METHOD FOR CONVERTING LIGNOCELLULOSIC BIOMASS

• US 20120064574A1
• Filed: 05/12/2010
• Published: 03/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (Government of Japan)
• Original Assignee: Incorp ADM Agency Nat'L AGR & Food RES ORG
• Inventors: Tokuyasu, Ken, Park, Jeung-yil, Shiroma, Riki, Al-Haq, Muhammad Imran
• Application Number:
  US13/321,038
• Publication Number:
  US 20120064574A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/72
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 19/14 produced by the action of a carbohydrase (EC 3.2.x), e.g. by alpha-amylase , e.g. by cellulase, hemicellulase
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 2201/00 Pretreatment of cellulosic or lignocellulosic material for subsequent enzymatic treatment or hydrolysis
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/10 substrate containing cellulosic material
• CPC Class Codes: D21C 1/06 with alkaline reacting compounds
• CPC Class Codes: D21C 5/005 Treatment of cellulose-containing material with microorganisms or enzymes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/10 Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/582 Recycling of unreacted starting or intermediate materials

Abstract

The present invention aims to develop a pretreatment technology for performing efficient saccharification without losing carbohydrates (in particular, free carbohydrates, starch, xylan, or the like) due to solid-liquid separation and washing steps, as a pretreatment for enzymatic saccharification of a lignocellulosic biomass feedstock (including a lignocellulosic biomass feedstock containing readily degradable carbohydrates). Provided are: a production method for a slurry to be used as a substrate for an enzymatic saccharification reaction, comprising: pulverizing an aerial part of a plant as a lignocellulosic biomass feedstock; preparing a slurry containing the biomass feedstock, calcium hydroxide, and water; subjecting the slurry to an alkali treatment; and neutralizing the slurry by introduction of and/or pressurization with carbon dioxide to decrease a pH to 5 to 7; an enzymatic saccharification method, comprising using, as a substrate, a slurry obtained by the production method for a slurry; and a production method for ethanol, comprising using, as a substrate, a saccharification product obtained by the enzymatic saccharification method.

Claims

1. A method of producing a slurry, the method comprising:

pulverizing an aerial part of a plant to obtain a lignocellulosic biomass feedstock;

combining the biomass feedstock, calcium hydroxide, and water to obtain a slurry;

treating the slurry in an alkali treatment; and

neutralizing the slurry by introduction of, pressurization with, or both introduction of and pressurization with carbon dioxide,

wherein the neutralizing provides a pH of the slurry of 5 to 7.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a temperature of the alkali treatment is from 80 to 180°

C. for from 10 minutes to 3 hours.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a temperature of the alkali treatment is from 0°

C. to 50°

C. for 3 days or more.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

grinding solid matter in the slurry before or after the neutralizing.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the aerial part of the plant comprises a part of at least one plant selected from the group consisting of rice, wheat, barley, corn, sugarcane, sorghum, erianthus, a pasture plant, and a monocotyledonous weed.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the aerial part of the plant is a non-edible part.

7. A method of enzymatic saccharification, comprising:

adding a saccharification enzyme for at least one substance selected from the group consisting of starch, β

-(1→

33), (1→

4)-glucan;

cellulose;

xylan; and

partial degradation products thereof to a slurry obtained by the method of claim 1; and

reacting the slurry in an enzymatic saccharification reaction optionally comprising introduction of, pressurization with, or both introduction of and pressurization with carbon dioxide to prevent an increase in pH.

8. A method for ethanol production, comprising:

adding a microorganism for ethanol fermentation to a slurry comprising a saccharification product obtained by the method of claim 7; and

fermenting the slurry in an ethanol fermentation, optionally comprising introduction of, pressurization with, or both introduction of and pressurization with carbon dioxide to prevent an increase in pH.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

adding microorganisms for ethanol fermentation,

wherein reacting the slurry in an enzymatic saccharification reaction further comprises simultaneous ethanol fermentation.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the microorganism is yeast.

11. A bioethanol obtained by the method of claim 8.

12. A method for collecting an inorganic material comprising a calcium salt, the method comprising:

conducting the method of claim 7 to obtain a saccharification product;

collecting the saccharification product;

separating the saccharification product in a solid-liquid separation of a residue by membrane filtration or centrifugation to obtain solid matter; and

combusting the solid matter to collect ash.

13. A method for collecting an inorganic material comprising a calcium salt, the method comprising:

conducting the method of claim 8, to obtain ethanol and a residue;

collecting the ethanol;

conducting solid-liquid separation of the residue by membrane filtration or centrifugation to obtain solid matter; and

combusting the resultant solid matter to collect ash.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the inorganic material comprises a phosphate.

15. An inorganic material, comprising a calcium salt, obtained by the method of claim 12.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the microorganism for ethanol fermentation is yeast.

17. A method for collecting an inorganic material comprising a calcium salt, the method comprising:

conducting the method of claim 9, to obtain ethanol and a residue;

collecting the ethanol;

conducting solid-liquid separation of the residue by membrane filtration or centrifugation to obtain solid matter; and

combusting the resultant solid matter to collect ash.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the inorganic material comprises a phosphate.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the inorganic material comprises a phosphate.

20. The method of claim 7, wherein two or more saccharification enzymes are added to the slurry.