Processes for extraction of sugar from sugar-bearing plant material
AssigneeDow Brasil Sudeste Industrial Ltda.
InventorsAbel Oliveira, Yuri Alencar
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Abstract
The invention provides processes for the extraction of sugar from sugar-bearing plant material such as sugar cane. Accordingly, in one aspect of the invention, a process for extracting sugar from sugar-bearing plant material comprises contacting the sugar-bearing plant material with an extractant solution comprising water and a surfactant; and separating the extractant solution from the sugar-bearing plant material. One example of a suitable surfactant is a poly(alkylene oxide) polymer such as a poly(propylene oxide) polymer, a poly(ethylene oxide) polymer, or a poly(propylene oxide)/(ethylene oxide) copolymer.
Claims18
A process for extracting sugar from sugar-bearing plant material, the process comprising:
- contacting the sugar-bearing plant material with an extractant solution comprising water, an organic solvent, and a surfactant;
- and
- separating the extractant solution from the sugar-bearing plant material,
- wherein the sugar-bearing plant material is from the grass family,
- wherein the surfactant is a poly(alkylene oxide) copolymer and has ethylene oxide units in the range of about 5 wt % to about 85 wt % of formula (I):
- in which each of x and y are greater than zero, and
- wherein the surfactant is used to increase extraction efficiency.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.