Chemical Utilization of Biomass I: Starch Modification in Batch Type Solid Phase Reactor

Abstract

Anionic flocculants were produced by chemical modification of starch. On the basis of their favourable properties (non-toxic, environmentally degradable) their application is very advantageous in drinking water treatment, food industry and pharmaceutical industry for removing colloid size particles from suspensions. The Greenfloc 213A flocculant developed at the Department of Chemical Engineering Science of the University of Veszprém was successful both in laboratory and industrial scale experiments. A pilot scale plant was built for the production of the flocculant. The main part of the plant is a multifunctional batch type reactor in which all steps of the dry modification technology can be carried out. The scaling-up of the reactors requires thorough knowledge of the kinetics of the reactions taking place in the equipment. The starch modification reaction consists of the phosphorylation and degradation of the starch. The results of the kinetic investigation and the bath type pilot scale plant will be presented in this paper.