Biorefineries separation technologies

Huang, H.-J., Ramaswamy S., Tschirner, U.W., Ramarao, B.V., 2008. A review of separation technologies in current and future biorefineries. Separation and Purification Technology 62 (1), 1-21. 

Com fiber contains several components that, if separated, can be readily upgraded to value-added products using current commercial technology. Over 13,000 tons of corn fiber are produced per day in the U.S. and over 80% of that is exported (i). Corn fiber is an ideal feedstock, because it is abundant and requires no special harvesting or additional transportation costs as it is already in the plant. If the com fiber volume can be reduced by a conversion process, the biorefinery would be able to process additional corn and also potentially increase the ethanol yield from each bushel of corn by up to 0.3 gallons/bushel (2), while exporting less corn gluten feed. 

Finally, Phase III biorefineries are the most advanced, as they use a variety of biomass feedstock to yield a mix of products (Figure 1.2). Such biorefineries employ a combination of technologies, among them are chemical and/or biological transformations, extractions, and separations. Examples for Phase III biorefineries include whole-crop biorefineries encompassing an array of transformations of feedstock (e.g., corn, or rapeseed). The most promising type of Phase HI biorefineries are... 

It can be speculated that advanced membrane technology could separate carbonic acids, higher alcohols, or other intermediate fermentation products from the sludge during biogas fermentatiOTi. But none of these processes is so far developed enough to calculate cost-effectiveness, and integration in an economically viable biorefinery process is not foreseeable. 

---