Inbicon A/s

Jakob Vibe-Pedersen

Jan Larsen

Claus Felby

Henning Jørgensen

Frank Krogh Iversen

Provided are devices and methods for discharging pretreated biomass from a pressurized reactor. Pretreated, hot biomass is added under high pressure at the top of a discharge vessel, which is partially filled with water or aqueous solution. The vessel comprises water jets situated on its sides through which water or aqueous solution is injected in order to establish a strong turbulence in the lower part of the vessel. This turbulence, preferably a vortex turbulence or 'hydrocyclone,' blends biomass and water and disintegrates any clumped material prior to its ejection at high speed as a slurry through an orifice or valve at the bottom of the vessel. A stable temperature stratification is established within the discharge vessel, whereby hot water remains at the top of the vessel, reducing heat and steam loss from the pretreatment reactor.

Device and methods for discharging pretreated biomass from higher to lower pressure regions

The present invention relates to a process for liquefaction and saccharification of polysaccharide containing biomasses, having a relatively high dry matter content. The present invention combines enzymatic hydrolysis with a type of mixing relying on the principle of gravity ensuring that the biomasses are subjected to mechanical forces, primarily shear and tear forces. Furthermore, the present invention relates to the further utilization of such processed biomasses, e.g. for subsequent fermentation into bio-ethanol, bio-gas, specialty carbohydrates for food and fees as well as carbon feedstock for processing into plastics and chemicals.

Enzymatic hydrolysis of biomasses having a high dry matter (DM) content

Disclosed are processes for liquefaction and saccharification of polysacharide containing biomasses having high dry matter content (&#x3e;20%) and preferably possessing large average particle size. The polysaccharide containing biomasses are subject to enzymatic hydrolysis in a mixer that utilizes 'free fall' mixing. 'Free fall' mixing provides mechanical degradation of the biomass during hydrolysis and, in the case of lignocellulosic biomass, promotes movement of cellulase enzymes along cellulose chains, which improves enzymatic hydrolysis at high dry matter.

Growing community of inventors

Billund, Denmark

Jakob Vibe-Pedersen