Kinetics of acid hydrolysis of olive felling residues

The kinetics of hydrolysis of olive tree felling residues with 1–4% HCl at temperatures between 110 and 140°C have been studied. The experimental results obtained were consistent with two successive first-order reactions by which cellulose residues are transformed into sugars, which in turn are converted into decomposition products. The kinetic constants of the process (per hour) were found to be related to the acid concentration used (C, in weight percent) and to the absolute temperature. According to the above-mentioned kinetic model, the experimental sugar concentrations obtained by hydrolysis were reproduced with errors less than 10–20%.