira

Food Engineer, Ph.D. Food Science Fellow

Bioprocess Laboratory, School of Food Engineering, University ofCampinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil

World Context

• Biorefenery and biobased-economy

• Biodiesel and Bioethanol (first and second generation)

• Process intensification: Bioprocess performance enhacement

• Physical technologies combined with bioprocess: Green engineering

• Microwave and ultrasound: Improve catalysis andbiocatalysis

Microwave• Electromagnetic radiation between 300 MHz and 300 GHz,

• Provides energy to carry out chemical reactions,

• Improves homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis in organic reactions,

• More efficient for energy transfer than conventional heating,

• Reduces reaction time and energy cost,

• Common in such areas as organic chemistry, analytical chemistry, biochemistry, polymer chemistry, catalysis, photochemistry, and the inorganic chemistry of materials

Ultrasound• Acoustic waves

• Improves mass transfer in homogeneous and heterogeneous systems;

• Cavitation provides high localized energy for catalysis;

• Improves conversion rates, short reaction times with mild reaction conditions;

• Permits application on food bioactive compounds extraction; enzymatic and chemical catalysis;

Biodiesel

• Alkyl fatty esters derived from vegetable oils and animals fats;

• Produced mostly by alkaline alcoholoysis;

• Ultrasound and microwave showed to improve conversion rate andreaction time;

• Synergistic effect between the two Technologies;

• It also showed good results in biodiesel enzymatic transesterification;

Documents published in Scopus database

Alkaline Catalysis (KOH)

Reaction Time

Correlation Energy x Reaction time

Synergistic effect

Microwave-assisted enzymatic catalysis

• 90% conversion yield with Liposyme RM at 60ºC, 100W ultrasoundirradiation and 4 hours of reaction

Bioethanol (first and second generation)

• First generation: Produced by sucrose fermentation;

• Second one: Produced firstly by cellulose hydrolysis followed bysucrose fermentation;

• Simultaneous saccharifaction and fermentation (SSF)

• Microwave and ultrasound application for enhance cellulosehydrolysis rate;

Ultrasound-assisted fermentation enhances bioethanolproductivity (3.5-fold than control))

Bioethanol production from lignocellulosic biomass

Ultrasound enhanced cellulase production by T. reesei

Ultrasound enhanced ethanol production by S. cerevisiae

Conclusions

• Microwave and ultrasound may be the next generation of industrial technologies for heat and mass transfer;

• Its robustness permits applicattion in many industrial reaction processes;

• The two Technologies have showed excelent results in bioethanol andbiodiesel processes;

• The two Technologies have showed excelent results in enzymatic andmicrobial catalysis

• Physical Technologies which contributes for green intensificationprocess;

• It reduces energy cost and enhances productivity;

Thank You!