Biorefinery of olive pruning using various processes

Biorefinery developed involve separation of olive pruning into two parts: main (OPM) (stems > 1 cm diameter), and residual (OPR) (stems < 1 cm diameter, and leaves). OPM was submitted to hydrothermal treatment, separating: a liquid fraction (HL), rich in products of hemicelluloses decomposition, and other solid (HS), rich in cellulose and lignin. HS is subject to pulping, resulting: a liquid fraction (HPL), rich in lignin, and other solid (HPS), rich in cellulose. 42% of the polysaccharides from OPM were recovered in HL as valuable compounds. HPS can be used for the bioethanol production by saccharification and fermentation, reaching a bioethanol conversion of 90.6% of the theoretical value. In addition, HPS obtained paper with lower strength properties than those of paper obtained from OPM pulp directly. ovided 18.70 MkJ/t heating values, 1094–2234 °C flame temperature, and 45–53 °C dew point temperature, with a cost of the unit of heat (3.20 €/MkJ) much lower than fossil fuels fluids.