Methods and Systems for Saccharification of Biomass
AssigneeSweetwater Energy, Inc.
InventorsSarad Parekh, Carl P. Felice
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Abstract
Provided are methods and compositions for high yields while using reduced enzyme loads in saccharification and fermentation processes. These methods increase the efficiency of enzymes and result in improved yields and composition of saccharification and fermentation end products.
Claims30
A method of producing one or more fermentation end-products from saccharide polymers obtained from a biomass composition comprising cellulose, hemicellulose, and/or lignocellulose, the method comprising:
- (a) pretreating the biomass composition comprising cellulose, hemicellulose, and/or lignocellulose to produce a pretreated biomass composition comprising solid particles that are less than 1.5 mm in size and a first population of saccharide polymers, wherein pretreating comprises:
- (i) hydrating the biomass composition in an aqueous medium to produce a hydrated biomass composition,
- (ii) reducing the hydrated biomass composition by mechanical size reduction to produce solid particles that are less than 1.5 mm in size, and
- (iii) heating the hydrated biomass composition for a time sufficient to produce the pretreated biomass composition comprising the solid particles that are less than 1.5 mm in size and the first population of saccharide polymers;
- and
- (b) hydrolyzing and fermenting the first population of saccharide polymers with one or more microorganisms for a time sufficient to produce the one or more fermentation end-products.
A method of producing one or more fermentation end-products from a biomass composition comprising cellulose, hemicellulose, and/or lignocellulose, the method comprising:
- (a) hydrating the biomass composition in an aqueous medium;
- (b) reducing the biomass composition by a first mechanical size reduction;
- (c) dewatering the biomass composition;
- (d) reducing the biomass composition by a second mechanical size reduction to produce solid particles that are less than 1.5 mm in size;
- (e) hydrolyzing the biomass composition by heating the biomass composition for a time sufficient to produce saccharide polymers;
- (f) hydrolyzing the saccharide polymers with one or more first microorganisms and, optionally, one or more enzymes to produce monosaccharides, and/or disaccharides;
- and
- (g) fermenting the monosaccharides, and/or disaccharides with one or more second microorganisms to produce the one or more fermentation end-products.
A method of producing a first and second population of saccharide polymers from a biomass composition comprising cellulose, hemicellulose, and/or lignocellulose, the method comprising:
- (a) pretreating the biomass composition comprising cellulose, hemicellulose, and/or lignocellulose to produce a pretreated biomass composition comprising solid particles that are less than 1.5 mm in size and a first population of saccharide polymers, wherein pretreating comprises:
- (i) hydrating the biomass composition in an aqueous medium to produce a hydrated biomass composition;
- (ii) reducing the hydrated biomass composition by mechanical size reduction to produce solid particles that are less than 1.5 mm in size, and
- (iii) heating the hydrated biomass composition for a time sufficient to produce the pretreated biomass composition comprising the solid particles that are less than 1.5 mm in size and the first population of saccharide polymers;
- and
- (b) hydrolyzing the solid particles for a time sufficient to produce a second population of saccharide polymers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.