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Furfural for future

Versatile technology for Furfural production


What is Furfural?

Furfural is a natural product (liquid with a distinct almond-like odour) that for the first time was obtained from oat husks in 1821. Today it is being produced only from biological resources that contain pentosans. Due to the many unique features, furfural has been identified as one of the top 30 most important biobased platform chemicals, that is used as a starting reagent to produce other high-value added products in industrial organic synthesis. The main outlet of furfural is for the production of furfuryl alcohol and for other 5-membered oxygen-containing heterocycles, i.e. furan, methylfuran, furfurylamine and furoic acid

Main Benefits

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Industry leading yield

Furfural yield of the theoretically possible amount

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Low degradation

Cellulose degradation level in the solid residue ≤ 10%

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Adoptable

For any pentosan-rich lignocellulosic biomass

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Lucrative

Easily adjustable as pretreatment stage for versatile lignocellulosic biorefining concept that allows converting the broadest range of biomasses to biobased products with superior yield

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Effective

Designed to produce furfural up to 85% and acetic acid up to 95% from the theoretically possible amount

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Growth

Furfural market size (493.17 million EUR in 2021) expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.5% from 2022 to 2030

Furfural Production Possibilities

The furfural industry exists for almost a century, but it is nowadays facing a major renovation challenge in order to meet the global trend toward bio-based products, and the consequent increased demand for furfural and its derivatives. It has been commercially made since 1922. The majority of current furfural production is still based on more or less modified versions of the original Quaker Oats process. The production processes in use today are generally related to low yields (around 55%), besides significant economical and environmental concerns. Our technology is adaptable to existing technologies to overcome these shortcomings.

Furfural yield of the theoretically possible amoun

Higher than industry average

<100%

Cellulose degradation

Furfural Production Technology

Furfural is one of the oldest chemicals made from biomass. Industrial furfural production from biomass was first practised by the Quaker Oats company using oat hulls as a feedstock in 1922. Furfural is produced industrially by acid-catalysed hydrolysis of hemicellulose and dehydration of pentosans in lignocellulosic feedstocks at high reaction temperatures up to 240 °C in either batch or continuous mode. Employed catalyst amounts for furfural production from biomass are up to 4% of biomass weight. Nonetheless, commercial furfural yield usually doesn't exceed around 55% of the theoretically possible amount, which is not optimal. In addition, during the production of furfural only C5-sugars are used but C6-sugars become irreversibly damaged. Altering the mechanism of furfural formation and the development of a new technique of hemicellulose removal from biomass, by the “Furfural for future” technology, it is possible to produce furfural up to 85% of the theoretically possible amount with minimal impact on the initial amount of cellulose. This makes it possible to realize the common production of furfural and glucose from lignocellulosic biomass on an industrial scale.
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Birch wood, Bagasse, corn cobs, wheat straw

Furfural For Future Production Technology

The technology enables the co-production of platform chemicals, such as furfural and acetic acid as well to preserve cellulose in the lignocellulosic solid residue for glucose production.

Chemical products

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And more...

Possibilities to use the solid residue as a feedstock in the production of bioethanol, biobutanol, lactic acid, levulinic acid etc. It is also possible to use the solid residue as a high-quality fertilizer.

Our Team

Experience in the R&D of furfural for 60+ years.
Dr. Prans Brazdausks

Scientific leader of the team

Enthusiastic chemist with 14 years of experience in the R&D of pretreatment technologies to produce renewable fuels, chemicals and materials from lignocellulosic biomass.

Dr. Māris Puķe

Leading researcher, Technology developer

Experienced in the R&D of furfural from various raw material for 20 years. Managed industrial testing and implementation work in Iran furfural plant.

Daniels Jeļisejevs

Commertialisation specialist and strategic consultant

Experience in industrial development and innovation in composite materials, chemical and engineering products. Has led investment projects in pharmacy, polymer, nano-coating, food and energy sectors

Linda Puķe

Project management and finance specialist

More than 15 years experience in financial analyses of investment and development projects in various industries. 5 years experience in international project management and implementation.

Nikolajs Vederņikovs

Expert in the field of furfural production

Experience in the R&D of furfural 50 years. Familiar with all furfural production technologies. Managed industrial testing and implementation work at 10 furfural plants (China, Iran, Slovenia, Russia, Hungary and Finland).

Our Supporters

Research and development of the “Furfural For Future” technology have been implemented by specialists of the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry within the framework of the project “Commercialization of efficient and ecological glucose solution production technology” of the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia.

Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry

Investment and Development Agency of Latvia

History of Technology

Furfural For Future technology was created in the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry under the leadership of Dr. habil. chem. Nikolajs Vedernikovs – one of the most knowledgeable furfural production technology specialists in the world. The technology was developed for the extraction of furfural from low-value hardwoods. The suitability of this technology for wheat straw, hemp hurds (shives), cereal husks, sugarcane bagasse, corn cobs has also been investigated over time. Given the current trend to use biomass more efficiently, the technology is adaptable as a pretreatment stage to the modern lignocellulosic biorefining system. It is possible due to the novel catalytic conversion of hemicellulose without damaging the other biopolymers as in established technologies.
  • 1991
    Launch of study of the theoretical basis for furfural production from lignocellulosic biomass
  • 1997
    Adaption of technology for furfural production from alder wood chips
  • 1999
    Adaption of technology for furfural production from raw and granulated wheat straw
  • 2001
    Adaption of technology for furfural production from birch wood chips
  • 2005
    General research on the degree of polymerisation of cellulose in the birch wood lignocellulosic residue after furfural production
  • 2010
    Launch of study of the theoretical basis for the integration of furfural production before the bioethanol production
  • 2013
    General research on the salt catalysed hydrolysis for furfural production from the hemp hurds
  • 2017
    Development of new approaches for waste-less simultaneous production of bioethanol, furfural and other valuable products from local whet straw
  • 2020
    Prefeasibility study about furfural and bioethanol coproduction from lignocellulosic biomass
  • 2021
    Scaling up of furfural and glucose coproduction from lignocellulosic biomass to TLR 6
  • 2022
    Born of “Furfural for future” technology identity

Our Location

Drop us an email if you are interested in collaboration

  • Phone

    +371 67553063

  • e-Mail

    prans.brazdausks@kki.lv

  • Address

    27 Dzerbenes Str.,Riga, LV-1006, Latvia

  • We are seeking cooperation in
    • Industry
    • Investors
    • Horizon Projects
    • Other scientific organizations