Today production of 1st generation biofuels such as bioethanol from sugar cane and corn starch is well established. However increasing competition between food and energy production has led to significant efforts to design economically viable processes for conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into chemicals and fuels. Unlike 1st generation biofuels, production of 2nd generation biofuels is far more complex. Development of efficient separation and purification operations are essential for production of cost-competitive 2nd generation drop in biofuels. Membrane based separations processes are attractive as they could lead to significant process intensification and hence reduced operating costs. Numerous membrane based unit operations have been described.
展开▼
