| 摘要 |
A system for pre-treating biomass for the production of ethanol is provided. The system supplies biomass to a steaming bin, wherein the biomass is mixed with water, and inputting the steamed biomass to a first pretreatment reactor, wherein the steamed biomass comprises liquids and solids. The system removes a bulk of liquids from the solids and feeding the solids into a second pretreatment reactor. The system applies a pressure drop to the solids in the second pretreatment reactor, wherein the pressure drop opens up a structure of the solids, and sending the solids to a fermentation process for ethanol processing. |
| 主权项 |
1. An apparatus for pre-treating biomass, comprising:
a steaming bin that receives and steams biomass; a first pressurized pretreatment reactor coupled to the steaming bin to receive the steamed biomass; a drainer included in or coupled to the first pressurized pretreatment reactor, wherein the drainer includes a passage for the steamed biomass, a screen adjacent the passage, and an outlet on a side of the screen opposite to the passage, wherein the outlet is configured to pass liquids extracted through the screen from the steamed biomass; a pressurized conduit for the steamed biomass moving from the first pressurized pretreatment reactor, through the drainer and into a second pressurized pretreatment reactor, wherein the steamed biomass remains in the pressurized conduit while moving from the first pressurized pretreatment reactor, through the drainer and into the second pressurized pretreatment reactor; the second pressurized pretreatment reactor that receives the steamed biomass from the pressurized conduit, is configured to processes the biomass in a pH range of 1.3 to 2.0 pH, and includes a pressure release device at or proximate to a discharge of the second pressurized pretreatment reactor, wherein as the steamed biomass passes through the pressure release device cellulosic structures in the steamed biomass are opened due to the pressure drop, and a conduit conveying the steamed biomass with opened cellulosic structures from the pressure release device to at least one of a saccharification process or a fermentation process for ethanol processing. |
