Desenvolvimento de tecnologia para extração e recuperação de polihidroxialcanoatos obtidos a partir da sacarose de cana-de-açúcar

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to contribute to the development of a competitive and sustainable process to produce polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA's) from the fermentation substrate sucrose cane sugar. The study involved the technical and economic evaluation of extraction, recovery, purification and drying of poly-3-hydroxybutyrate from biomass sludge produced for Cupriavidus necator, using as solvent 3-methyl-1-butanol (IAA - 2nd generation) and isoamyl propionate (IAP -3nd generation). To assist in the preparation of mass and energy balances, energy integration and comparison of the processes involved in each technology were made modeling of two processes using commercial software Aspen Plus, version 7.1. Data were collected on the pilot plant for P(3HB) production for two generations of technologies, involving, in general, the units operations of chemical treatment of the fermented, biomass sludge concentration, extraction, purification , solvent recovery and drying of the final resin. The results indicate pronounced advantage of technology that uses IAP(3G) in relation to IAA (2G), with a reduction in steam consumption of 2.44 times, the electricity consumption of 3.15 times, a reduction in price production of 1.93 times and a reduction in the total invested capital of 2.42 times. The sensitivity analysis for the best alternative (IAP), demonstrated a strong influence of increased scale of production of P (3HB) in reducing the price of the product specific investment. With the increased scale of 2,000 t of P (3HB) / year to 100,000 t of P (3HB) / year would be a reduction in the price of 1.47 times and the investment / t of P (3HB) produced 4.83 times. Through adoption of IAP (3nd G), also, there was significant improvement in the final product quality.