PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF BIOFUEL FROM PLANT MATERIALS

摘要

Disclosed is a method for the treatment of plant biomass, comprising: (a) in a first stage extraction process, contacting the plant biomass with an aqueous ethanol solution at a first elevated temperature of between 170°C and 210°C and a first elevated pressure of between 19-30 barg (2000-3100 kPa) for a period of time sufficient to produce plant pulp material and a liquid mixture comprising ethanol, ethanol-soluble lignin and water; (b) separating the plant pulp material from the liquid mixture and recovering the ethanol-soluble lignin from the liquid mixture; (c) in a second stage extraction process, contacting the plant pulp material separated from the first stage extraction process with water at a second elevated temperature of between 160°C and 220°C and a second elevated pressure of between 12-25 barg (1300-2600 kPa) for a period of time sufficient to solubilize hemicellulose sugars from the plant pulp material and produce an aqueous product stream containing water soluble sugars and a resulting plant pulp material; and (d) separating the aqueous product stream from the resulting plant pulp material.