Lignocellulosic conversion processes and products
Processes for converting lignocellulose to feedstock and downstream products are disclosed. The processes may include acid treatment of lignocellulose to produce a fermentation feedstock. In various instances, the processes include recovery or recycling of acid, such as recovery of hydrochloric acid from concentrated and/or dilute streams. Downstream products may include acrylic acid-based products such as diapers, paper and paper-based products, ethanol, biofuels such as biodiesel and fuel additives, and detergents.
1. A carbohydrate mixture derived from a lignocellulose material, the carbohydrate mixture comprising:
water;
at least one hexose selected from the group consisting of galactose and mannose;
at least one pentose selected from the group consisting of xylose and arabinose;
a water soluble higher oligomer of glucose, mannose, xylose, galactose, arabinose, or a combination thereof;
furfural in a weigh/weight ratio to carbohydrates of less than 0.01; and
an S1 solvent capable of forming a heterogeneous azeotrope with the water;
wherein the carbohydrate mixture comprises a plurality of liquid phases.
2. The carbohydrate mixture of claim 1 , wherein the at least one hexose or the at least one pentose is hemicellulose-derived.
3. The carbohydrate mixture of claim 1 , wherein the at least one hexose and the at least one pentose are hemicellulose-derived.
4. The carbohydrate mixture of claim 1 , comprising furfural in an amount up to 1000 ppm.
5. The carbohydrate mixture of claim 1 , wherein the S1 solvent is selected from the group consisting of an aliphatic alcohol, an aromatic alcohol, a ketone having at least 5 carbon atoms, and an aldehyde having at least 5 carbon atoms.
6. The carbohydrate mixture of claim 1 , wherein the S1 solvent is characterized by a water solubility of less than 10% and by at least one of:
a polarity related component of Hoy's cohesion parameter (delta-P) between 5 and 10 MPa 1/2 ; and
a hydrogen bonding related component of Hoy's cohesion parameter (delta-H) between 5 and 20 Mpa 1/2 .
7. The carbohydrate mixture of claim 1 , wherein the lignocellulose material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of agricultural residues, municipal solid waste, industrial solid waste, yard waste, and forestry waste.
8. The carbohydrate mixture of claim 1 , wherein a weight/weight ratio between pentoses and total carbohydrates is at least 0.05.
9. The carbohydrate mixture of claim 1 , further comprising at least one microorganism.
10. The carbohydrate mixture of claim 1 , comprising glucose, galactose and xylose.
11. The carbohydrate mixture of claim 1 , wherein the at least one pentose is present in a proportion relative to a total carbohydrate content of the carbohydrate mixture of at least 0.10.
12. The carbohydrate mixture of claim 1 , wherein the higher oligomer is present in a proportion relative to a total carbohydrate content of the carbohydrate mixture of less than 0.2.
13. The carbohydrate mixture of claim 1 , further comprising at least one alpha-bonded carbohydrate selected from the group consisting of maltose, isomaltose, trehalose, kojibiose and nigerose.
14. The carbohydrate mixture of claim 13 , wherein the at least one alpha-bonded carbohydrate is present in a proportion relative to a total carbohydrate content of the carbohydrate mixture of at least 0.01.
15. The carbohydrate mixture of claim 1 , further comprising at least one beta-bonded carbohydrate selected from the group consisting of gentiobiose, sophorose, cellobiose, laminaribiose and beta-trehalose.
16. The carbohydrate mixture of claim 15 , wherein the at least one beta-bonded carbohydrate is present in a proportion relative to a total carbohydrate content of the carbohydrate mixture of at least 0.01.
17. The carbohydrate mixture of claim 1 , wherein the S1 solvent comprises hexanol, 2-ethyl-1-hexanol, or a combination thereof.
18. The carbohydrate mixture of claim 1 , wherein a ratio of the S1 solvent to the water is greater than a ratio of the S1 solvent to the water at the heterogeneous azeotrope.
19. The carbohydrate mixture of claim 1 , wherein the water is between 3 and 20 weight percent of the carbohydrate mixture.
20. The carbohydrate mixture of claim 1 , further comprising a strong acid, wherein a weight ratio of the strong acid to the water is between 0.2 and 1.0.