System for optimizing fed-batch hydrolysis of biomass

1. A system to hydrolyze biomass comprising:

a hydrolyzer comprising a fed-batch hydrolysis controller and configured to:

operate to hydrolyze a batch of biomass under the controller of the fed-batch hydrolysis controller, wherein the operation is managed by the hydrolyzer according to one or more hydrolyzer-inputs that each define a physical setup of a particular element of the hydrolyzer; a process optimizer comprising a processor and a computer-readable memory, the process optimizer configured to:

receive one or more target properties;

determine, based on the one or more target properties, one or more target parameters by solving a viral epidemic-based SIR simulation using the one or more target properties as inputs to the viral epidemic-based SIR simulation, wherein, to solve a viral epidemic-based SIR simulation using the one or more target properties as inputs to the viral epidemic-based SIR simulation, the process optimizer is configured to use a measure of total biomass as a Susceptibles input and wherein, to solve a viral epidemic-based SIR simulation using the one or more target properties as inputs to the viral epidemic-based SIR simulation, the process optimizer is configured to use a measure of enzyme-bound biomass as an Infectives input, and wherein, to solve a viral epidemic-based SIR simulation using the one or more target properties as inputs to the viral epidemic-based SIR simulation, the process optimizer is configured to use a measure of biomass-digested sugars as a Removed input; and

transmit, to a fed-batch hydrolysis controller, the one or more target parameters; and wherein the fed-batch hydrolysis controller configured to:

receive, from a process optimizer, the one or more target parameters;

determine one or more hydrolyzer-settings based on the target parameters, each of the hydrolyzer-settings defining a parameter of operation of the hydrolyzer; and

instructing the hydrolyzer to operate to hydrolyze a batch of biomass by using the hydrolyzer-settings for the hydrolyzer-inputs in the instructed operation;

wherein one of the one or more target parameters is feeding rate.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein causing the fed-batch hydrolysis to be performed according to the one or more parameters results in a fed-batch hydrolysis product having actual properties similar to the target properties.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein, to solve a viral epidemic-based SIR simulation using the one or more target properties as inputs to the viral epidemic-based SIR simulation, the process optimizer is configured to use a sum of a measure of total biomass, a measure of enzyme-bound biomass and a measure of biomass-digested sugars as a population size input.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein, to solve a viral epidemic-based SIR simulation using the one or more target properties as inputs to the viral epidemic-based SIR simulation, the process optimizer is configured to use a measure of total enzyme as a transmission constant input.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein, to solve a viral epidemic-based SIR simulation using the one or more target properties as inputs to the viral epidemic-based SIR simulation, the process optimizer is configured to use a measure of biomass-digested sugars as a rate of removal input.

6. A method of hydrolyzing biomass comprising:

receiving one or more target properties;

determining, based on the one or more target properties, one or more target parameters by solving a viral epidemic-based SIR simulation using the one or more target properties as inputs to the viral epidemic-based SIR simulation, wherein solving a viral epidemic-based SIR simulation using the one or more target properties as inputs to the viral epidemic-based SIR simulation comprises using a measure of total biomass as a Susceptibles input and wherein solving a viral epidemic-based SIR simulation using the one or more target properties as inputs to the viral epidemic-based SIR simulation comprises using a measure of enzyme-bound biomass as an Infectives input, and wherein solving a viral epidemic-based SIR simulation using the one or more target properties as inputs to the viral epidemic-based SIR simulation comprises using a measure of biomass-digested sugars as a Removed input;

determining one or more hydrolyzer-settings based on the target parameters, each of the hydrolyzer-settings defining a parameter of operation of the hydrolyzer; and

hydrolyzing a batch of biomass according to the one or more target parameter by using the hydrolyzer-settings for hydrolyzer-inputs that each define a physical characteristic of the hydrolyzing;

wherein one of the one or more target parameters is feeding rate.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein hydrolyzing a batch of biomass according to the one or more parameter results in a fed-batch hydrolysis product having actual properties similar to the target properties.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein solving a viral epidemic-based SIR simulation using the one or more target properties as inputs to the viral epidemic-based SIR simulation comprises using a sum of a measure of total biomass, a measure of enzyme-bound biomass and a measure of biomass-digested sugars as a population size input.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein solving a viral epidemic-based SIR simulation using the one or more target properties as inputs to the viral epidemic-based SIR simulation comprises using a measure of total enzyme as a transmission constant input.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein solving a viral epidemic-based SIR simulation using the one or more target properties as inputs to the viral epidemic-based SIR simulation comprises using a measure of biomass-digested sugars as a rate of removal input.