METHOD OF PRODUCING SUGARS USING A COMBINATION OF ACIDS TO SELECTIVELY HYDROLYZE HEMICELLULOSIC AND CELLULOSIC MATERIALS
First Claim
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1. A method of processing a lignocellulosic biomass including cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin fractions, comprising the steps of:
- applying a weak organic acid to the biomass to at least partly depolymerize the hemicellulosic and lignin materials in the biomass;
drying the weak-acid treated biomass to provide a sufficiently high solids content material as to be pelletized;
pelletizing the material from the drying step; and
shipping the pelletized material to a second location;
at the second location, recovering a cellulosic solids product from the pelletized material; and
contacting the cellulosic solids so isolated with a strong mineral acid to hydrolyze the same and provide a hexose product or stream.
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Abstract
A method is provided for producing sugars using a combination of acids to hydrolyze hemicellulosic and cellulosic materials in biomass, said combination of acids namely comprising a first, weak organic acid (such as acetic acid or formic acid) for providing a pentose product or stream from hydrolyzing hemicellulosic materials in the biomass on a batchwise, semi-continuous or continuous basis, and a second, strong mineral acid (such as sulfuric acid) for providing a hexose product or stream from hydrolyzing cellulosic materials in the biomass.
6 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A method of processing a lignocellulosic biomass including cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin fractions, comprising the steps of:
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applying a weak organic acid to the biomass to at least partly depolymerize the hemicellulosic and lignin materials in the biomass; drying the weak-acid treated biomass to provide a sufficiently high solids content material as to be pelletized; pelletizing the material from the drying step; and shipping the pelletized material to a second location; at the second location, recovering a cellulosic solids product from the pelletized material; and contacting the cellulosic solids so isolated with a strong mineral acid to hydrolyze the same and provide a hexose product or stream. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of processing a lignocellulosic biomass including cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin fractions, comprising the steps of:
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applying a weak organic acid to the biomass to hydrolyze hemicellulosic and lignin materials in the biomass; in one or more iterations, washing the weak acid-treated material with a solvent or solvent mixture and filtering to separate hemicellulosic and lignin materials in the filtrate and cellulosic materials as a solid residue; drying the solid residue to provide a sufficiently high solids content material as to be pelletized; pelletizing the material from the drying step; shipping the pelletized material to a second location; and at the second location, contacting the cellulosic materials so isolated with a strong mineral acid to hydrolyze the same and provide a hexose product or stream. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32)
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28. A method of processing a lignocellulosic biomass including cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin fractions, comprising the steps of:
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applying a weak organic acid to the biomass to hydrolyze hemicellulosic and lignin materials in the biomass; in one or more iterations, washing the weak organic acid-treated material with a solvent or solvent mixture and filtering to separate hemicellulosic and lignin materials in the filtrate and cellulosic materials as a solid residue; and contacting the cellulosic materials so isolated with a strong mineral acid to hydrolyze the same and provide a hexose product or stream.
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Specification