Filtration in bio-refineries may imply challenges: Methodology to understand and overcome these challenges

Paper in proceeding, 2015

Today filtration is one of the most common unit operations in the process industry, but in tomorrows bio-refineries (in particular wood based) it will be even more central. However, the various solid organic materials (different forms of cellulose, hemicellulose or lignin based particles) have very different filtration properties and generally form compressible filter cakes. These materials may also contain charged functional groups that influence particle-particle and particle-filtration medium interactions. The filtration behavior of these types of materials is often difficult to predict. In this paper a methodology for measurement of relevant filtration properties for materials forming compressible filter cakes will be presented. The data obtained with this methodology may be used for scale-up and design of filters. Furthermore, filtration of different types of lignin and cellulose based materials and how some challenges can be overcome will be discussed.