Principal investigator: Kitchens, Christopher
University: Villanova University
Industry partners: SoMax BioEnergy Inc.
We aim to identify optimal processing conditions and methodologies for isolating valuable biochemicals from brewery spent grain (BSG) biomass waste processed by hydrothermal carbonization (HTC). We propose to work with SoMax Circular Solutions in Spring City PA, who developed HTC technology for BSG conversion to hydrochar (bio-coal) fuels with a heating capacity equivalent to coal (32-38MJ/kg). HTC is a rapidly growing technology uniquely suited to converting wet biomass into hydrochar for applications as soil amendments, absorption media, and fuels. We will research methods to obtain valuable platform biochemicals present in the waste process water for applications in the pharmaceuticals, consumer products, and specialty chemicals industries. Our research will focus on: 1) Isolating these platform biochemicals from the process water by liquid-liquid extraction. 2) Isolating valuable platform chemicals from the hydrochar by solid-liquid extraction. 3) Techno-economic analysis of the optimized methodologies for scaled biochemical production from waste biomass.