Research Orientation

Within the Institute of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technology (CEET), the Working Group Biorefinery is at the forefront of the development of innovative processes for the isolation of valuables from biobased process streams, down cycle raw material utilization along the whole production chain is targeted.

Our research is driven by the need of the transfer from a fossil based to a biobased economy. The bioeconomy builds upon the three pillars bio-fuels, bio-energy and bio-products. The biorefinery, as the complement to a conventional refinery shall deliver different products by cascade raw material utilization. The biobased industry will play an essential role during this transformation process, where the pulp and paper industry may serve as backbone, because they have large knowledge dealing with biobased raw material all year.

Our research approach is to generate added value from existing process streams, where we start from the basics like measurement of phase equilibria, followed by the process design accompanied by hydrodynamic simulations. Process integration on site of the developed processes is one main point during development. At present we focus on the isolation of technical lignins and on the isolation of carboxylic acids from existing process streams.

  • Lignin isolation from pulping processes

Besides cellulose lignin is the second most abundant bio-polymer. Lignin is dissolved during wood digestion and is then used in the chemical recovery cycle as fuel in the recovery boiler. Depending on the cooking process two different lignins are achieved, on the one side lignosulfonates and on the other side Kraft lignin. The two lignins differ in their behavior, while lignosulfonates are soluble over the whole pH range, Kraft lignin is soluble at pH higher then 10. Hence, different approaches for the isolation thereof need to be developed.

Kraft lignin can be isolated by precipitation, we address the utilization of plant derived CO2 as well as the pre-treatment of lignin in terms of filtration behavior.

  • Isolation of carboxylic acids

Carboxylic acids are bulk chemicals and are at present products from oil refining or for example lactic acid is produced by fermentation. However, carboxylic acids are present in industrial effluents from the biobased industry, but are not isolated yet. Isolation thereof is challenging as the concentration of carboxylic acids is low, in general a mixture of carboxylic acids is present and the process streams very often have cell debris in or pH value is rather high.

During Kraft pulping not only lignin, but also carboxylic acids are dissolved into black liquor and also in other effluents carboxylic acids can be found. A fractionated isolation of the different carboxylic acids is tested technically and economically. Further process streams are e.g. silage sludge, where mainly lactic acid is present.

Projects

  • Lignoxy - Lignin-disintegration using organosolv processes 
  • KoMoLisa - Continuous modification of kraft lignin and black liquor 
  • K-Project Flippr² - Future Lignin and Pulp Processing Research PROCESS INTEGRATION focusses its efforts on integrated solutions to efficiently manufacture value-added products from wood.
     
  • FFG bridge project KrAcid - Process design for the isolation of carboxylic acids from pulping effluents and Integration of the isolation and purification process in the overall pulping process
     
  • IEA IETS Annex 17 - Membrane separation processes combine the advantage of material usage of the components by partly selective separation mechanisms with energy efficiency measures.
     
  • ERA-NET Bioenergy Up-Whey - Upstream processing of lactose whey for bulk chemicals and energy production. Basics for the isolation of lactic acid from whey production and transformation of basics into a membrane reactor
     
  • IEA IETS Annex 17 - Membrane processes in biorefineries, present and potential applications.
  • LignoFracStore - Fractionation and conversion of lignin for sustainable eneryg storage

Publications

2023
Paul Demmelmayer, Lena Steiner, Hansjörg Weber and Marlene Kienberger Thymol-menthol-based deep eutectic solvent as a modifier in reactive liquid–liquid extraction of carboxylic acids from pretreated sweet sorghum silage press juice Separation and Purification Technology 310, 2023 , DOI , Link Show publication in PURE
Silvia Margareta Maitz, Lukas Wernsperger and Marlene Kienberger Isolation of Carboxylic Acids and NaOH from Kraft Black Liquor with a Membrane-Based Process Sequence Membranes 13, 2023 , DOI , Link Show publication in PURE
Marlene Kienberger, Christoph Weinzettl, Viktoria Leitner, Michael Egermeier and Paul Demmelmayer (Selective) Isolation of acetic acid and lactic acid from heterogeneous fermentation of xylose and glucose Chemical Engineering Journal Advances 16, 2023 , DOI Show publication in PURE
2022
Paul Demmelmayer and Marlene Kienberger Reactive extraction of lactic acid from sweet sorghum silage press juice Separation and Purification Technology 282, 2022 , DOI , Link Show publication in PURE
Paul Demmelmayer, Alan Pérez, Wolfgang Riedl and Marlene Kienberger Continuous in situ lactic acid extraction from sweet whey fermentation broth using a tubular membrane contactor Show publication in PURE
Paul Demmelmayer and Marlene Kienberger Amine-based extractants for isolation of carboxylic acids from complex, biobased process streams Show publication in PURE
Silvia Maitz, Matthäus Siebenhofer and Marlene Kienberger Conversion of carbohydrates to carboxylic acids during hydrothermal and oxidative treatment of concentrated kraft black liquor Bioresource Technology Reports 19, 2022 , DOI , Link Show publication in PURE
2021
Thomas Michael Pichler, Bernd Stoppacher, Alexander Kaufmann, Matthäus Siebenhofer and Marlene Kienberger Continuous Neutralization of NaOH Solution with CO2 in an Internal-Loop Airlift Reactor Chemical Engineering & Technology 44, 38-47, 2021 , DOI , Link Show publication in PURE
Silvia Margareta Maitz and Marlene Kienberger Investigation of acid hydrolysis for carbohydrate analysis in kraft black liquor Holzforschung 76, 49-59, 2021 , DOI , Link Show publication in PURE
2020
Marlene Kienberger, Paul Demmelmayer, Stefan Spirk, Armin Zankel and Michael Weißl Biobased Support Layers for the Fractionation and Selective Extraction of Lignosulfonates Solvent Extraction and Ion Exchange 38, 132-141, 2020 , DOI , Link Show publication in PURE
Paul Demmelmayer and Marlene Kienberger Reaktive flüssig-flüssig Extraktion von Milchsäure aus Silage Presssaftkonzentrat , Link Show publication in PURE
Thomas Michael Pichler, Silvia Margareta Maitz and Marlene Kienberger Influence of long-term heat treatment of kraft black liquor on lignin precipitation and material properties Holzforschung 74, 286-292, 2020 , DOI , Link Show publication in PURE
Silvia Margareta Maitz, Werner Schlemmer, Mathias Hobisch, Josefine Hobisch and Marlene Kienberger Preparation and Characterization of a Water‐Soluble Kraft Lignin Advanced Sustainable Systems 4, 2020 , DOI , Link Show publication in PURE
Paul Demmelmayer, Matthäus Siebenhofer and Marlene Kienberger Reduktion der Emulsionsbildung in der Reaktivextraktion von Milchsäure aus Zuckerhirse‐SilageSpecial Issue: 10. ProcessNet‐Jahrestagung und 34. DECHEMA‐Jahrestagung der Biotechnologen 2020: Processes for Future1274-1275 Show publication in PURE
Paul Demmelmayer, Julio Hilgert, Robby Wijaya and Marlene Kienberger Screening of reactive extractants for the lignosulfonate extraction from lignosulfonate model solution and spent sulfite liquor Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research 59, 16420-16426, 2020 , DOI , Link Show publication in PURE
2019
Stephan Maier, Michael Narodoslawsky, Lidia Borell-Damián, Maarten Arentsen, Marlene Kienberger, Wolfgang Bauer, Maria Ortner, Nigel Foxhall, Gerhard Oswald, Joan Marc Joval, Yoram Krozer, Theresa Urbanz, Christian Sakulin, Sebestyen Tihamer-Tibor and Viktorija Dobravec Theory and practice of European co-operative education and training for the support of energy transition Energy, Sustainability and Society 9, 2019 , DOI , Link Show publication in PURE
Paul Demmelmayer, Michael Weißl, Stefan Spirk and Marlene Kienberger New support layer material for the reactive extraction of lignosulfonates Show publication in PURE
Nuttakul Mungma, Marlene Kienberger and Matthäus Siebenhofer Reactive Extraction of Lactic Acid, Formic Acid and Acetic Acid from Aqueous Solutions with Tri-n-octylamine/1-Octanol/n-Undecane ChemEngineering 3, 2019 , DOI Show publication in PURE
Marlene Kienberger Potential applications of LigninEconomics of Bioresources183 Show publication in PURE
Michael Mandl, Marlene Kienberger, Paul Demmelmayer, Stefan Pflügl, Regina Kutscha, Angelo Gössi, Alan Pérez and Wolfgang Riedl Up-Whey - Upstream processing of lactose whey for bulk chemicals and energy production Show publication in PURE
2018
Marlene Kienberger, Markus Hackl and Matthäus Siebenhofer Recovery of acetic acid using esterification of acetic acid with n-octanol in a membrane reactor Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering 6, 3161-3166, 2018 , DOI Show publication in PURE
Contact
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Marlene Kienberger
Ass.Prof. Priv.-Doz. Dipl.-Ing. Dr.techn.
Phone
+43 316 873 - 7484

Group Members:
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  • Sebastian Sandner, BSc.
    →Research activities