Borregaard as

Borregaard Industries, Limited, Norge

Anders Froelander

Anders Sjoede

Martin Lersch

Gudbrand Roedsrud

Kristin Hals

Anne Mari Kloeften

Lennart Delin

Mats H Johansson

The present invention relates to a process for the production of second generation biofuels and/or sugar based chemicals&#x2014;for example ethanol, butanol etc&#x2014;and/or materials&#x2014;for example plastics, single cell proteins etc.&#x2014;together with sulfonated lignin from lignocellulosic biomass, in particular from lignocellulosic biomass comprising, among others, annual plants, agricultural waste, or wood. In particular, the present invention relates to a process for the production of sugar based chemicals, biofuels or materials together with sulfonated lignin from lignocellulosic biomass comprising the pretreatment of a lignocellulosic biomass in a sulfite cooking step.

Lignocellulosic biomass conversion

The present invention relates to a continuous process for the enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulosic biomass and to an apparatus for conducting said process. According to the present invention, a steady state is achieved in a reactor in regard to the hydrolysis reaction. Therein, cellulosic biomass of a high total solids content (preferably 10% or higher, further preferably between 15 and 30%) is continually added to said reactor, while at least partially hydrolyzed cellulosic biomass is continually removed from said reactor. The steady state is adjusted, i.e. the amount of cellulosic biomass added and the amount of at least partially hydrolyzed cellulosic biomass removed is adjusted, so that the retention time of a given portion of added cellulosic biomass in the reactor is longer than its 'liquefaction time', i.e. the time period required to transform a solid slurry into a pumpable liquid during hydrolysis, i.e. the time required to lower the viscosity of the slurry to a value, which is acceptable for further processing.

Enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose

Growing community of inventors

Sarpsborg, Norway

Anders Froelander