Noncatalytic Conversion of Cellulose in Supercritical and Subcritical Water

Abstract

This paper describes the noncatalytic conversion of cellulose in supercritical and subcritical water. First, it was demonstrated that even without any acid catalyst, cellulose was rapidly converted to water soluble species with a relatively high glucose yield in near critical water and glucose yield increased with elevating temperature. Then the rate constants for cellulose decomposition and glucose decomposition were evaluated at a pressure of 25 MPa over a temperature ranging from 473 K to 673 K by using semi-batch reactor and a flow reactor, respectively. From the reported cellulose pyrolysis rate constant and the evaluated cellulose decomposition rate constant, cellulose hydrolysis rate constant was evaluated. By using the cellulose hydrolysis rate, cellulose pyrolysis rate and the glucose decomposition rate, glucose yield obtained in the semi-batch experiment was reasonably explained. © 1993, The Society of Chemical Engineers, Japan. All rights reserved.