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Flow-through biological conversion of lignocellulosic biomass

Patent ·
OSTI ID:1136637
The present invention is directed to a process for biologically converting carbohydrates from lignocellulosic biomass comprising the steps of: suspending lignocellulosic biomass in a flow-through reactor, passing a reaction solution into the reactor, wherein the solution is absorbed into the biomass substrate and at least a portion of the solution migrates through said biomass substrate to a liquid reservoir, recirculating the reaction solution in the liquid reservoir at least once to be absorbed into and migrate through the biomass substrate again. The biological converting of the may involve hydrolyzing cellulose, hemicellulose, or a combination thereof to form oligosaccharides, monomelic sugars, or a combination thereof; fermenting oligosaccharides, monomelic sugars, or a combination thereof to produce ethanol, or a combination thereof. The process can further comprise removing the reaction solution and processing the solution to separate the ethanol produced from non-fermented solids.
Research Organization:
Mascoma Corporation, Waltham, MA (USA)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
FC36-07GO17057
Assignee:
Mascoma Corporation (Waltham, MA)
Patent Number(s):
8,765,428
Application Number:
13/054,750
OSTI ID:
1136637
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (2)

Recycling Cellulases during the Hydrolysis of Steam Exploded and Ethanol Pretreated Lodgepole Pine journal August 2007
Column cellulose hydrolysis reactor: An efficient cellulose hydrolysis reactor with continuous cellulase recycling journal December 1986