Beta Renewables S.p.a.

Versalis S.p.a.

Biochemtex S.p.a.

Beta Renewable,m S.p.a.

Piero Ottonello

Paolo Torre

Simone Ferrero

Francesco Cherchi

Dario Giordano

Chiara Prefumo

Marco Cotti Comettini

Mirko Garbero

Pietro Pastorino

Stefano Paravisi

Alberto Riva

Beatriz Rivas Torres

Danilo Defaveri

Andrea Bonanni

Danilo De Faveri

Liliane Tonte Rensi

Daniele Riva

Federica Bosio

Liliane Tonet Rensi

Luis Oriani

Elisa Raccagni

Chiara Giorcelli

Laura Volpati

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

The process for the hydrolysis of ligno-cellulosic biomass comprises the steps of

Process for the rapid hydrolysis of high solids biomass

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

Disclosed in this specification is a process for the improved hydrolysis of glucans to glucose wherein a portion of the glucose is removed from the process to improve the yield of glucose.

Sugar recovery method from ligno-cellulosic biomass

The process for the hydrolysis of ligno-cellulosic biomass comprises the steps of A) Contacting a ligno-cellulosic feedstock, the feedstock comprised of biomass having a dry content and water with at least a portion of a solvent, the solvent comprised of water soluble hydrolyzed species; wherein at least some of the water soluble hydrolyzed species are the same as the water soluble hydrolyzed species obtainable from the hydrolysis of the biomass in the feedstock;B) maintaining the contact between the feedstock of the feedstock stream and the solvent at a temperature in the range of 20&#xb0; C. to 200&#xb0; C. for a time in the range of 5 minutes to 72 hours to create a hydrolyzed product from the biomass in the feedstock.

This invention is to a biomass composition of 5 and 6 carbon sugars, lignin, and cellulose which has been steam exploded and the composition has a very high enzyme accessibility at 24 hours for hydrolysis.

Pre-treated biomass having enhanced enzyme accessibility

This specification discloses an improved method for conducting the removal of C5 xylan based sugars from biomass. The improved method involves a series of soakings and washings of the biomass as opposed to conducting one soaking and washing step.

Process for recovering sugars from a pretreatment stream of lignocellulosic biomass

The process for the treatment of ligno-cellulosic biomass comprises the steps of:

Biomass pretreatment process

An improved method of conducting the pre-soaking step involving pre-soaking the ligno-cellulosic biomass in a liquid (water) at a temperature in the range of between 100&#xb0; C. to 150&#xb0; C. prior to soaking at higher temperatures. This material can then be soaked and soaked liquid filtered by nano-filtration. When nano-filtration is used, the pre-soak temperature can be in the range of 10&#xb0; C. to 150&#xb0; C.

Pre-soaking process for biomass conversion

The process is for pretreating a lignocellulosic biomass feedstock and comprises: soaking a lignocellulosic biomass feedstock wherein the soaked biomass is present as a mixture with a free liquid and wherein the free liquid comprises at least one dissolved compound selected from the group consisting of glucose, xylose and respective oligomers thereof, washing the mixture of the soaked biomass and the free liquid, wherein at least a portion of the free liquid containing at least one dissolved compound selected from the group consisting of glucose, xylose and respective oligomers thereof is separated from the soaked biomass to create a soaked washed biomass and at least one free liquid stream, compressing the soaked biomass to create a released liquid, separating the released liquid from the soaked biomass, and keeping at least a portion of the released liquid separate from any free liquid.

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Genoa, Italy

Piero Ottonello