LIGNOCELLULOSIC BIOMASS HYDROLYSIS WITHOUT ENZYMES OR ACID CATALYSTS

摘要

This specification describes a process of producing a monomeric sugar stream ligno- cellulosic biomass without enzymes or acid catalysts. This is accomplished by removing the water soluble C5 sugars from the ligno-cellulosic biomass feedstream, lowering the pH of the C5 solution with little or no addition of an acid, thermally treating the remaining ligno- cellulosic biomass, combining the thermally treated ligno-cellulosic biomass with the low pH C5 solution and then exposing the mixture to an elevated temperature greater than 80 °C for a time sufficient to hydrolyze at least some of the components of the ligno-cellulosic biomass. Preferably, the thermally treated ligno-cellulosic biomass is subjected to a fiber shives reduction step to reduce the amount of long fiber shives.