Partial least squares modeling and analysis of furfural production from biomass-derived xylose over solid acid catalysts

Solid acid catalysts based on silica–alumina (SiO2-Al2O3) were used for promoting furfural production from D-xylose, and the partial least squares model was applied to develop an empirical kinetic model. Considering the experimental error and measurement noise, ∼85% of variances for the output block comprising the D-xylose conversion and selectivities were used by employing three latent variables, and the comparison between experimental and simulation results demonstrated the effectiveness of the model. The effects of the operating conditions, including xylose concentration, temperature, and space velocity were evaluated using the developed model, and optimal conditions for the maximum furfural productivity were determined.