Flow-through biological conversion of lignocellulosic biomass

1. A process for biologically converting carbohydrates from lignocellulosic biomass, comprising the steps of:

suspending lignocellulosic biomass in a flow-through reactor, wherein said reactor comprises:

a reactor vessel having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet;

a reservoir tank having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, wherein said fluid outlet of said reservoir tank is fluidly connected to said fluid inlet of said reactor vessel; and

a fluid passageway, wherein one end of said passageway is connected to said fluid outlet of said reactor vessel and another end of said passageway is connected to said fluid inlet of said reservoir tank;

passing a reaction solution into said reactor, wherein said reaction solution is absorbed into said biomass and at least a portion of said reaction solution migrates through said biomass substrate to a liquid reservoir in said reactor vessel; and

recirculating said reaction solution in said liquid reservoir at least once, wherein said reaction solution flows from said fluid outlet of said reactor vessel through said passageway to said reservoir tank and then into said fluid inlet of said reactor vessel;

whereby a portion of carbohydrates in said lignocellulosic biomass are biologically converted,

wherein said biological conversion comprises fermenting oligosaccharides, monomeric sugars, or a combination thereof to produce a fermentation product,

and wherein said recirculation of said solution is driven by a build-up of fermentation gases in said flow-through reactor.

2. The process for biologically converting carbohydrates from lignocellulosic biomass according to claim 1 , wherein said lignocellulosic biomass is pretreated before suspending in said reactor.

3. The process for biologically converting carbohydrates from lignocellulosic biomass according to claim 1 , wherein said migration of said reaction solution is driven by gravity.

4. The process for biologically converting carbohydrates from lignocellulosic biomass according to claim 1 , wherein said migration of said reaction solution is driven by pressure.

5. The process for biologically converting carbohydrates from lignocellulosic biomass according to claim 1 , wherein a portion of said carbohydrates is biologically converted by:

(a) hydrolyzing cellulose, hemicellulose, or a combination thereof to form oligosaccharides, monomeric sugars, or a combination thereof;

(b) fermenting oligosaccharides, monomeric sugars, or a combination thereof to produce ethanol; or

(c) a combination thereof.

6. The process for biologically converting carbohydrates from lignocellulosic biomass according to claim 5 , wherein a portion of said carbohydrates is biologically converted by fermenting oligosaccharides, monomeric sugars, or a combination thereof to produce ethanol and further comprising:

removing said reaction solution in said liquid reservoir; and

processing said solution to separate ethanol and non-fermented solids in said reaction solution.

7. The process for biologically converting carbohydrates from lignocellulosic biomass according to claim 6 , wherein the processing said solution to separate ethanol and non-fermented solids is selected from the group consisting of beer column tray separation, paddle dryer apparatus separation, twin screw conveyer separation, rotary valve separation, butterfly valve separation, distillation, centrifuging and combinations thereof.

8. The process for biologically converting carbohydrates from lignocellulosic biomass according to claim 1 , wherein said biomass substrate is at least partially submerged in said reaction solution in said liquid reservoir.

9. The process for biologically converting carbohydrates from lignocellulosic biomass according to claim 1 , wherein said lignocellulosic biomass is selected from the group consisting of grass, switch grass, cord grass, rye grass, reed canary grass, miscanthus, sugar-processing residues, sugarcane bagasse, agricultural wastes, rice straw, rice hulls, barley straw, corn cobs, cereal straw, wheat straw, canola straw, oat straw, oat hulls, beet pulp, palm residue, corn fiber, stover, soybean stover, corn stover, forestry wastes, recycled wood pulp fiber, paper sludge, sawdust, hardwood, softwood, and combinations thereof.

10. The process for biologically converting carbohydrates from lignocellulosic biomass according to claim 1 , wherein the reaction solution includes fermentation organisms, cellulase enzymes, or a combination thereof.

11. The process for biologically converting carbohydrates from lignocellulosic biomass according to claim 1 , wherein said reactor vessel comprises:

a first perforated screen and a second perforated screen, wherein said biomass is suspended between said first perforated screen and said second perforated screen.

12. The process for biologically converting carbohydrates from lignocellulosic biomass according to claim 11 , wherein said flow-through reactor further comprises:

a pump to facilitate recirculating said reaction solution, wherein said pump is disposed in said fluid passageway.

13. The process for biologically converting carbohydrates from lignocellulosic biomass according to claim 1 , wherein activated carbon is added to said biomass or said liquid reservoir.

14. The process for biologically converting carbohydrates from lignocellulosic biomass according to claim 1 , wherein:

said fermentation product is ethanol;

said reactor vessel contains a first perforated screen and a second perforated disc; and

said reservoir tank contains a one-way check valve.

15. A process for producing ethanol from lignocellulosic biomass, comprising the steps of:

suspending pretreated lignocellulosic biomass in a flow-through reactor;

hydrolyzing said biomass to form monomeric sugars;

passing a reaction solution through said biomass; wherein said reaction solution is absorbed into said biomass and at least a portion of said solution migrates through said biomass substrate to a liquid reservoir;

recirculating said reaction solution in said liquid reservoir at least once; and

fermenting said monomeric sugars to produce ethanol, wherein said recirculation of said solution is driven by a build-up of fermentation gases in said flow-through reactor.

16. The process for producing ethanol according to claim 15 , further comprising:

removing said reaction solution in said liquid reservoir; and

processing to separate ethanol and non-fermented solids in said reaction solution.

17. The process of claim 15 , wherein said hydrolyzing comprises enzymatically hydrolyzing cellulose and hemi-cellulose to form monomeric sugars.

18. The process of claim 15 , wherein said hydrolyzing comprises chemically hydrolyzing cellulose and hemi-cellulose to form monomeric sugars.

19. The process of claim 15 , wherein said fermenting comprises enzymatically fermenting said monomeric sugars to produce ethanol.

20. The process of claim 15 , wherein said hydrolyzing and fermenting occur concurrently.

21. The process of claim 20 , wherein hydrolyzing and fermenting occur in the presence of activated carbon.

22. The process of claim 21 , wherein said activated carbon is added to said liquid reservoir.

23. The process of claim 21 , wherein said activated carbon is added to said biomass.

24. The process of claim 15 , wherein said flow-through reactor comprises:

a reactor vessel having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet; and

a fluid passageway, wherein one end of said passageway is connected to said fluid outlet of said reactor vessel and another end of said passageway is connected to said fluid inlet of said reactor vessel.

25. The process of claim 15 , wherein said flow-through reactor comprises:

a reactor vessel having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet;

a reservoir tank having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, wherein said fluid outlet of said reservoir tank is fluidly connected to said fluid inlet of said reactor vessel; and

a fluid passageway, wherein one end of said passageway is connected to said fluid outlet of said reactor vessel and another end of said passageway is connected to said fluid inlet of said reservoir tank.

26. The process of claim 15 , wherein said migration of said reaction solution is driven by gravity.

27. The process of claim 15 , wherein said migration of said reaction solution is driven by pressure.