Pre-treatment of bales of feedstock
AssigneeIogen Energy Corporation
InventorBrian Foody
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention is directed to a method of pre-treating a lignocellulosic feedstock. The lignocellulosic feedstock comprises cereal straw, stover, or grass. One or more than one bale of lignocellulosic feedstock is conveyed into a pre-treatment reactor. Steam and acid are added to the bales and are maintained at a temperature, acid concentration, and for a time sufficient to hydrolyze hemicellulose to xylose and increase susceptibility of cellulose to digestion by cellulase enzymes, thus producing a pre-treated feedstock. The pre-treated feedstock is then removed from the pre-treatment reactor.
Claims18
A method for conversion of a lignocellulosic feedstock to glucose comprising the steps of:
- a. conveying one or more than one bale of the lignocellulosic feedstock into a pre-treatment reactor;
- b. adding steam and acid to the bale, the steam and acid maintained at a temperature, acid concentration, and for a time sufficient to hydrolyze hemicellulose to xylose and increase susceptibility of cellulose to digestion by cellulase enzymes, to produce a pre-treated feedstock;
- c. depressurizing the pre-treatment reactor;
- d. removing the pre-treated feedstock from the pre-treatment reactor;
- and
- e. hydrolysing the pre-treated feedstock using cellulase enzymes to produce glucose.
A method for pre-treating a lignocellulosic feedstock comprising the steps of:
- a. conveying one or more than one bale of lignocellulosic feedstock into a pre-treatment reactor, the lignocellulosic feedstock comprising cereal straw, stover, or grass;
- b. adding steam and acid to the bale, the steam and acid maintained at a temperature, acid concentration, and for a time sufficient to hydrolyze hemicellulose to xylose and increase susceptibility of cellulose to digestion by cellulase enzymes, to produce a pre-treated feedstock;
- c. depressurizing the pre-treatment reactor;
- and
- d. removing the pre-treated feedstock from the pre-treatment reactor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.