Method for the production of concentrated alcohol from fermentation broths
First Claim
1. A method for obtaining a concentrated alcohol solution from a lignocellulosic feedstock, said method comprising the steps of:
- (i) producing a fermentable sugar solution comprising ammonium salts or a combination of ammonium salts and ammonia, wherein at least a portion of the fermentable sugar solution arises from hydrolyzing the lignocellulosic feedstock;
(ii) fermenting the sugar solution to produce a fermentation broth comprising alcohol and at least about 1 g ammonium ions/kg fermentation broth;
(iii) concentrating the alcohol in the fermentation broth by distillation to produce an alcohol-enriched vapour; and
(iv) reducing the concentration of ammonia in said alcohol-enriched vapour by acid addition, before or during the distillation and then further concentrating alcohol present in said alcohol-rich vapour by an azeotrope breaking process to obtain the concentrated alcohol solution.
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Abstract
A method for obtaining a concentrated alcohol solution from a lignocellulosic feedstock. The lignocellulosic feedstock is hydrolyzed to prepare a sugar solution. The sugar solution is fermented to produce a fermentation broth comprising alcohol and at least about 1 g ammonium ions/kg fermentation broth. The alcohol in the fermentation broth is then concentrated by distillation to produce an alcohol-enriched vapour. Either before distillation, during distillation or during the azeotrope breaking process, the concentration of ammonia in the alcohol-enriched vapour can be reduced by acid addition to at most about 300 ppm. The alcohol in the alcohol-rich vapour is then further concentrated by an azeotrope breaking process to provide the concentrated alcohol solution.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. A method for obtaining a concentrated alcohol solution from a lignocellulosic feedstock, said method comprising the steps of:
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(i) producing a fermentable sugar solution comprising ammonium salts or a combination of ammonium salts and ammonia, wherein at least a portion of the fermentable sugar solution arises from hydrolyzing the lignocellulosic feedstock; (ii) fermenting the sugar solution to produce a fermentation broth comprising alcohol and at least about 1 g ammonium ions/kg fermentation broth; (iii) concentrating the alcohol in the fermentation broth by distillation to produce an alcohol-enriched vapour; and (iv) reducing the concentration of ammonia in said alcohol-enriched vapour by acid addition, before or during the distillation and then further concentrating alcohol present in said alcohol-rich vapour by an azeotrope breaking process to obtain the concentrated alcohol solution. - 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, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A method for obtaining a concentrated alcohol solution from a lignocellulosic feedstock, said method comprising the steps of:
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(i) producing a fermentable sugar solution comprising ammonia or ammonium salts, wherein at least a portion of the fermentable sugar solution arises from hydrolyzing the lignocellulosic feedstock; (ii) fermenting the sugar solution to produce a fermentation broth comprising alcohol and at least about 1.0 g/kg ammonium ions; (iii) concentrating the alcohol in the fermentation broth by distillation to produce an alcohol-enriched vapour; and (iv) reducing the concentration of ammonia in said alcohol-enriched vapour by acid addition, before or during the distillation, to at most about 300 ppm, and then further concentrating alcohol present in said alcohol-rich vapour by an azeotrope breaking process to obtain the concentrated alcohol solution.
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Specification