Loading patent…
AssigneeWerner & Pfleiderer
InventorKlaus-Jurgen Hinger
Estimating the term…
A process for the hydrolysis of cellulose from vegetable raw materials to glucose, particularly using wood as the raw material, comprises conveying the raw material through a hydrolysis zone in finely comminuted form, the raw material being impregnated with dilute acid and at a sufficiently high hydrolysis temperature. The raw material impregnated with dilute acid is supplied in portions and continuously through the hydrolysis zone where it is heated to a hydrolysis temperature of above 250.degree. C. by means of high pressure steam. This takes place in an extremely short time accompanied by a sudden pressure rise. Apparatus for performing this process comprises a tubular reactor having at least one straight pipe through which can be conveyed an endless piston chain. The pistons of this chain form a leakage gap opposite the inner wall of the pipe and, in each case, two adjacent pistons define a piston chamber. A high pressure steam line is arranged to issue approximately into the center of the pipe.
A process for preparing glucose by the hydrolysis of cellulose from vegetable raw materials, said raw material being in a finely comminuted form and impregnated with dilute acid, comprising providing a plurality of movable chambers, supplying the raw material to more than one of the chambers so that the raw material is supplied in small separate portions, providing an enclosed hydrolysis zone, supplying high pressure steam to the hydrolysis zone to heat the hydrolysis zone to a temperature of above 250.degree. C., conveying the raw material in one of the chambers into and out of the hydrolysis zone so that said raw material is in contact with the high pressure steam in said hydrolysis zone for less than 2.5 seconds.
In an apparatus for preparing glucose by the hydrolysis of cellulose from vegetable raw materials, said raw material being finely comminuted from and impregnated with dilute acid, a tubular reactor comprising at least one straight pipe, an endless piston chain adapted to be conveyed through said pipe, said piston chain having a plurality of pistons spaced a predetermined distance apart, each piston of said chain forming a leakage gap opposite the inner wall of said pipe, two adjacent pistons defining a chamber a hydrolysis zone formed by said straight pipe, a high pressure steam line issuing approximately into the center of said pipe and into said hydrolysis zone, means to drive said piston chain at a predetermined speed wherein the spaced pistons are moved through the hydrolysis zone straight pipe such that the residence time of the material in the hydrolysis zone is less than 2.5 seconds.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.