Inbicon A/s

Statoil Asa

Renescience A/s

New Energy Blue LLC

Dong Energy Power A/s

Dong Energy Generation A/s

Jan Larsen

Kit Kellebjerg Mogensen

Martin Dan Jeppesen

Niels Nielsen Poulsen

Henning Jørgensen

Claus Felby

Einar Moen

Henrik Eriksen

Jakob Vibe-Pedersen

Frank Krogh Iversen

Laila Thirup

Niels Henriksen

Hanne Risbjerg Sørensen

Martin Høgh Møller

Nanna Dreyer Nørholm

Kit Haubjerg Mogensen

Pia Jørgensen

Anna Granly Hansen

Anna Frederike Gossmann

Lars Villadsgaard Toft

Nanna Dreyer Noerholm

Mai Østergaard Petersen

Martin Høgh MØLLER

The invention relates, in general, to methods of processing Lignocellulosic biomass to fermentable sugars and to methods that rely on hydrothermal pretreatment. Xylose monomer yields comparable to those achieved using two-stage pretreatments can be achieved from soft Lignocellulosic biomass feedstocks by pretreating to very low severity in a single-stage pressurized hydrothermal pretreatment, followed by enzymatic hydrolysis to release xylose retained in the solid state. In some embodiments, pretreated biomass is separated into a solid fraction and a liquid fraction, the solid fraction subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis, and the separated liquid fraction subsequently mixed with the hydrolysed solid fraction.

Methods of processing lignocellulosic biomass using single-stage autohydrolysis and enzymatic hydrolysis with C5 bypass and post-hydrolysis

A method for providing a C5/C6 product from a lignocellulosic material is disclosed, said method comprising the steps: (i) pretreatment of the lignocellulosic material; (ii) solid/liquid separation of the pretreated lignocellulosic material from step (a) into a first solid fraction and a first liquid fraction; (iii) enzymatic fiber hydrolysis of said first solid fraction from step (b) by use of an enzyme composition capable of degrading lignocellulosic material, thereby providing a C5/C6 fiber slurry comprising C5 and/or C6 sugars; (iv) solid/liquid separation of the C5/C6 fiber slurry from step (c) into a second solid fraction and a second liquid fraction; and optionally (v) combining said first liquid fraction and said second liquid fraction for enzymatic mixed sugar hydrolysis (MSH), whereby a MSH C5/C6 product is provided.

Method for preparing fermentable sugars from lignocellulosic biomass

The invention relates, in general, to methods of processing Lignocellulosic biomass to fermentable sugars and to methods that rely on hydrothermal pretreatment. Xylose monomer yields comparable to those achieved using two-stage pretreatments can be achieved from soft Lignocellulosic biomass feedstocks by pretreasting to very low severity in a single-stage pressurized hydrothermal pretreatment, followed by enzymatic hydrolysis to release xylose retained in the solid state. In some embodiments, pretreated biomass is separated into a solid fraction and a liquid fraction, the solid fraction subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis, and the separated liquid fraction subsequently mixed with the hydrolysed solid fraction.

The invention relates, in general, to methods of processing lignocellulosic biomass to fermentable sugars and to methods that rely on hydrothermal pretreatment. Xylose monomer yields comparable to those achieved using two-stage pretreatments can be achieved from soft lignocellulosic biomass feedstocks by pretreating to very low severity in a single-stage pressurized hydrothermal pretreatment, followed by enzymatic hydrolysis to release xylose retained in the solid state. In some embodiments, pretreated biomass is separated into a solid fraction and a liquid fraction, the solid fraction subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis, and the separated liquid fraction subsequently mixed with the hydrolysed solid fraction.

The present invention relates to a process for production of fermentation products, including bioethanol by non-pressurized pre-treatment, enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation of waste fractions containing mono- and/or polysaccharides, having a relatively high dry matter content. The process in its entirety, i.e. from non-pressurized pre-treatment over enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation to sorting of fermentable and non-fermentable solids can be processed at a relatively high dry matter content in a single vessel or similar device using free fall mixing for the mechanical processing of the waste fraction.

Non-pressurised pre-treatment, enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation of waste fractions

Methods of processing lignocellulosic biomass to fermentable sugars are provided which rely on hydrothermal pretreatment. Soft lignocellulosic biomass feedstock is pretreated in a single-stage pressurized hydrothermal pretreatment to very low severity. The pre-treated biomass is hydrolysed, typically as a whole slurry, using enzymatic hydrolysis catalysed by an enzyme mixture comprising endoglucanase, exoglucanase, &#x3b2;-glucosidase, endoxylanase, and &#x3b2;-xylosidase activities at activity levels in nkat/g glucan of endoglucanase of at least 1100, exoglucanase of at least 280, &#x3b2;-glucosidase of at least 3000, endoxylanase of at least 1400, and &#x3b2;-xylosidase of at least 75, so as to produce a hydrolysate in which the yield of C5 monomers is at least 55% of the original xylose and arabinose content of the feedstock prior to pretreatment.

Methods of processing lignocellulosic biomass using single-stage autohydrolysis pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis

The invention relates to a method of processing lignocellulosic biomass comprising: providing lignocellulosic biomass feedstock; pretreating said biomass feedstock by continuous hydrothermal pretreatment in a pressurized reactor; measuring xylan number or lignin number in the output stream of pretreated biomass from the pretreatment reactor; and controlling the pretreatment reactor so as to maintain, in the output stream of pretreated biomass, a pre-determined level of measured xylan number or lignin number. The method allows for continuously controlling the digestibility of a lignocellulosic biomass during the step of pretreatment, and accordingly provides a continuous estimate of the severity of the pretreatment.

Method of processing lignocellulosic biomass using feedback control of hydrothermal pretreatment

A range of concentrations exists in which fermentation inhibitors derived from pretreatment of lignocellulosic feed stocks inhibit growth of lactic acid bacteria without affecting fermentive yeast. By optimizing levels of fermentation inhibitors to fall within this range, yeast fermentations of lignocellulosic biomass can be conducted under non-sterile conditions with ethanol yields comparable to those achieved under sterile conditions. Optimised inhibitor levels can be achieved by controlling the water/biomass ratio of a lignocellulosic biomass during and after pretreatment, for example by washing the fiber fraction of a previously pretreated lignocellulosic biomass with a pre-defined amount of fresh water or recycled process solutions. Crude extracts of liquid fraction or process solutions from pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass can also provide an effective anti-baterial treatment for first generation starch fermentations.

Non-sterile fermentation of bioethanol

A range of concentrations exists in which fermentation inhibitors derived from pretreatment of lignocellulosic feed stocks inhibit growth of lactic acid bacteria without affecting fermentive yeast. By optimizing levels of fermentation inhibitors to fall within this range, yeast fermentations of lignocellulosic biomass can be conducted under non-sterile conditions with ethanol yields comparable to those achieved under sterile conditions. Optimised inhibitor levels can be achieved by controlling the water/biomass ratio of a lignocellulosic biomass during and after pretreatment, for example by washing the fiber fraction of a previously pretreated lignocellulosic biomass with a pre-defined amount of fresh water or recycled process solutions. Crude extracts of liquid fraction or process solutions from pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass can also provide an effective anti-bacterial treatment for first generation starch fermentations.

The invention relates to methods of processing ensiled biomass for production of bioethanol or other fermentation products and, in particular, to methods that do not require expensive pretreatment (e.g. heat or chemical pretreatment).

Methods of processing ensiled biomass

The present invention relates to methods for syngas-production from biomass enabling the conversion of pre-treated biomasses having a high dry-matter content into electricity or oil-based products such as petrol, diesel, chemicals and plastics through the formation of syngas. The biomasses are converted into a biomass slurry having a suitable particle size and dry-matter content for optimal feeding and gasification in a pressurised gasifier.

Method for syngas-production from liquefied biomass

Provided are methods of liquefaction, saccharification and fermentation of pre-treated lignocellulosic biomass in production of bioethanol. Addition of PEG or surfactant is effective to enhance cellulase hydrolysis yields at high dry matter (&#x3e;20%) at surprisingly low concentrations compared with comparable results in low dry matter hydrolysis. This effect is most pronounced at comparatively low cellulase loading &#x3c;7 FPU (g DM). At high dry matter content, cellulase enzyme consumption can be reduced, without loss of hydrolysis yield, by addition of small quantities of PEG or surfactant.

Methods for reducing enzyme consumption in second generation bioethanol fermentation in the prescence of lignin

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.

Growing community of inventors

Tommerup, Denmark

Jan Larsen