Method for the fractionation of lignocellulosic biomass
First Claim
1. A method of fractionating lignocellulosic biomass material comprising:
- feeding the biomass into a devolatilization reactor to remove volatile components of the biomass and obtain a prepared biomass;
feeding the prepared biomass into a hemicellulose hydrolysis reactor to separate and hydrolyze hemicellulose;
separating the biomass into a first solid component and a liquid component, wherein the liquid component includes hydrolyzed hemicellulose in water or solvent and wherein the first solid component includes cellulose and lignin and has less than about 10% hemicellulose;
feeding the first solid component into a cellulose hydrolysis reactor comprising a continuous superheated steam reactor to hydrolyze and vaporize the cellulose component; and
condensing the vaporized cellulose.
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Abstract
Methods and systems for fractionating lignocellulosic biomass including hemicellulose, cellulose and lignin, including exploding the biomass cells to devolatilize the biomass, hydrolyzing the hemicellulose to produce a liquid component including hemicellulosic sugars and a solid component including less than 10% hemicellulose, separating the liquid and solid components, vaporizing the cellulose in the solid component, and condensing the cellulosic sugar vapors. The methods and systems may vaporize the cellulose in a continuous steam reactor at a temperature of about 400-550° C. and a pressure of about 1-3 bara. Electromagnetic and/or electroacoustic treatment such as ultrasound and/or microwave treatment may be applied to the biomass immediately before or during cellulose hydrolysis.
74 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method of fractionating lignocellulosic biomass material comprising:
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feeding the biomass into a devolatilization reactor to remove volatile components of the biomass and obtain a prepared biomass; feeding the prepared biomass into a hemicellulose hydrolysis reactor to separate and hydrolyze hemicellulose; separating the biomass into a first solid component and a liquid component, wherein the liquid component includes hydrolyzed hemicellulose in water or solvent and wherein the first solid component includes cellulose and lignin and has less than about 10% hemicellulose; feeding the first solid component into a cellulose hydrolysis reactor comprising a continuous superheated steam reactor to hydrolyze and vaporize the cellulose component; and condensing the vaporized cellulose. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification