Chemicals production within biorefinery

Initial separation of biomass raw materials can yield separate streams of biopolymers, each of which has potential utility as a product within the biorefinery. Further selective deconstruction processes can convert these biopolymers into their individual monomeric units, or to structurally rearranged materials. The following are examples of processes that have been improved through the use of chemical catalysis. 

It is interesting to note that the sugar platform and many other (nonthermochemical) processes likely to be incorporated into a biorefinery, will almost certainly generate some waste products that will be difficult to convert into value-added materials and chemicals. Such wastes and residues represent an important source of energy within the biorefinery and are an ideal candidate for thermochemical conversion (Ragauskas et al, 2006). 

The implementation of biorefineries will help to increase the economic viability of the biofuel industry. Disposing glycerol with methanol in it can pose harmful side effects to humans and the environment. Biorefineries will prevent the major issues pertaining to the disposal of biodiesel waste. The processing of oils and fats within the concept of a biorefinery and the chemical recovery and production of other valuable products is shown in Fig. 19.5. 

With regard to the two-platform biorefineries, it is notable that the sugar platform is likely to generate varying amounts of waste products, which may not be suitable for direct conversion to value-added products. Ragauskas et al. (2006) suggested that such wastes may conveniently be used as sources of energy within the biorefinery system, and at the same time, they also will form suitable raw materials for the production of value-added materials and chemicals via thermochemical conversion. 

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