Treating biomass to produce materials useful for biofuels

摘要

Fermentable sugar useful for the production of biofuels can be produced from biomass by contacting the biomass with a solution containing at least one α-hydroxysulfonic acid. The α-hydroxysulfonic acid can be easily removed from the product and recycled.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
(a) providing a biomass containing polysaccharides; (b) providing ethanol; (c) converting at least a portion of ethanol to acetaldehyde thereby producing an acetaldehyde containing product; (d) contacting said acetaldehyde with SO2 and water to produce α-hydroxysulfonic acid; (e) contacting the biomass with a solution containing said α-hydroxysulfonic acid thereby hydrolyzing the biomass to produce at least one fermentable sugar containing product; (f) removing the α-hydroxysulfonic acid in its component form from the fermentable sugar containing product by heating and/or reducing pressure to produce an acid-removed product containing at least one fermentable sugar substantially free of the α-hydroxysulfonic acid.