Process for producing volatile organic compounds from biomass material

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide for production and recovery of ethanol or other volatile organic compounds, such as acetic acid, from solid biomass material. One embodiment comprises introducing a biomass material to a compartment of a solventless recovery system, wherein the biomass material contains one or more volatile organic compounds; contacting the biomass material with a superheated vapor stream in the compartment to vaporize at least a portion of an initial liquid content in the biomass material, said superheated vapor stream comprising at least one volatile organic compound; separating a vapor component and a solid component from the heated biomass material, said vapor component comprising at least one volatile organic compound; and retaining at least a portion of the gas component for use as part of the superheated vapor stream.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.