VALORIZACIÓN DEL RESIDUO DE LA PAJA DE ARROZ MEDIANTE SU TRANSFORMACIÓN EN BIOETANOL: DISEÑO DEL PROCESO DE PRODUCCIÓN

Abstract

The cultivation of rice and other Gramineae produces, after harvesting, a large amount of straw, which constitutes a waste and poses a serious environmental problem. In Valencia, traditionally, burning of straw has been chosen, which produces a large emission of polluting gases. In recent years it was banned, causing this waste to ferment in the water, causing even a major impact on the Albufera natural reserve.The present work proposes the valorisation of straw through its transformation into bioethanol. To guarantee continuous production of the biofuel, the design has been carried out taking into account the supply of straw from other Gramineae, since cereals are seasonal crops. The production process is based on two different methods: one from rice straw and another from other Gramineae; and it has different configurations of hydrolysis and fermentation, and different hydrolytic and fermentative organisms.Present work includes the description of the process as well as the economic valuation of the investment needed for the project.