Process for fractionation of lignocellulosic biomass
This invention aims to develop a process for fractionation of lignocellulosic biomass by contacting lignocellulosic biomass with treatment liquid in close system at temperature not over 200° C. and pressure of 5 to 20 bars, wherein said treatment liquid comprises water-miscible part that comprising formic acid, alcohol, and water and water-immiscible part that comprising alkyl acetate. The lignocellulosic biomass may be selected from rice straw, bagasse, corncobs, corn stem, palm waste, grass, pineapple shell, bamboo, or mixture thereof.
1. A process for fractionation of lignocellulosic biomass by contacting lignocellulosic biomass with a treatment liquid in a close system at a temperature not over 200° C. and a pressure of from 5 to 20 bars, the treatment liquid comprising:
a water-miscible part, comprising formic acid, alcohol, and water; and
a water-immiscible part, comprising alkyl acetate;
wherein the weight based ratio of the water-miscible part to the water-immiscible part of the treatment liquid is from 7.5:2.5 to 9.2:0.8.
2. The process for fractionation of lignocellulosic biomass according to claim 1 , wherein proportion of formic acid is from 10 to 35% weight by weight of water-miscible treatment liquid.
3. The process for fractionation of lignocellulosic biomass according to claim 2 , wherein proportion of formic acid is from 15 to 25% weight by weight of water-miscible treatment liquid.
4. The process for fractionation of lignocellulosic biomass according to claim 1 , wherein proportion of alcohol is from 20 to 40% weight by weight of water-miscible treatment liquid.
5. The process for fractionation of lignocellulosic biomass according to claim 1 , wherein alcohol is selected from ethanol, methanol, or mixture thereof.
6. The process for fractionation of lignocellulosic biomass according to claim 1 , wherein proportion of water is from 35 to 65% weight by weight of water-miscible treatment liquid.
7. The process for fractionation of lignocellulosic biomass according to claim 1 , wherein alkyl acetate is selected from ethyl acetate, propyl acetate, butyl acetate, iso-butyl acetate, amyl acetate, iso-amyl acetate, hexyl acetate, 2-ethylhexyl acetate, or mixture thereof.
8. The process for fractionation of lignocellulosic biomass according to claim 7 , wherein alkyl acetate is ethyl acetate.
9. The process for fractionation of lignocellulosic biomass according to claim 1 , wherein the temperature of said process is from 140 to 180° C.
10. The process for fractionation of lignocellulosic biomass according to claim 9 , wherein the temperature of said process is from 155 to 170° C.
11. The process for fractionation of lignocellulosic biomass according to claim 1 , wherein the contacting time of the lignocellulosic biomass to the treatment liquid is not over 90 minutes.
12. The process for fractionation of lignocellulosic biomass according to claim 11 , wherein the contacting time of the lignocellulosic biomass to the treatment liquid is from 25 to 60 minutes.
13. The process for fractionation of lignocellulosic biomass according to claim 1 , wherein the percentage of lignocellulosic biomass is from 5 to 15% dry weight by volume of the treatment liquid.
14. The process for fractionation of lignocellulosic biomass according to claim 1 , wherein the particle size of the lignocellulosic biomass is less than 425 μm.
15. The process for fractionation of lignocellulosic biomass according to claim 1 , further comprising stirring at 50 to 250 rpm.
16. The process for fractionation of lignocellulosic biomass according to claim 1 , further comprising digesting solid cellulose by cellulase or hemicellulase enzyme into sugar.
17. The process for fractionation of lignocellulosic biomass according to claim 1 , further comprising of washing solids with water until pH of washing water is in the range of 4 to 6.
18. The process for fractionation of lignocellulosic biomass according to claim 1 , wherein the lignocellulosic biomass is selected from rice straw, bagasse, corncobs, corn stem, palm waste, grass, pineapple shell, bamboo, or mixture thereof.
19. A process for fractionation of lignocellulosic biomass, said process comprising:
contacting lignocellulosic biomass with a treatment liquid in a close system at a temperature not over 200° C. and a pressure of from 5 to 20 bars; and
stirring the lignocellulosic biomass and treatment liquid at 50 to 250 rpm;
wherein the treatment liquid comprises:
a water-miscible part, comprising formic acid, alcohol, and water; and
a water-immiscible part, comprising alkyl acetate; and
wherein the weight based ratio of the water-miscible part to the water-immiscible part of the treatment liquid is from 7.0:3.0 to 9.5:0.5.
20. A process for fractionation of lignocellulosic biomass, said process comprising:
contacting lignocellulosic biomass with a treatment liquid in a close system at a temperature not over 200° C. and a pressure of from 5 to 20 bars; and
digesting solid cellulose by cellulase or hemicellulase enzyme into sugar;
wherein the treatment liquid comprises:
a water-miscible part, comprising formic acid, alcohol, and water; and
a water-immiscible part, comprising alkyl acetate; and
wherein the weight based ratio of the water-miscible part to the water-immiscible part of the treatment liquid is from 7.0:3.0 to 9.5:0.5.