Abstract: Biomass slurry is hydrolzyed in a fuel fired hydrolysis heater. When the biomass is fruit waste, the organic acid in the waste is used as the hydrolysis catalyst. When the biomass does not contain organic acid, carbon dioxide generated in a fermenter is fed to the hydrolysis heater as carbonic acid to provide the catalyst. Solids are separated from the hydrolyzed effluent, the flue gas from the hydrolysis heater is used to dry same. The effluent is fermented and subsequently distilled at substantially atmospheric pressure to produce ethyl alcohol vapor. The vapor is fed to a vacuum distillation tower for producing anhydrous ethyl alcohol. Vacuum distillation tower bottoms provide the reflux for the atmospheric distillation unit. A portion of the stillage from the atmospheric distillation unit is recycled by mixing with new feedstock. The remaining stillage is evaporated to a syrup, mixed with unreacted solids, and dried to produce an animal feed byproduct.

Abstract: Biomass slurry is hydrolyzed in a fuel fired hydrolysis heater. When the biomass is fruit waste, the organic acid in the waste is used as the hydrolysis catalyst. When the biomass does not contain organic acid, carbon dioxide generated in a fermenter is fed to the hydrolysis heater as carbonic acid to provide the catalyst. Solids are separated from the hydrolyzed effluent, and flue gas from the hydrolysis heater is used to dry same. The effluent is fermented and subsequently distilled at substantially atmospheric pressure to produce ethyl alcohol vapor. The vapor is fed to a vacuum distillation tower for producing anhydrous ethyl alcohol. Vacuum distillation tower bottoms provide the reflux for the atmospheric distillation unit. A portion of the stillage from the atmospheric distillation unit is recycled by mixing with new feedstock. The remaining stillage is evaporated to a syrup, mixed with unreacted solids, and dried to produce an animal feed byproduct.

Abstract: A thermal cracking process and apparatus are disclosed for economical manufacture of lower olefins and valuable coproducts by pyrolysis of liquid or gaseous hydrocarbon feedstocks ranging from ethane to tar sands, particularly feedstocks, such as gas oil, naphtha, residual oils or tar sands. The pyrolysis unit is a riser reactor heated by hot agglomerated ash particles and designed for short residence time to minimize the time of contact of the feedstock with the hot ash. The agglomerated ash is continually produced in a fluidized bed combustion unit by burning particles of coal or other solid carbonaceous material, and the hot agglomerated ash is continually forced upwardly through the riser by superheated steam which is further superheated in the riser reactor and which serves as dilution steam for hydrocarbon partial pressure reduction. Additional dilution steam enters the reactor with the preheated feedstock.