Method for continuous countercurrent ogranosolv saccharification of comminuted lignocellulosic materials
First Claim
1. In a method for continuous organosolv treatment of a comminuted lignocellulose material containing naturally occurring water in a reaction vessel, wherein the lignocellulose material is contacted at elevated temperatures with a mixture of an organic solvent, water and a catalytic amount of an acid as a cooking liquor which facilitates the dissolution of the lignocellulose material, the improvement which comprises:
- (a) introducing the lignocellulosic material into the vessel through a first inlet in countercurrent flow to the cooking liquor such that in a first zone of the vessel mainly lignin and hemicellulosic sugars are dissolved from the lignocellulosic material leaving a remaining cellulose and such that in a second zone of the vessel spaced from the first zone mainly oligomeric sugars are formed from the remaining cellulose;
(b) introducing the cooking liquor through a second inlet into the second zone in the vessel in countercurrent flow to the lignocellulosic material at a first temperature T1 in the vessel and removing the cooling liquor in the first zone from a first outlet from the vessel at a temperature T2 lower than T1, wherein the water in the comminuted lignocellulosic material introduced into the first zone dilutes the cooking liquor and provides the temperature T1 for dissolution of the lignin and hemicelluloses in the first zone which are removed from the first zone through the first outlet; and
(c) rapidly cooling the cooking liquor after removing the cooking liquor from the vessel wherein the lignin remains dissolved in the cooking liquor during the cooling.
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Abstract
A method for the continuous countercurrent production of lignins and sugars from wood and other ligno cellulosic materials by organosolv delignification or saccharification at elevated temperatures and pressures is disclosed. The novel method comprises: (a) continuously introducing comminuted lignocellulose materials with a natural mositure content into a reaction vessel from one end; (b) continuously introducing a cooking liquor comprising a major proportion of organic solvent, a minor proportion of water, and a slight amount of inorganic acid countercurrently into the reaction vessel from the opposite end; (c) causing the comminuted lignocellulosic material to be contacted by the cooking liquor; and (d) continuously withdrawing cooking liquor from the reaction vessel after it has commingled with and has dissolved sugars and lignin and other substances from the comminuted lignocellulosic material.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. In a method for continuous organosolv treatment of a comminuted lignocellulose material containing naturally occurring water in a reaction vessel, wherein the lignocellulose material is contacted at elevated temperatures with a mixture of an organic solvent, water and a catalytic amount of an acid as a cooking liquor which facilitates the dissolution of the lignocellulose material, the improvement which comprises:
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(a) introducing the lignocellulosic material into the vessel through a first inlet in countercurrent flow to the cooking liquor such that in a first zone of the vessel mainly lignin and hemicellulosic sugars are dissolved from the lignocellulosic material leaving a remaining cellulose and such that in a second zone of the vessel spaced from the first zone mainly oligomeric sugars are formed from the remaining cellulose; (b) introducing the cooking liquor through a second inlet into the second zone in the vessel in countercurrent flow to the lignocellulosic material at a first temperature T1 in the vessel and removing the cooling liquor in the first zone from a first outlet from the vessel at a temperature T2 lower than T1, wherein the water in the comminuted lignocellulosic material introduced into the first zone dilutes the cooking liquor and provides the temperature T1 for dissolution of the lignin and hemicelluloses in the first zone which are removed from the first zone through the first outlet; and (c) rapidly cooling the cooking liquor after removing the cooking liquor from the vessel wherein the lignin remains dissolved in the cooking liquor during the cooling. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of dissolving lignin and sugar substances from comminuted lignocellulosic material at elevated temperatures and pressures comprising:
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(a) introducing comminuted lignocellulosic material into a reaction vessel; (b) introducing a cooking liquor comprising a major proportion of organic solvent, a minor proportion of water, and a catalytically effective amount of inorganic acid into the reaction vessel; (c) causing the comminuted lignocellulosic material to be contacted by and dissolved in the cooking liquor wherein the flow of cooking liquor is countercurrent to the flow of lignocellulosic material; (d) withdrawing cooking liquor from the reaction vessel after the liquor has hydrolyzed and dissolved a substantial amount of the sugars, lignin and other substances in the comminuted lignocellulosic material; and (e) rapidly cooling the cooking liquor wherein the lignin remains dissolved in the cooking liquor during the cooling. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification