Modeling the production of sugar and byproducts from acid bisulfite pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis of Douglas-fir

The aim of this work was to investigate the kinetics of multiple chemicals in acid bisulfite pretreatment and the relationship between total sugar yields and pretreatment factors (temperature and time). The results showed Saeman model accurately fitted the pretreatment process. According to this kinetic model, a maximum hemicellulose hydrolysis yield was achieved at a treatment time of 75 min with a temperature of 145 °C. Meantime, the concentrations of acetic acid, hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), and furfural were 1.54, 0.60, and 1.15 g L−1, respectively. Also, a Lorentzian function described the relationship between total sugar yield and pretreatment factors: temperature and time. The regression parameters from this mathematical fitting have accurately reflected the maximum total sugar yield and the optimal treatment conditions were determined to be 145 °C and 110 min.