A method of treating biomass having fermentable material is provided utilizing acid hydrolysis in a countercurrent diffusion treatment structure By practicing the invention acid usage is minimized, pentose concentration in the hydrolysate solution is maximized, and ethanol, butanol, butanediol, and the alcohols can be produced without the input of any external energy whatsoever into the production method Biomass is particlized and slurried, and then is continuously subjected to acid hydrolysis at temperature, acid concentration, and residence time conditions sufficient to effect hydrolysis of the hemicellulose in the biomass to effect separation of pentose and hexose sugars into a hydrolysate having insufficient furfural to substantially inhibit fermentation microorganism growth, while not substantially hydrolyzing the cellulose in the biomass Fermentation of the pentose and hexose sugars in the hydrolysate may then be effected, and alcohol produced from the fermented pentose and hexose sugars utilizing conventional techniques Hydrolysis is practiced in an upright diffusion vessel with countercurrent flow, the acid concentration being about 2 to 10%, the temperature in the vessel being about 120° C or less, the residence time of the biomass in the vessel being about 1 to 3 hours, the biomass solids to liquid ratio being about 20/100 to 40/100 on a volume basis, and the particle size of the biomass being about 1-4 mm

Method of treating wood during distillation.

Acid hydrolysis of biomass for alcohol production

Biomass slurry is hydrolyzed in a fuel fired hydrolysis heater. When the biomass is fruit waste, the organic acid in the waste is used as the hydrolysis catalyst. When the biomass does not contain organic acid, carbon dioxide generated in a fermenter is fed to the hydrolysis heater as carbonic acid to provide the catalyst. Solids are separated from the hydrolyzed effluent, and flue gas from the hydrolysis heater is used to dry same. The effluent is fermented and subsequently distilled at substantially atmospheric pressure to produce ethyl alcohol vapor. The vapor is fed to a vacuum distillation tower for producing anhydrous ethyl alcohol. Vacuum distillation tower bottoms provide the reflux for the atmospheric distillation unit. A portion of the stillage from the atmospheric distillation unit is recycled by mixing with new feedstock. The remaining stillage is evaporated to a syrup, mixed with unreacted solids, and dried to produce an animal feed byproduct.

Method for producing ethanol from biomass

This invention relates to a process for the preparation of sugar solutions in such clarified state that they are well adapted for fermentation or like treatment to produce organic compounds such as acetone, butyl alcohol, acetic acid and the like. It relates more especially to the preparation...

Preparation of clarified sugar solutions

This invention relates to a method for culturing aerobic fungi of the genus Penicillium and particularly to a method whereby high concentrations of penicillin are produced in the culture mixture. The production of penicillin on a commercial scale has been described briefly in the literature....

Method for producing penicillin by mold culture

The present invention relates to fermentation of carbohydrates to alcohols and it relates more particularly to the fermentation of carbohydrates to butyl alcohol and acetone. An object of the present invention is to provide a new and useful process for the fermentation of carbohydrates to...

Method of treating wood during distillation.

Citations

Acid hydrolysis of biomass for alcohol production

Method for producing ethanol from biomass

Preparation of clarified sugar solutions

Method for producing penicillin by mold culture

Method of sterilizing carbohydrates and apparatus therefor

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