Method and apparatus for production of levulinic acid via reactive extrusion
AssigneeBoard of Regents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
InventorsViswas M. Ghorpade, Milford A. Hanna
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a continuous process for preparing levulinic acid from starch in a reactive extrusion process. In a preferred embodiment, the extrusion takes place in a twin-screw extruder having a plurality of temperature zones wherein the starch slurry is preconditioned, extruded, filter pressed, reboiled, vacuum distilled, condensed, centrifuged, whereby the waste effluent from the centrifugation is reprocessed upstream to the preconditioning stage.
Claims47
A process for preparing levulinic acid from starch, comprising the steps of mixing starch, water, and a mineral acid so as to form a slurry;
- extruding said slurry with an extruder to form an extrudate containing levulinic acid.
A process for preparing valeric .gamma.-lactone comprising the steps of mixing starch, water, and a mineral acid so as to form a slurry;
- extruding said slurry with an extruder to form an extrudate containing levulinic acid;
- separating levulinic acid from the extrudate;
- and hydrogenating said levulinic acid to obtain valeric .gamma.-lactone.
A process for preparing 1,3-pentadiene comprising the steps of mixing starch, water, and a mineral acid so as to form a slurry;
- extruding said slurry with an extruder to form an extrudate containing levulinic acid;
- separating levulinic acid from the extrudate;
- reducing the ketone and carboxy moieties of said levulinic acid to obtain 1,4-pentandiol;
- and dehydrating said 1,4-pentandiol to yield 1,3-pentadiene.
A process for preparing 1,4-pentanediol comprising the steps of mixing starch, water, and a mineral acid so as to form a slurry;
- extruding said slurry with an extruder to form an extrudate containing levulinic acid;
- separating levulinic acid from the extrudate;
- and reducing the ketone and carboxy moieties of said levulinic acid to obtain 1,4-pentandiol.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.