Process for treating biomass
First Claim
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1. A process comprising:
- contacting biomass with a biomass swelling agent within a vessel under conditions sufficient to swell or rupture at least a portion of the biomass, thereby providing a treated biomass;
removing at least a portion of the swelling agent from a first end of the vessel, while leaving at least a majority of the treated biomass within the vessel;
introducing steam into a second end of the vessel different from the first end; and
contacting the treated biomass left within the vessel with the steam to further remove swelling agent from the first end of the vessel.
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Abstract
This invention is directed to a process for treating biomass. The biomass is treated with a biomass swelling agent within the vessel to swell or rupture at least a portion of the biomass. A portion of the swelling agent is removed from a first end of the vessel following the treatment. Then steam is introduced into a second end of the vessel different from the first end to further remove swelling agent from the vessel in such a manner that the swelling agent exits the vessel at a relatively low water content.
12 Citations
37 Claims
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1. A process comprising:
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contacting biomass with a biomass swelling agent within a vessel under conditions sufficient to swell or rupture at least a portion of the biomass, thereby providing a treated biomass; removing at least a portion of the swelling agent from a first end of the vessel, while leaving at least a majority of the treated biomass within the vessel; introducing steam into a second end of the vessel different from the first end; and contacting the treated biomass left within the vessel with the steam to further remove swelling agent from the first end of the vessel. - 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, 37)
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Specification