Conditioning of biomass for improved C5/C6 sugar release prior to fermentation
First Claim
1. In a process for C5 and C6 sugar recovery from lignocellulosic biomass for fermentation to ethanol, including the steps of pretreatment of the biomass with steam at elevated temperature and pressure, collection of C5 sugars from hemicellulose breakdown, cellulose hydrolysis and collection of C6 sugars from cellulose breakdown,the improvement comprisingconditioning of the biomass prior to the pretreatment step by:
- heating the biomass with steam for a time period between 5 minutes to 60 minutes to achieve a steam treated biomass having a temperature of about 80 to 100°
C.; and
adjusting a moisture content of the steam treated biomass to about 45% to 80% by weight.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed is an improvement in a conventional process for C5 and C6 sugar recovery from lignocellulosic biomass for fermentation to ethanol, which process including the conventional steps of pretreatment of the biomass with steam at elevated temperature and pressure, collection of C5 sugars from hemicellulose breakdown, cellulose hydrolysis and collection of C6 sugars from cellulose breakdown. The improvement includes conditioning of the biomass prior to the pretreatment step by heating the biomass with steam for a time period between 5 minutes to 60 minutes to achieve a steam treated biomass having a temperature of about 80 to 100° C.; and adjusting a moisture content of the steam treated biomass to about 45% to 80%. An increased recovery of C5 and C6 sugars is achieved compared to the conventional process.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. In a process for C5 and C6 sugar recovery from lignocellulosic biomass for fermentation to ethanol, including the steps of pretreatment of the biomass with steam at elevated temperature and pressure, collection of C5 sugars from hemicellulose breakdown, cellulose hydrolysis and collection of C6 sugars from cellulose breakdown,
the improvement comprising conditioning of the biomass prior to the pretreatment step by: -
heating the biomass with steam for a time period between 5 minutes to 60 minutes to achieve a steam treated biomass having a temperature of about 80 to 100°
C.; andadjusting a moisture content of the steam treated biomass to about 45% to 80% by weight. - 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)
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Specification