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METHOD FOR THE PRODUCTION OF ALCOHOL FROM A PRETREATED LIGNOCELLULOSIC FEEDSTOCK

  • US 20090035826A1
  • Filed: 07/29/2008
  • Published: 02/05/2009
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2007
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A process for the production of alcohol from a lignocellulosic feedstock which comprises the steps of:

  • (i) pretreating a lignocellulosic feedstock under conditions to disrupt fiber structure and increase accessibility of the feedstock to being hydrolyzed in order to produce a composition comprising a pretreated lignocellulosic feedstock;

    (ii) enzymatically hydrolyzing the pretreated lignocellulosic feedstock with cellulase enzymes to produce a hydrolyzate slurry comprising glucose and unhydrolyzed cellulose;

    (iii) fermenting said hydrolyzate slurry to produce a fermentation broth comprising alcohol and unhydrolyzed cellulose;

    (iv) separating the alcohol from the fermentation broth by distillation to obtain a stream comprising concentrated alcohol and a still bottoms stream comprising the unhydrolyzed cellulose, said distillation resulting in heat treatment of the unhydrolyzed cellulose; and

    (v) further hydrolyzing at least a portion of the still bottoms stream with cellulase enzymes to convert at least a portion of the unhydrolyzed cellulose present in said still bottoms stream to glucose.

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