Mejoras en un proceso de pasteado al sulfito para el aprovechamiento de carbohidratos dentro del concepto de biorrefinería

Abstract

It is well done that producing high-purity dissolving pulp a sugar-rich residue, the so-called Spent Sulphite liquor, is generated. This fact converts pulping factories into potentially lignocellulosic biorefineries by integrating several modifications in the current processes. This thesis contributes to the transformation of an acid sulphite pulping industry located in Cantabria region (Spain) into a modern forest biorefinery. First, digestion and bleaching processes were studied. Subsequently, the main residue (spent sulphite liquor), which was characterised, externally hydrolysed and detoxified in order to enhance its fermentation yields and productivity. This study is proposed by keeping the quality properties of the product (dissolving cellulose), achieving improvements on the production of sugar and at the same time enhancing the separation of other by-products for valorisation purposes.