Biorefinery: from biomass transformation to biobased products

The aim of this course is to provide students with an understanding of the basic theory (36h) and practical (24h) function of a Biorefinery: a modern multidisciplinary practice/concept based on transform of bio-resources to better pursue the circular economy for the future BioBased Industry and Society. Bio-resources are nowadays transformed into several forms of bioenergy (ethanol, gas, oil and fire), platform bio-chemicals, biomaterials and more. Thus, the course will be multidisciplinary touching arguments of catalysis and bio-catalysis, green chemistry, enzymology, microbiology and downstream technologies. Land-based raw materials mainly residues from agriculture, forestry and municipal waste, and also marine based biomass from dedicated culture (algae), or sea-food derived waste will be the main focus of the course. In addition, students will be introduced to the enormous potential of biomass conversion to high-cost biochemicals, such as pharmaceuticals compounds (antibiotics, small peptides), antioxidants, pigments, active food ingredients, exopolysaccharides and biosurfactants. This part of the course represent the 75% of the theoretical class. Finally to better educate students to the new biobased economy also fundamentals of green oriented markets, consumers preference and understanding of the CO2 footprints of green chemicals and bioproducts are touched. 

Moreover the course is amended with 24 hours of lab practical in which I demonstrate to the students a typical biomass transformation process. Every year one particular bioproduct is chosen as elective demonstrative bio-process and it is studied in deep. This is paramount for the students to feel confident with a technology, that often could prepare them to the next challenge after the university period: better chances to get a position into the emerging biobased industry.  

On completion of the course, students should:

•           Understand the need for sustainable innovation and how biobased production can contribute to this;
•           understand the global context of biobased production;
•           Understand elements of LCA assessment, externalities principle, sustainable production, and methods for developing biobased products;
•           Learn the meaning of sustainability and how it is linked to human and biobased activities;
•           Understand specific process technologies to purify the compound;
•           Learn the state of the art in downstream processing of biobased products;
•           Explain the main differences between a biobased and fossil based economy;
•           Learn research and applications of pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis of raw lignocellulosic biomass;
•           Be able to practically transform a given biomass into potential products: biofuel, biomaterial, bio-chemical;

Required and Corequired knowledge and skills

Biochemistry
Enzymology
Organic chemistry
Microbiology
Bioprocess engineering

The course has an integrated teaching approach that blends the classical lecture style with the lab activity executed in group. The course heavily relies on the material written by the teacher and also state of the art review papers who are reviewed every year due to the fast changing of the technologies thought. 

References, bibliography, and recommended reading

Av. A depage 30, biblio des sciences et techniques:biorefinery

Contacts

david.cannella@ulb.be

Campus

Plaine, Solbosch

Method(s) of evaluation

• written examination
• Oral examination
• Other
• Written report

written examination

• Closed question with multiple choices (MCQ)
• Open question with short answer
• Open question with developed answer

Oral examination

Other

Written report

The exam is written with the possibility of an oral exam (optional). The topic of the oral examination are the same of the written exam plus all other topics contained in the course slides. The lab TP is evaluated through a lab report made by the group. 
In occasional circumstances of time schedule conflict, the Lab practice could be followed also partially and/or substituted with literature research and presentation of papers (either oral or written personal report) in substitution of the lab practical report. Any of these option must be agreed with the course coordinator, and most probably applicable only in case of schedule conlfict in case this course is chosen as an optional. The second session follow same organization of the first session. 
Le titulaire se réserve le droit d’inviter tout étudiant.e à un entretien oral complémentaire afin de vérifier la maîtrise personnelle du contenu de l’examen remis, en particulier lorsque des incohérences constatées dans l’examen ne permettent pas au titulaire d’évaluer correctement le niveau de maîtrise des connaissances et des compétences visées par l’enseignement. 

Mark calculation method (including weighting of intermediary marks)

The mark is composed by:
80% written (+optional oral) exam.
20% report relative to the lab.
The lab TP report is a prefilled format with specific questions relative to the lab manipulation that the students must fill and give to the teacher 1 week before the written exam (if not agreed differently during the course). The mark of the Lab TP can be credited only if the written exam is passed with a minimum of 10/20 mark (note absorbante). In case the student does not succeed the written exam in the first session, the mark relative to the Lab TP report will be mantained valid for the second session, and in case the written exame is failed aslo during the secons session, the lab TP evaluation is mantained valid also for subesequent years.

Language(s) of evaluation

• french
• english