SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SUGAR REFINING
A method comprising: (a) extracting a sugar mixture in an aqueous solution of at least 30% HCL/[HCl+water] by weight with an extractant including an S1 solvent; (b) increasing a monomeric sugar to oligomeric sugar ratio in the mixture to produce a monomeric sugar enriched mixture comprising at least 65% monomeric sugars by weight relative to total sugars; and (c) separating an S1/HCl liquid phase comprising more than 30% HCl/[HCl+water] from said sugar mixture.
1 - 72 . (canceled)
73 . A method comprising:
(a) providing a mixture of oligomeric and monomeric sugars at a total concentration of at least 30% in an aqueous solution of a dilute acid;
(b) reducing said sugar concentration below 25%; and
(c) hydrolyzing oligomeric sugars in said mixture to produce a hydrolyzate enriched with monomeric sugars (relative to total sugars).
74 . A method according to claim 73 , wherein said hydrolyzing is catalyzed by an acid at a concentration of not more than 10% by weight.
75 . A method according to claim 73 , wherein said hydrolyzing is performed at a temperature not exceeding 97° C.
76 . A method according to claim 73 , wherein said secondary hydrolyzate contains at least 65% by weight monomeric sugars out of total sugars.
77 . A method according to claim 73 , wherein the total sugar content of said secondary hydrolyzate is at least 95% by weight of the sugar content of said mixture.
78 . A method according to claim 73 , comprising evaporating water from said hydrolyzate at a temperature not exceeding 70° C.
79 . A method according to claim 78 , wherein less than 10% of monomeric sugars in said hydrolyzate oligomerize during said evaporation.
80 . A method according to claim 73 , comprising extracting said secondary hydrolyzate with an extractant comprising S1 solvent to produce an extracted hydrolyzate comprising not more than 7% acid by weight.
81 . A method according to claim 80 , wherein said extracted hydrolyzate includes at least 50%>total sugars by weight.
82 . A method according to claim 80 , comprising:
feeding a resin in a chromatographic mode with said extracted hydrolyzate, and feeding said resin with an aqueous solution to produce an acid cut enriched in oligomeric sugars relative to total sugars and a monomer cut enriched in monomeric sugars relative to total sugars as compared to said hydrolyzate.
83 . A method according to claim 82 , performed cyclically so that said mixture of oligomeric and monomeric sugars comprises sugars from a previous acid cut.