Method for the separation of acid from sugars
AssigneeControlled Environmental Systems Corporation
InventorLawrence J. Russo, Jr.
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Abstract
A method for separating acid and sugars obtained from liquids resulting from the acid hydrolysis of a material containing at least one of cellulose and hemicellulose is disclosed, comprising adding the liquids to a separation unit comprising a bed of anionic exchange or exclusion chromatographic material whereby the acid is adsorbed onto the chromatographic material, thereby producing a series of first fractions comprising sugar solutions and a later series of fractions comprising acid solutions. A process for an economical, energy efficient production of ethanol from municipal solid waste and other cellulosic feedstocks is also disclosed.
Claims5
A method for producing ethanol from a material comprising at least one of cellulose and hemicellulose, comprising:
- (a) hydrolyzing with acid the material comprising at least one of cellulose and hemicellulose to obtain a soluble and insoluble component;
- (b) separating the soluble and insoluble components obtained in step (a);
- (c) separating the soluble component obtained in step (b) into an acid containing solution and a sugar containing solution by continuous ion exchange or exclusion chromatography using a simulated moving bed apparatus containing an anionic exchange or exclusion chromatographic material;
- (d) treating the sugar containing solution with lime to neutralize any residual acid and precipitate heavy metals;
- (e) concentrating the sugar containing solution obtained in step (d) to about 10-22% sugar;
- (f) fermenting with yeast the solution obtained in step (e) to give a beer;
- (g) optionally removing the yeast from the beer obtained in step (f);
- (h) distilling the ethanol from the beer obtained in step (g);
- (i) drying the insoluble component obtained in step (b);
- (j) burning the dry insoluble component obtained in step (i) as a fuel to provide heat for the distillation of ethanol in step (h) from the filtered beer obtained in step (g);
- and
- (k) concentrating the acid containing solution obtained in step (c).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.