Methods and systems for processing lignocellulosic materials and related compositions
View Patent ↗A method comprising: (a) providing a lignocellulosic substrate; (b) contacting said lignocellulosic substrate with an extractant comprising a water-soluble organic solvent to form an extracted substrate and a miscella; (c) removing miscella from said extracted substrate; and (d) hydrolyzing said extracted substrate using a chemically catalyzed process.
1. A lignocellulosic composition comprising (on a dry matter basis) cellulose, at least 7.4% by weight hemicellulose, and lignin, wherein said lignocellulosic composition is a solid, and further wherein said lignocellulosic composition comprises:
(i) lipophilic material at less than 5000 PPM;
(ii) ash at less than 2000 PPM or Ca at less than 2000 PPM;
(iii) pectin at less than 10,000 PPM;
(iv) furfural at less than 2000 PPM; and
(v) at least 10 PPM of a marker selected from the group consisting of: hydroxy-methyl furfural, products of furfural condensation, products of hydroxy-methyl furfural condensation, color compounds derived from sugar caramelization, levulinic acid, acetic acid, methanol, galacturonic acid, glycerol, organically bound sulfur and acetone.
2. The lignocellulosic composition according to claim 1 , wherein said composition has a moisture content of 5 to 30%.
3. The lignocellulosic composition according to claim 1 comprising Ca at less than 2000 PPM.
4. The lignocellulosic composition according to claim 3 comprising Ca at less than 1000 PPM.
5. The lignocellulosic composition according to claim 4 comprising Ca at less than 500 PPM.
6. The lignocellulosic composition according to claim 1 comprising furfural at less than 1000 PPM.
7. The lignocellulosic composition according to claim 5 comprising furfural at less than 500 PPM.
8. The lignocellulosic composition according to claim 1 comprising lipophilic material at less than 3000 PPM.
9. The lignocellulosic composition according to claim 8 comprising lipophilic material at less than 500 PPM.
10. The lignocellulosic composition according to claim 1 comprising pectin at less than 6000 PPM.
11. The lignocellulosic composition according to claim 10 comprising pectin at less than 1000 PPM.
12. The lignocellulosic composition according to claim 1 comprising ash at less than 500 PPM.
13. The lignocellulosic composition according to claim 1 comprising at least 35% by weight cellulose.
14. The lignocellulosic composition according to claim 1 , wherein at least 10% of the cells are disrupted.
15. The lignocellulosic composition according to claim 1 comprising at least 0.01% acid selected from the group consisting of sulfurous acid, acetic acid and carbonic acid.