초록 ▼

A method for producing a fermentable wort useful to produce ethanol from cellulosic materials is particularly adaptable for batch-wise processing. The broad method includes the steps of placing the materials in an airtight vessel that is evacuated to a moderate vacuum at a reduced temperature of 20°

A method for producing a fermentable wort useful to produce ethanol from cellulosic materials is particularly adaptable for batch-wise processing. The broad method includes the steps of placing the materials in an airtight vessel that is evacuated to a moderate vacuum at a reduced temperature of 20°C. or less. Highly concentrated mineral acid gas, such as HCl, is introduced to raise the vessel pressure to a pressure less than 1500 mm of Hg wherein the concentration of acid gas is at least 40%. These temperatures and pressures are maintained for at least 30 minutes to depolymerize the cellulose after which the vessel is again evacuated to remove the excess gas and then raised to ambient pressure so that the material is removed. The depolymerized material, which contains some adsorbed acid gas, is mechanically conveyed against a counterflow of hot water. The hot water thus dissolves a portion of the adsorbed gas to produce a weak acid solution of between 2% and 4% which hydrolyzes the depolymerized cellulose to produce the wort. The water flow also produces an enriched zone of dissolved sugars so that the wort is drawn off from the enriched zone after which it may be fermented and distilled into ethanol.

대표청구항 ▼

A method for producing a fermentable wort from material containing cellulose, comprising the steps of: placing said materials in a substantially air-tight vessel and evacuating said vessel to a vacuum of less than or equal to 100 mm Hg with said material being at a temperature within a base temperat

A method for producing a fermentable wort from material containing cellulose, comprising the steps of: placing said materials in a substantially air-tight vessel and evacuating said vessel to a vacuum of less than or equal to 100 mm Hg with said material being at a temperature within a base temperature range equal to or less than 20°C.; introducing a concentrated mineral acid gas into said vesel while maintaining the temperature of said material within said base temperature range and at a pressure less 1500 mm Hg to define a first processing stage wherein the concentration of said mineral acid gas is at least 40%; holding said material at the first processing stage for more than thirty minutes whereby a portion of the cellulose is depolymerized and a portion of said mineral acid gas is adsorbed by said materials; evacuating said vessel to a pressure less than 400 mm of mercury to remove some of said mineral acid gas; raising the pressure of said vessel to the ambient pressure after which the material is removed therefrom; conveying said material in a first direction along a conveyor apparatus and counterflowing hot water in a second direction against the flow of material whereby the adsorbed mineral acid gas is dissolved to produce a weak acid solution at a sufficient level to hydrolyze the depolymerized cellulose and whereby a first portion of the hot water makes intial contact with the material to define an enrichment zone that becomes increasingly more concentrated with sugars from the depolymerized and hydrolyzed cellulose; and removing hot water and sugars as a wort from the enrichment zone.