Changing an industry with membrane technology – Converting pulp mills to bio-refineries

The pulp and paper industry is one of the most important industrial sectors worldwide and has a great potential to be the nucleus for the future bio-economy. Today’ pulp industry is mainly focusing on the production of cellulose fibres and electricity, while its future potential includes the production of bio-chemicals, bio-fuels and advanced materials. In order to fulfil their future role, pulp mills will have to adjust their concepts and convert to ligno-cellulosic bio-refineries. Key to these new concepts is the efficient separation of the wood components: cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin plus extractives as raw material for further processing. In particular, the pressure-driven membrane processes microfiltration, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration and reverse osmosis have been identified as high potential technologies to separate of these wood components. The first applications of membrane technology in the pulp industry can actually be dated back to the 1970ies but while membrane technology experienced significant growth in other sectors, it remained a niche technology in the pulp industry. The first part of the presentation will identify potential positions of membrane technology in the concepts of ligno-cellulosic bio-refineries ranging from the separation of lignin from cooking liquor over the extraction and purification of hemicellulose to the purification of platform chemical derived from fermentation of hemicellulose and/or cellulose. The second part of the presentation will discuss the barriers of membrane technology in the pulp industry. Main focus will be thus on scale-up and integration challenges of membrane processes in the pulp industry and fouling/cleaning issues related to pulp applications - both important factors in enabling membrane technology for the pulping industry. Overall, this presentation will demonstrate that membrane technology can play a major role in the conversion of the current pulping industry into bio-refineries and it will highlight approaches enabling the successful integration of membrane technology into this industry. (Less)