Hydrolysis and fractionation of lignocellulosic biomass

Patent · Fri Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1999

OSTI ID:872843

Torget, Robert W ^[1]; Padukone, Nandan ^[2]; Hatzis, Christos ^[2]; Wyman, Charles E ^[3]

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1. Littleton, CO
2. Denver, CO
3. Lakewood, CO

A multi-function process is described for the hydrolysis and fractionation of lignocellulosic biomass to separate hemicellulosic sugars from other biomass components such as extractives and proteins; a portion of the solubilized lignin; cellulose; glucose derived from cellulose; and insoluble lignin from said biomass comprising one or more of the following: optionally, as function 1, introducing a dilute acid of pH 1.0-5.0 into a continual shrinking bed reactor containing a lignocellulosic biomass material at a temperature of about 94 to about 160.degree. C. for a period of about 10 to about 120 minutes at a volumetric flow rate of about 1 to about 5 reactor volumes to effect solubilization of extractives, lignin, and protein by keeping the solid to liquid ratio constant throughout the solubilization process; as function 2, introducing a dilute acid of pH 1.0-5.0, either as virgin acid or an acidic stream from another function, into a continual shrinking bed reactor containing either fresh biomass or the partially fractionated lignocellulosic biomass material from function 1 at a temperature of about 94-220.degree. C. for a period of about 10 to about 60 minutes at a volumetric flow rate of about 1 to about 5 reactor volumes to effect solubilization of hemicellulosic sugars, semisoluble sugars and other compounds, and amorphous glucans by keeping the solid to liquid ratio constant throughout the solubilization process; as function 3, optionally, introducing a dilute acid of pH 1.0-5.0 either as virgin acid or an acidic stream from another function, into a continual shrinking bed reactor containing the partially fractionated lignocellulosic biomass material from function 2 at a temperature of about 180-280.degree. C. for a period of about 10 to about 60 minutes at a volumetric flow rate of 1 to about 5 reactor volumes to effect solubilization of cellulosic sugars by keeping the solid to liquid ratio constant throughout the solubilization process; and as function 4, optionally, introducing a dilute acid of pH 1.0-5.0 either as virgin acid or an acidic stream from another function, into a continual shrinking bed reactor containing the partially fractionated lignocellulosic biomass material from function 3 at a temperature of about 180-280.degree. C. for a period of about 10 to about 60 minutes at a volumetric flow rate of about 1 to about 5 reactor volumes to effect solubilization of cellulosic sugars by keeping the solid to liquid ratio constant throughout the solubilization process.

• Research Organization: Midwest Research Institute
• DOE Contract Number: AC36-83CH10093
• Assignee: Midwest Research Institute (Kansas City, MO)
• Patent Number(s): US 6022419
• OSTI ID: 872843
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/127/435/999/
0-5
10
120
160
180-280
60
94
94-220
acid
acidic
amorphous
bed
bed reactor
biomass
biomass components
biomass comprising
biomass material
cellulose
cellulosic
cellulosic sugars
components
compounds
comprising
constant
containing
continual
degree
derived
described
dilute
dilute acid
effect
extractives
flow
flow rate
following
fractionated
fractionation
fresh
function
glucans
glucose
hemicellulosic
hemicellulosic sugars
hydrolysis
insoluble
introducing
keeping
lignin
lignocellulosic
lignocellulosic biomass
liquid
material
minutes
multi-function
multi-function process
optionally
partially
period
ph
portion
process
protein
proteins
rate
ratio
reactor
reactor containing
semisoluble
separate
separate hemicellulosic
shrinking
solid
solubilization
solubilized
stream
sugars
temperature
throughout
virgin
volumes
volumetric
volumetric flow