Abstract:
A process for concurrent production of lignins, fuel alcohol, and biogas from lignocellulosic feedstocks. The process comprises: (1) pretreating a lignocellulosic feedstock to produce a solubilised liquid components stream comprising lignins, lignin-derived compounds, and a cellulosic pulp stream, (2) separating the liquid stream from the cellulosic pulp stream, (3) processing the liquid stream to separate and recover at least lignins, lignin-derived compounds, and semi-solid waste material, (b) processing the cellulosic pulp stream to saccharify and ferment the cellulose pulp to produce a beer which is then separated into fuel-grade alcohol and a waste stillage material, (4) anaerobically digesting the semi-solid waste material from the liquid stream and the waste stillage material to produce a biogas. The rate of anaerobic digestion can be manipulated by controllably supplying a portion of the monosaccharides produced from the cellulosic pulp. The cellulosic pulp stream may also be anaerobically digested.
Abstract:
The present invention provides hardwood derivatives of native lignin having an aliphatic hydroxyl content of from about 5.2 mmol/g to about 7 mmol/g. Surprisingly, it has been found that consistent and predictable antioxidant activity may be provided by selecting for derivatives of native lignin having a certain aliphatic hydroxyl content.
Abstract:
The present disclosure related to Organosolv processes for recovery of lignin derivatives from lignocellulosid feedstocks chosen from i) hardwood, ii) softwood, and iii) annual fibre. The lignin derivatives from each of these feedstocks have a certain aliphatic hydroxyl content. Specifically, i) 2.35 mmol/g or less from hardwood; ii) 7.0 mmol/g or less from softwood, and iii) 1.00 to 3.75 mmol/g from annual fibre. Stable and predictable antioxidant activity is provided by selecting for derivatives of native lignin having these specific ranges of aliphatic hydroxyl contents.
Abstract:
A modular process for organosolv fractionation of lignocellulosic feedstocks into component parts and further processing of said component parts into one or more of a delignified cellulose stream, a sugar stream, small-chain alcohol streams and four structurally distinct classes of lignin derivatives. The modular process comprises a first processing module configured for digesting lignocellulosic feedstocks with an organic solvent thereby producing a cellulosic solids fraction and a liquid fraction, a second processing module configured for de-lignifying the cellulosic solids fraction or for separating a sugar fraction from the cellulosic solids fraction, a third processing module configured for recovering from the liquid fraction at least a second class and a third class of lignin derivatives. At least some of the organic solvent is recovered, and a fourth module recovers a semi-solid waste material.
Abstract:
The present invention provides annual fibre lignin derivatives having an aliphatic hydroxyl content of from about 1 mmol/g to about 3.75 mmol/g Surprisingly, it has been found that consistent and predictable antioxidant activity may be provided by selecting for derivatives of native lignin having a certain aliphatic hydroxyl content
Abstract:
The present invention provides derivatives of native lignin having an aliphatic hydroxyl content of 2.35 mmol/g or less Suprisingly, it has been found that consistent and predictable antioxidant activity may be provided by selecting for deriatives of native lignin having a certain aliphatic hydroxyl content.
Abstract:
A process for simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of a cellulosic solids fraction extracted from a lignocellulosic feedstock. The viscosity of the cellulosic solids fraction is reduced by intermixing with a liquid carbohydrate stream. A suitable liquid carbohydrate stream is a de-lignified liquids fraction that was previously separated from the solids fraction during processing of the lignocellulosic feedstock. Alternatively, the viscosity of the solids fraction may be reduced by commingling with a liquid carbohydrate stream comprising one or more monosaccharides. The reduced-viscosity cellulosic solids fraction is then commingled with a fermentative microbial inoculant and a cellulosic biomass-degrading enzyme composition. The commingled mixture is maintained in a pressurized reaction vessel under elevated temperatures to enable simultaneous enzymatic hydrolysis of the cellulosic solids to monosaccharides and fermentation of the monosaccharides to produce an ethanolic beer. The ethanolic beer is distillable for recovery of fuel-grade ethanol and a stillage that may be further processed.
Abstract:
A modular process for organosolv fractionation of lignocellulosic feedstocks into component parts and further processing of said component parts into at least fuel-grade ethanol and four classes of lignin derivatives. The modular process comprises a first processing module configured for physico-chemically digesting lignocellulosic feedstocks with an organic solvent thereby producing a cellulosic solids fraction and a liquid fraction, a second processing module configured for producing at least a fuel-grade ethanol and a first class of novel lignin derivatives from the cellulosic solids fraction, a third processing module configured for separating a second class and a third class of lignin derivatives from the liquid fraction and further processing the liquid fraction to produce a distillate and a stillage, a fourth processing module configured for separating a fourth class of lignin derivatives from the stillage and further processing the stillage to produce a sugar syrup.