PROCESSING CELLULOSIC MATERIAL UTILIZING ATMOSPHERIC-PRESSURE PLASMA

摘要

Cellulosic material is treated by atmospheric-pressure (AP) plasma to enhance processes for extracting sugars from cellulosic material and fermenting sugars into alcohol's or other chemicals. In one example, the AP plasma treatment is utilized to improve the release, activation or production of glucose and conversion of glucose to ethanol. The AP plasma treatment may be performed in conjunction with other processes such as depolymerization or degradation, for example hydrolysis, as well as fermentation. The AP plasma treatment may be performed as a substitute for pretreatment processes such as steam explosion, and in some implementations is sufficiently effective to serve as a substitute for hydrolytic processes or at least as an enhancement to hydrolytic processes or other depolymerization or degradation processes.