Separation of Resin
Project number:
21082
Sponsor:
Bridgestone
Academic year:
2020-2021
Project Goal: Separate the components of guayule resin into high-value products, and evaluate their market potential.
Guayule is a desert plant that contains 5% to 7% rubber, primarily in the stalk. It is extracted to make tires. The guayule plant also contains 5% to 9% resin, which can be turned into products to keep the guayule industry economically feasible. Thus, this project explores the separation of the guayule to make marketable products.
The team used ASPEN software to simulate the separation process, including flash and distillation to fraction the resin into terpenes, terpenoids, sesquiterpenes and fatty acids. Resin content varies depending on the environmental conditions under which guayule is grown, and this simulation can be used to predict the required operating conditions depending on the feed composition.
The expected outcome is production of natural products, such as terpenes and terpenoids, which can be sold at approximately $1 a pound.
Guayule is a desert plant that contains 5% to 7% rubber, primarily in the stalk. It is extracted to make tires. The guayule plant also contains 5% to 9% resin, which can be turned into products to keep the guayule industry economically feasible. Thus, this project explores the separation of the guayule to make marketable products.
The team used ASPEN software to simulate the separation process, including flash and distillation to fraction the resin into terpenes, terpenoids, sesquiterpenes and fatty acids. Resin content varies depending on the environmental conditions under which guayule is grown, and this simulation can be used to predict the required operating conditions depending on the feed composition.
The expected outcome is production of natural products, such as terpenes and terpenoids, which can be sold at approximately $1 a pound.
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