METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COOLING PRETREATED BIOMASS PRIOR TO MIXING WITH ENZYMES

摘要

A method to treat biomass, e.g., lignocellulosic material, including: performing a pretreatment step on the biomass and discharging the pretreated biomass; in at least a first enzymatic hydrolysis reactor producing a liquefaction material, recirculating at least a portion of the liquefaction material from the at least first reactor to a location upstream of the addition of the enzymes as at least a portion of the coolant for the hot pretreated biomass.

主权项

1. A method for treating biomass material, comprising:
subjecting the biomass material to a pretreatment step to produce a pretreated biomass; cooling and adjusting the pH of the pretreated biomass by adding cooling liquid and pH controlling material to obtain a cooled and pH controlled pretreated biomass having a temperature and pH sufficient to allow enzymatic hydrolysis of the cooled and pH adjusted pretreated biomass; subjecting the cooled and pH controlled pretreated biomass to a first enzymatic hydrolysis step to produce a liquefaction material in an at least first vessel; contacting at least a portion of the liquefaction material with the pretreated biomass obtained from the pretreatment step as at least a portion of the cooling liquid to cool the pretreated biomass, wherein the liquefaction material is cooled prior to being used as at least a portion of the cooling liquid; and transferring a second portion of the liquefaction material to undergo further enzymatic hydrolysis.