METHOD OF PRODUCTION OF ALCOHOL
First Claim
1. A process for producing alcohol from a cellulosic material, said process comprising:
- hydrolyzing said cellulosic material with an aqueous acid to produce a hydrolysate;
extracting acid and water from said hydrolysate with a water-miscible organic extraction solvent to yield (a) a first aqueous acidic solution containing said extraction solvent and (b) a residue containing sugars;
subjecting said residue to an oligosaccharide cleavage reaction to yield an aqueous solution of fermentable sugars;
fermenting said fermentable sugars and distilling alcohol from the resulting fermented mixture;
contacting said first aqueous acidic solution with a pressurized fluid lipophilic solvent in non-gaseous form, which fluid solvent is substantially water-immiscible and is gaseous at ambient conditions, to yield a second aqueous acid solution and a solvent mixture of said extraction solvent and said fluid solvent;
depressurizing said solvent mixture to release said extraction solvent for recycling; and
, optionally, concentrating said second aqueous acid solution for recycling.
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Abstract
The invention provides a process for producing alcohol from a cellulosic material, said process comprising: hydrolyzing said cellulosic material with an aqueous acid to produce a hydrolysate; extracting acid and water from said hydrolysate with a water-miscible organic extraction solvent to yield (a) a first aqueous acidic solution containing said extraction solvent and (b) a residue containing sugars; subjecting said residue to an oligosaccharide cleavage reaction to yield an aqueous solution of fermentable sugars; fermenting said fermentable sugars and distilling alcohol from the resulting fermented mixture; contacting said first aqueous acidic solution with a pressurized fluid lipophilic solvent in non-gaseous form, which fluid solvent is substantially water-immiscible and is gaseous at ambient conditions, to yield a second aqueous acid solution and a solvent mixture of said extraction solvent and said fluid solvent; depressurizing said solvent mixture to release said extraction solvent for recycling; and, optionally, concentrating said second aqueous acid solution for recycling.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A process for producing alcohol from a cellulosic material, said process comprising:
- hydrolyzing said cellulosic material with an aqueous acid to produce a hydrolysate;
extracting acid and water from said hydrolysate with a water-miscible organic extraction solvent to yield (a) a first aqueous acidic solution containing said extraction solvent and (b) a residue containing sugars;
subjecting said residue to an oligosaccharide cleavage reaction to yield an aqueous solution of fermentable sugars;
fermenting said fermentable sugars and distilling alcohol from the resulting fermented mixture;
contacting said first aqueous acidic solution with a pressurized fluid lipophilic solvent in non-gaseous form, which fluid solvent is substantially water-immiscible and is gaseous at ambient conditions, to yield a second aqueous acid solution and a solvent mixture of said extraction solvent and said fluid solvent;
depressurizing said solvent mixture to release said extraction solvent for recycling; and
, optionally, concentrating said second aqueous acid solution for recycling. - View Dependent Claims (2, 5, 6, 11)
- hydrolyzing said cellulosic material with an aqueous acid to produce a hydrolysate;
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3. A process for the production of an aqueous solution of fermentable sugars from a cellulosic material, which process comprises:
- hydrolyzing said cellulosic material with an aqueous acid to produce a hydrolysate;
extracting acid and water from said hydrolysate with a water-miscible organic extraction solvent to yield (a) a first aqueous acidic solution containing said extraction solvent and (b) a residue containing sugars;
contacting said first aqueous acidic solution with a pressurized fluid lipophilic solvent in non-gaseous form, which fluid solvent is substantially water-immiscible and is gaseous at ambient conditions, to yield a second aqueous acid solution and a solvent mixture of said extraction solvent and said fluid solvent;
depressurizing said solvent mixture to release said extraction solvent for recycling; and
, optionally, concentrating said second aqueous acid solution for recycling.
- hydrolyzing said cellulosic material with an aqueous acid to produce a hydrolysate;
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4. A process for the production of a sugar composition, said process comprising:
- hydrolyzing said cellulosic material with an aqueous acid to produce a hydrolysate;
extracting acid and water from said hydrolysate with a water-miscible organic extraction solvent to yield (a) a first aqueous acidic solution containing said extraction solvent and (b) a residue containing sugars;
drying said residue to yield said sugar composition;
contacting said first aqueous acidic solution with a pressurized fluid lipophilic solvent in non-gaseous form, which fluid solvent is substantially water-immiscible and is gaseous at ambient conditions, to yield a second aqueous acid solution and a solvent mixture of said extraction solvent and said fluid solvent;
depressurizing said solvent mixture to release said extraction solvent for recycling; and
, optionally, concentrating said second aqueous acid solution for recycling.
- hydrolyzing said cellulosic material with an aqueous acid to produce a hydrolysate;
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7. A process for producing particulate silicate comprising digesting rice straw with aqueous acid, precipitating sugars from the aqueous acid with a water-immiscible organic solvent, collecting the resulting mixture of precipitated sugars, lignin and particulate silica, and separating therefrom the particulate silica.
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8. A paint comprising silica particles isolated from rice straw.
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9. A pharmaceutical comprising silica particles isolated from rice straw as an excipient.
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10. A particulate catalyst comprising silica particles isolated from rice straw and loaded with a catalyst.
Specification