Oscyme - Enhancement of enzymatic hydrolysis by a new reactor-design as milestone for value added processing of ligno-cellulosic residues

Lignocellulosic waste (agricultural, forest residue and food waste etc.) is abundant and considered an important source for producing high-value chemicals and commodities. The conversion of ligno-cellulosic materials is on the one hand important to provide energy alternatives from waste streams to fossil fuels and to sustainably produce chemicals from renewable feedstocks. On the other hand, the amount of lingo-cellulosic waste is tremendous and using this waste as raw material would be one huge step in making our society more resilient towards the devastating resource depletion we are facing. Bioconversion of ligno-cellulosic waste into fuels and chemicals has important technological, commercial and also social dimensions, however developing an economic process still presents a major problem. The goal of this project is to develop a continuous enzymatic hydrolysis process using a plug-flow reactor for the first time with substantial effects on conversion rates and reduction in enzyme addition. The newly developed reactor shall be the basis for a hydrolysis reactor concept eventually applicable in the biobased industry, chemical industry, biodiesel production or pulp and paper industry to save energy, resources and time.