Process integration and optimization for economical production of commodity chemicals from lignocellulosic biomass

We propose an integrated strategy for the production of vital platform chemicals, levoglucosenone (LGO) and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), used to produce a high-value chemical, 1,6-hexandiol, from lignocellulosic biomass. In such processes of producing essential chemicals from biomass, cellulose loading in the solvent has a significant impact on production yield and, consequently, the economics of the process. In this study, we compare four different loadings of 1, 3, 5, and 10 wt% to suggest the optimal cellulose loading in tetrahydrofuran. The integrated process is economically optimal at a cellulose loading of 5 wt%. The minimum selling price (MSP) of the LGO and HMF mixture is estimated to be $2387/ton, which is competitive compared with the previously reported MSP of $2920/ton (He et al. Green Chemistry,19, 3642-3653, 2017), at the optimal loading of 5 wt%. (c) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.