Design and optimization of the levulinic acid recovery process from lignocellulosic biomass

摘要: Abstract Levulinic acid (LA), which is one of the top twelve value-added chemicals from biomass feedstock, has been recognized in a large number applications. Nevertheless, its capability on an industrial scale limited by high-cost raw materials and lack detailed process design. This paper reports simulation, design optimization recovering LA biomass, renewable inexpensive feedstock. The aqueous feed mixture acidic hydrolysis was fed to separation recover as main product, along with furfural formic valuable byproducts. Furfural then used extracting solvent, resulting significant decrease total cost. Detailed analysis conducted assess feasibility method. purification intensified applying innovative dividing wall column decanter configuration (TDWC-D). response surface methodology (RSM), allows interactions between variables be identified quantified, optimize TDWC-D structure. predictions RSM showed satisfactory agreement rigorous simulation results. results that could save up 16.4% 20.6% overall energy requirements annual cost, respectively, compared conventional sequence.