PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF ALCOHOLS AND/OR SOLVENTS FROM PAPERMAKING PULPS WITH RECYCLING OF NON-HYDROLYZED VEGETATION

• US 20140242657A1
• Filed: 05/05/2014
• Published: 08/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: IFP Energies Nouvelles
• Original Assignee: IFP Energies Nouvelles
• Inventors: ROPARS, Marcel, AYMARD, Caroline
• Application Number:
  US14/269,486
• Publication Number:
  US 20140242657A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/150
• 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: C12P 7/14 Multiple stages of fermentation; Multiple types of microorganisms or re-use of microorganisms
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/16 Butanols
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/28 Acetone-containing products
• 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

This invention describes a process for the production of alcohols and/or solvents from cellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass that comprises at least the following stages:

• • a) Alkaline chemical pretreatment based on sodium sulfate of a cellulosic or lignocellulosic substrate;
  • b) Washing of the pretreated substrate;
  • c) Enzymatic hydrolysis of the substrate that is pretreated and washed using cellulolytic and/or hemicellulolytic enzymes that produce a hydrolyzate and a water-insoluble residue;
  • d) Microorganism fermentation of the hydrolyzate that is obtained from stage c) and production of a fermentation must that contains at least one alcohol and/or solvent;
  • e) Separation/purification of alcohol and/or solvent, and
  • f) Separation of a cake that contains the insoluble residue, in which at least a portion of the cake that is obtained in stage f) is recycled upstream from the pretreatment stage a) and/or upstream from the washing stage b).

Claims

1-14. -14. (canceled)

15. A process for the production of alcohols and/or solvents from cellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass that comprises at least the following stages:

a) Alkaline chemical pretreatment based on sodium sulfate of a cellulosic or lignocellulosic substrate;

b) Washing of the pretreated substrate;

c) Enzymatic hydrolysis of the substrate that is pretreated and washed using cellulolytic and/or hemicellulolytic enzymes that produce a hydrolyzate and a water-insoluble residue;

d) Microorganism fermentation of the hydrolyzate that is obtained from stage c) and production of a fermentation must that contains at least one alcohol and/or solvent;

e) Separation/purification of alcohol and/or solvent, and

f) Separation of a cake that contains the water-insoluble residue,

in which at least a portion of the cake that is obtained in stage f) is recycled upstream from the pretreatment stage a) and also upstream from the washing stage b).

16. The production process according to claim 15, in which at least one fraction that represents between 0 and 100% of the cake is sent upstream from the pretreatment stage a).

17. The process according to claim 16, in which the fraction represents between 20 and 100% of the cake.

18. The process according to claim 15, in which at least one fraction that represents up to 95% of the cake is sent upstream from the washing stage b).

19. The process Process according to claim 18, in which the fraction represents up to 80% of the cake.

20. The process according to claim 15, in which at least one fraction that represents up to 80% of the cake is directly discharged without recycling.

21. The process according to claim 20, in which the fraction represents less than 15% of the cake.

22. The process according to claim 15, in which the pretreatment stage a) is carried out at a temperature of between 150 and 180°

C.

23. The process according to claim 15, in which stage c) for enzymatic hydrolysis is carried out by means cellulases and/or hemicellulases that are produced by a microorganism that is a fungus that belongs to the genera Trichoderma, Aspergillus, Penicillium or Schizophyllum, or an anaerobic bacteria that belongs to the genus Clostridium.

24. The process according to claim 15, in which stages c) and d) are coupled in the same reactor.

25. The process according to claim 15, in which stage c) is carried out in such a way that between 20 and 90%—

of the cellulose that is contained in the pretreated and washed substrate is converted into glucose.

26. The process according to claim 15, in which the alcohol that is obtained at the end of stage e) is ethanol.

27. The process according to claim 15, in which the solvent that is obtained at the end of stage e) is an acetone-butanol-ethanol mixture.

28. The process according to claim 16, in which stage f) for separation of the cake is carried out downstream from stages c), d) and/or e) and optionally is coupled to a washing of the cake.