Hydrocel: An application for the simulation of nonisothermal dilute acid hydrolysis of cellulose

HYDROCEL is a MS - Excel based application for the simulation of nonisother mal dilute acid hydrolysis of cellulose. The kinetics of dilute-acid hydrol ysis of amorphous and crystalline cellulose were incorporated in this appli cation. Cellulose crystallinity, as well as the formation of intermediate s oluble oligosaccharides were playing major roles in the overall process sim ulation. A four-step kinetic model was used to describe the reaction system . The degree of cellulose degradation was expressed as a function of a hydr olysis reaction factor, which incorporates the effects of acid activity, te mperature and reaction time.