IP Library Granted Patent US 9,074,232
Granted Patent B2
US 9,074,232 · App. 13/782,545 · Granted Jul 7, 2015

Saccharide-solution producing apparatus, fermentation system, saccharide-solution producing method, and fermentation method

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,074,232
App. No.
13/782,545
Granted
Jul 7, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

A saccharide-solution producing apparatus 11 A according to the present invention is a saccharide-solution producing apparatus for producing a saccharide solution 22 derived from a carbohydrate-based material 21 , and includes a saccharide-solution controlling unit 15 A that controls the saccharide solution derived from the carbohydrate-based material 21 , a cellulosic biomass saccharifying unit 16 that saccharifies hydrothermally treated biomass obtained by hydrothermally decomposing a cellulosic biomass material 35 that contains a lignin component and a hemicellulose component, and produces a diluted saccharide solution 37 , and a diluted-saccharide-solution supply pipe L 11 that mixes the diluted saccharide solution 37 produced by the cellulosic biomass saccharifying unit 16 into the saccharide-solution controlling unit 15 A. With this configuration, it is possible to improve production efficiency of the saccharide solution 22 and to realize cost reduction.

Claims (38)

1. A saccharide-solution producing apparatus comprising:

a saccharide-solution controlling unit including:

a storage tank that stores a carbohydrate-based material containing starch as a main component; and

a first enzymatic saccharification tank that saccharifies the carbohydrate-based material so as to produce a saccharide solution,

a cellulosic biomass saccharifying unit including:

a hydrothermal decomposition device that hydrothermally decomposes a cellulosic biomass material containing a lignin component and a hemicellulose component so as to produce hydrothermally treated biomass; and

a second enzymatic saccharification tank that saccharifies the hydrothermally treated biomass so as to produce a diluted saccharide solution having a concentration equal to or higher than 0.1 mass % and equal to or lower than 15 mass %; and

a diluted-saccharide-solution supply pipe that connects the second enzymatic saccharification tank to the storage tank and the first enzymatic saccharification tank so as to supply the diluted saccharide solution to the storage tank and the first enzymatic saccharification tank.

2. The saccharide-solution producing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the hydrothermal decomposition device hydrothermally decomposes the cellulosic biomass material while causing the cellulosic biomass material to contact pressurized hot water, transfers a lignin component and a hemicellulose component into the pressurized hot water, and separates the lignin component and the hemicellulose component from the cellulosic biomass material, and

a hydrothermally discharged fraction that contains the lignin component and the hemicellulose component and a solid residual fraction that contains a cellulose component are produced as the hydrothermally treated biomass.

3. The saccharide-solution producing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein

the second enzymatic saccharification tank includes a first diluted saccharide solution producing enzymatic saccharification tank that produces as the diluted-saccharide-solution a first diluted saccharide solution that contains hexose by adding enzyme to the solid residual fraction discharged from the hydrothermal decomposition device and enzymatically decomposing a cellulose component contained in the solid residual fraction, and a second diluted saccharide solution producing enzymatic saccharification tank that produces as the diluted-saccharide-solution a second diluted saccharide solution that contains pentose by adding enzyme to the hydrothermally discharged fraction discharged from the hydrothermal decomposition device and enzymatically decomposing a hemicellulose component contained in the hydrothermally discharged fraction, wherein

one of or both of the first diluted saccharide solution and the second diluted saccharide solution are produced, and

the diluted-saccharide-solution supply pipe is connected to the first diluted saccharide solution producing enzymatic saccharification tank that produces the first diluted saccharide solution and the second diluted saccharide solution producing enzymatic saccharification tank that produces the second diluted saccharide solution so that at least one of the first diluted saccharide solution and the second diluted saccharide solution can be supplied.

4. A fermentation system comprising:

the saccharide-solution producing apparatus according to claim 1 ; and

an alcohol fermentation tank that ferments the saccharide solution to produce an organic material.

5. A saccharide-solution producing apparatus comprising:

a saccharide-solution controlling unit including:

a storage tank that stores molasses obtained from carbohydrate-based material by discharging or squeezing from the carbohydrate-based material; and

a sugar-concentration controlling tank that controls a saccharide concentration of the molasses,

a cellulosic biomass saccharifying unit including:

a hydrothermal decomposition device that hydrothermally decomposes a cellulosic biomass material containing a lignin component and a hemicellulose component so as to produce hydrothermally treated biomass; and

an enzymatic saccharification tank that saccharifies the hydrothermally treated biomass so as to produce a diluted saccharide solution having a concentration equal to or higher than 0.1 mass % and equal to or lower than 15 mass %; and

a diluted-saccharide-solution supply pipe that connects the enzymatic saccharification tank to the storage tank and the sugar-concentration controlling tank so as to supply the diluted saccharide solution to the storage tank and the sugar-concentration controlling tank.

6. The saccharide-solution producing apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein

the hydrothermal decomposition device hydrothermally decomposes the cellulosic biomass material while causing the cellulosic biomass material to contact pressurized hot water, transfers a lignin component and a hemicellulose component into the pressurized hot water, and separates the lignin component and the hemicelluloses component from the cellulosic biomass material, and

a hydrothermally discharged fraction that contains the lignin component and the hemicellulose component and a solid residual fraction that contains a cellulose component are produced as the hydrothermally treated biomass.

7. The saccharide-solution producing apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein

the second enzymatic saccharification tank includes a first diluted saccharide solution producing enzymatic saccharification tank that produces as the diluted-saccharide-solution a first diluted saccharide solution that contains hexose by adding enzyme to the solid residual fraction discharged from the hydrothermal decomposition device and enzymatically decomposing a cellulose component contained in the solid residual fraction, and a second diluted saccharide solution producing enzymatic saccharification tank that produces as the diluted-saccharide-solution a second diluted saccharide solution that contains pentose by adding enzyme to the hydrothermally discharged fraction discharged from the hydrothermal decomposition device and enzymatically decomposing a hemicellulose component contained in the hydrothermally discharged fraction, wherein

one of or both of the first diluted saccharide solution and the second diluted saccharide solution are produced, and

the diluted-saccharide-solution supply pipe is connected to the first diluted saccharide solution producing enzymatic saccharification tank that produces the first diluted saccharide solution and the second diluted saccharide solution producing enzymatic saccharification tank that produces the second diluted saccharide solution so that at least one of the first diluted saccharide solution and the second diluted saccharide solution can be supplied.

8. A fermentation system comprising:

the saccharide-solution producing apparatus according to claim 5 ; and

an alcohol fermentation tank that ferments the saccharide solution to produce an organic material.

9. The saccharide solution producing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a control valve provided on the diluted-saccharide solution supply pipe that controls an amount of the diluted saccharide solution supplied to the storage tank and the first enzymatic saccharification tank.

10. The saccharide solution producing apparatus according to claim 5 , further comprising a control valve provided on the diluted-saccharide solution supply pipe that controls an amount of the diluted saccharide solution supplied to the storage tank and the sugar-concentration controlling tank.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jan 21, 2021
From: MITSUBISHI HITACHI POWER SYSTEMS ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS, LTD.
To: MITSUBISHI POWER ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS, LTD.
Reel/Frame 055055/0721 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 21, 2016
From: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES MECHATRONICS SYSTEMS, LTD.
To: MITSUBISHI HITACHI POWER SYSTEMS ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS,LTD.
Reel/Frame 040093/0420 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 19, 2013
From: GENTA, MINORU; TERAKURA, SEIICHI; SUZUKI, HIDEO; KONDO, GAKU; NISHIYAMA, MICHIO
To: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES MECHATRONICS SYSTEMS, LTD.
Reel/Frame 030043/0910 →