# US 8,771,426 B2 · Process for recovering sugars from a pretreatment stream of lignocellulosic biomass

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- Number: US 8,771,426 B2
- Document ID: US8771426B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/817,865
- Filed: 2011-09-29
- Published: 2013-06-13
- Granted: 2014-07-08
- Earliest claimed: 2010-09-29
- Assignees: Beta Renewables S.p.A.
- Applicants: Piero Ottonello; Simone Ferrero; Paolo Torre; Francesco Cherchi; Danilo Defaveri
- Inventors: Piero Ottonello; Simone Ferrero; Paolo Torre; Francesco Cherchi; Danilo Defaveri
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8771426B2

## CPC

- C08B 1/003: {Preparation of cellulose solutions, i.e. dopes, with different possible solvents, e.g. ionic liquids (solutions used in the manufacture of monocomponent artificial filaments or cellulose or derivatives thereof D01F2/02)}
- D21B 1/02: Pretreatment of the raw materials by chemical or physical means (removal of bark B27L)
- D21B 1/12: by wet methods, by the use of steam (beaters D21D1/00)
- D21B 1/36: Explosive disintegration by sudden pressure reduction
- D21C 1/00: Pretreatment of the finely-divided materials before digesting (of waste paper D21C5/02)
- C08B: POLYSACCHARIDES; DERIVATIVES THEREOF (polysaccharides containing less than six saccharide radicals attached to each other by glycosidic linkages C07H; fermentation or enzyme-using processes C12P19/00; sugar industry C13; production of cellulose D21)
- D21B: FIBROUS RAW MATERIALS OR THEIR MECHANICAL TREATMENT
- D21C: PRODUCTION OF CELLULOSE BY REMOVING NON-CELLULOSE SUBSTANCES FROM CELLULOSE-CONTAINING MATERIALS; REGENERATION OF PULPING LIQUORS; APPARATUS THEREFOR

## Abstract

The process is for pretreating a lignocellulosic biomass feedstock and comprises: soaking a lignocellulosic biomass feedstock wherein the soaked biomass is present as a mixture with a free liquid and wherein the free liquid comprises at least one dissolved compound selected from the group consisting of glucose, xylose and respective oligomers thereof, washing the mixture of the soaked biomass and the free liquid, wherein at least a portion of the free liquid containing at least one dissolved compound selected from the group consisting of glucose, xylose and respective oligomers thereof is separated from the soaked biomass to create a soaked washed biomass and at least one free liquid stream, compressing the soaked biomass to create a released liquid, separating the released liquid from the soaked biomass, and keeping at least a portion of the released liquid separate from any free liquid.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A process for the pretreatment of a lignocellulosic biomass feedstock wherein the process is comprised of
A) soaking a lignocellulosic biomass feedstock wherein the soaked biomass is present as a mixture with a free liquid that is present in a state of matter selected from the group consisting of vapor and liquid states of matter and wherein the free liquid comprises at least one dissolved compound selected from the group consisting of glucose, xylose and respective oligomers thereof,
B) washing the mixture of the soaked biomass and the free liquid, wherein at least a portion of the free liquid containing at least one dissolved compound selected from the group consisting of glucose, xylose and respective oligomers thereof is separated from the soaked biomass to create a soaked washed biomass and at least one free liquid stream,
C) compressing the soaked washed biomass at a compression ratio to create a released liquid,
D) separating the released liquid from the soaked washed biomass, and
E) keeping at least a portion of the released liquid separate from any free liquid.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the soaking is conducted in a soaking reactor and at least a portion of the released liquid is introduced into the soaking reactor.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The process according to claim 2, wherein the separation of the portion of the free liquid from the soaked biomass is performed at more than one location prior to the compressing step.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The process according to claim 3, wherein there is more than one washing step prior to the compressing step.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The process according to claim 2, wherein there is more than one washing step prior to the compressing step.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the ratio of the amount of liquid in the biomass feedstock plus the amount of liquid added to the amount of dry matter is within the range of 0.5:1 to 10:1.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the ratio of the weight of free liquid removed to the amount of compressed liquid removed is in the range of 1:1 to 5:1.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the separation of the portion of the free liquid from the soaked biomass is performed at more than one location prior to the compressing step.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein there is more than one washing step prior to the compressing step.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the compression ratio applied to the soaked washed biomass is within the range of 1.5 to 10.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the soaking is performed at a pressure of at least 1.5 bar and at a temperature of at least 110 degrees Celsius to create a soaked biomass.