Evaluation of Raw Materials for a Sustainable Fuel Production

Abstract:
Currently, sustainable fuel production is a major challenge facing our society, which can be solved by innovative processes such as the conversion of biomass into fuels. The first stage consists of a rapid screening method based on research results, which is subdivided into two approaches: an element balance analysis, followed by a reaction network method using mixed integer programming. In this study, three platform chemicals are identified to produce target fuel molecules: itaconic acid, levulinic acid, and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural. Once a large number of potential alternatives are collected, a set of candidate reactions can be identified and further optimized. In this study the platform chemicals show different behaviour concerning hydrogen, carbon dioxide and water consumption/production. In summary, 11 reaction pathways were recognized to form levulinic acid, 8 reaction pathways for 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, and 2 reaction pathways for itaconic acid (In total, 50, 20, 19 reaction pathways form levulinic acid, 5-hydromethylfurfural, and itaconic acid, respectively). As of now, based on high yields and small yield range, the finest platform chemical is identified as levulinic acid.

Keywords:
Biofuels, biomass