Integrated process for coproducing alcohol and organic acid from lignocellulosic material

1. An integrated process for alcohol production and organic acid production from lignocellulosic material, wherein the process comprises:

enzymatic hydrolysis of the lignocellulosic material to obtain enzymatically hydrolysed lignocellulosic material,

solid/liquid separation of the enzymatically hydrolysed lignocellulosic material to obtain at least a solid fraction and at least a liquid fraction,

fermentation of a part of the solid fraction and/or a part of the liquid fraction by an alcohol producing microorganism to produce alcohol,

fermentation of a part of the liquid fraction and/or a part of the solid fraction by an organic acid producing microorganism to produce an organic acid,

propagation of the alcohol producing microorganism by fermentation of a part of the liquid fraction and/or a part of the solid fraction,

propagation of the organic acid producing microorganism by fermentation of a part of the liquid fraction and/or a part of the solid fraction,

propagation of an enzyme producing microorganism, and

production of enzymes by the enzyme producing microorganism.

2. The process according to claim 1 , wherein a part of the enzymatically hydrolysed lignocellulosic material and a part of the lignocellulosic material is used in the propagation of the enzyme producing microorganism and/or the production of enzymes by the enzyme producing microorganism.

3. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the enzymes produced by the enzyme producing microorganism are used in the enzymatic hydrolysis.

4. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the at least solid fraction comprises between 3 and 97 wt % C5 sugars.

5. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the at least liquid fraction comprises between 1 and 97 wt % C6 sugars.

6. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the enzymatic hydrolysis comprises at least:

a liquefaction wherein the lignocellulosic material is hydrolysed in at least a first container, and

a saccharification wherein the liquefied lignocellulosic material is hydrolysed in the at least first container and/or in at least a second container.

7. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the alcohol, the organic acid, the enzymes, the enzyme producing microorganism, the alcohol producing microorganism and/or the organic acid producing microorganism are recovered.

8. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the lignocellulosic material is subjected to at least one solid/liquid separation before the enzymatic hydrolysis.

9. The process according to claim 1 , wherein oxygen is added during the enzymatic hydrolysis.

10. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the enzyme producing microorganism is a fungus.

11. The process according to claim 10 , wherein the fungus is Rasamsonia.

12. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the enzymes are comprised in a whole fermentation broth.

13. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the alcohol producing microorganism is able to ferment at least a C5 sugar and at least a C6 sugar.

14. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the organic acid producing microorganism is able to ferment at least a C6 sugar.

15. The process according to claim 13 , wherein the alcohol producing microorganism and/or the organic acid producing microorganism is a yeast.

16. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the dry matter content at the end of the enzymatic hydrolysis is 5 wt % or higher.

17. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the organic acid is succinic acid and/or the alcohol is ethanol.

18. The process according to claim 8 , wherein a part of the liquid fraction from the at least one solid/liquid separation of the lignocellulosic material before the enzymatic hydrolysis is combined with a part of the liquid fraction from the solid/liquid separation of the enzymatically hydrolysed lignocellulosic material, and the mixture is fermented by an alcohol producing microorganism to produce alcohol.