TWO-STAGE CHEMI-MECHANICAL PRETREATMENT FOR LIGNOCELLULOSIC BIOMASS

摘要

A process for pretreating lignocellulosic biomass that increases monomeric sugar yields in subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis and reduces specific energy consumption during production of the hydrolysable material. The pretreatment includes a chemical treatment followed by a mechanical size reduction such as a disc refining step, and includes a second chemical treatment, harsher than the first, which may precede or follow the size reduction.

主权项

1. A method for treating a cellulose-containing material, the method comprising the steps of:
(A) (a) providing a first mixture comprising the material and an aqueous first acid having a first concentration; and
(b) subjecting the first mixture to a first dilute acid treatment under a first set of conditions comprising a first treatment temperature; (B) (a) subsequent to step (A), forming a second mixture comprising material treated in step (A) and an aqueous second acid having a second concentration; and
(b) subjecting the second mixture to a second dilute acid treatment under a second set of conditions comprising a second treatment temperature,wherein at least one of the following conditions is met:
(i) the second treatment temperature is greater than the first treatment temperature;(ii) the second concentration is greater than the first concentration; and(iii) the mixture of step (A)(a) has a consistency that is greater than the consistency of the mixture step (B)(a); and (C) subsequent to step (A), subjecting the material to mechanical size reduction.