Versalis S.p.a.

Biochemtex S.p.a.

Beta Renewable,m S.p.a.

Novozymes A/s

Beta Renewables S.p.a.

Chiara Prefumo

Simone Ferrero

Eric Abbate

Paolo Torre

Piero Ottonello

Dario Giordano

David Osborn

Jesper Frickmann

Stefano Paravisi

Pietro Pastorino

Beatriz Rivas Torres

Daniele Riva

Piero Otonello

Micol Purrotti

Geoffrey Moxley

Johan Belfrage

It is disclosed a process for increasing the enzymatic accessibility of a thermally treated ligno-cellulosic biomass feedstock which has been thermally treated at a severity factor. The process comprises a step of fiber shives reduction, for reducing the amount of long shives. The thermally treated ligno-cellulosic biomass after fiber shives reduction is characterized by having an increased glucans accessibility and by forming a slurry having a low viscosity.

Process for increasing the enzymatic accessibility of a thermally treated ligno-cellulosic biomass feedstock

This specification describes a process of producing a monomeric sugar stream ligno-cellulosic biomass without enzymes or acid catalysts. This is accomplished by removing the water soluble C5 sugars from the ligno-cellulosic biomass feedstream, lowering the pH of the C5 solution with little or no addition of an acid, thermally treating the remaining ligno-cellulosic biomass, combining the thermally treated ligno-cellulosic biomass with the low pH C5 solution and then exposing the mixture to an elevated temperature greater than 80&#xb0; C. for a time sufficient to hydrolyze at least some of the components of the ligno-cellulosic biomass. Preferably, the thermally treated ligno-cellulosic biomass is subjected to a fiber shives reduction step to reduce the amount of long fiber shives.

Lignocellulosic biomass hydrolysis without enzymes or acid catalysts

A process for producing polyols from a low viscosity slurry comprising a thermally treated ligno-cellulosic biomass which has been subjected to a fiber shives reduction step is provided. Specifically, a continuous process for catalyzing the formation of polyol products, such as ethylene glycol and propylene glycol, from the low viscosity slurry is provided.

Conversion of a low viscosity ligno-cellulosic biomass slurry into polyols

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Genoa, Italy

Chiara Prefumo