Abstract: A simple, inexpensive, and benign process to pretreat lignocellulose biomass for the economical production of biofuel and extraction of organic chemicals. Lignocellulose solids are mixed or blended with ammonium bicarbonate/carbonate and heated within a pressure reactor. At elevated temperature (e.g., >35° C.), the ammonium bicarbonate/carbonate dissociates into ammonia and carbon dioxide gases and water vapor, thereby causing a rise in pressure within the pressure reactor. Rapid release of the gases from the pressure reactor then ruptures biomass cell wall structures, which facilitates conversion of the cellulose and hemicellulose in the pretreated biomass to sugars that are fermentable into ethanol or other liquid fuels. Optionally, ammonia bicarbonate/carbonate can be reconstituted by cooling and precipitating the carbon dioxide and ammonia gases released from the pressure reactor for further use in the pretreatment process or sequestered as an end product.

Abstract: A method is provided for producing a balanced fertilizer from an anaerobic digestion process. The process includes anaerobically digesting a diluted influent mixed slurry in a digestion area and producing an effluent. The process includes separating water from the effluent to produce a liquid effluent, which is used as recycle water and a dewatered solids effluent. The process includes separating toxic compounds from the recycle water via a toxics strip and recovery area. The process includes mixing the detoxified recycle water with an influent solids slurry in a mixing area to provide the diluted influent mixed slurry. The process includes combining the toxic compounds with the dewatered solids effluent to produce a balanced fertilizer.