Abstract: It is disclosed a continuous process for soaking a ligno-cellulosic biomass stream in an extraction solution comprising water and dissolved water soluble species derived from a previously treated ligno-cellulosic biomass, wherein the soaked ligno-cellulosic biomass stream is optionally rinsed with a rinse solution stream to produce a soaking liquid. The electrical conductivity of the extraction solution and/or the soaking liquid are controlled to a value in a suitable target range by regulating one or more dilution streams. The disclosed process is useful to remove non-ligno-cellulosic water soluble compounds from the ligno-cellulosic biomass with a low consumption of water.

Abstract: The process for the hydrolysis of ligno-cellulosic biomass comprises the steps of A) Contacting a ligno-cellulosic feedstock, the feedstock comprised of biomass having a dry content and water with at least a portion of a solvent, the solvent comprised of water soluble hydrolyzed species; wherein at least some of the water soluble hydrolyzed species are the same as the water soluble hydrolyzed species obtainable from the hydrolysis of the biomass in the feedstock; B) maintaining the contact between the feedstock of the feedstock stream and the solvent at a temperature in the range of 20° C. to 200° C. for a time in the range of 5 minutes to 72 hours to create a hydrolyzed product from the biomass in the feedstock.

Abstract: The process for treating a ligno-cellulosic biomass feed stream comprised of solids, C5's, C6's, lignin, and water comprises the steps of: pretreating the ligno-cellulosic biomass feed stream by contacting the ligno-cellulosic biomass with water in the temperature range of 40 to 210° C. to create a pre-treated ligno-cellulosic biomass comprised of a pre-treatment ligno-cellulosic biomass liquid comprised of suspended solids, C5's, C6's, and acetic acid, wherein the ratio of the C6's to C5's is less than 0.8 to 1.

Abstract: This specification discloses an improved method for conducting the removal of C5 xylan based sugars from biomass. The improved method involves a series of soakings and washings of the biomass as opposed to conducting one soaking and washing step.

Abstract: The process for the treatment of ligno-cellulosic biomass comprises the steps of: A) Soaking a ligno-cellulosic biomass feedstock in vapor or liquid water or mixture thereof in the temperature range of 100 to 210° C. for 1 minute to 24 hours to create a soaked biomass containing a dry content and a first liquid; B) Separating at least a portion of the first liquid from the soaked biomass to create a first liquid stream and a first solid stream; wherein the first solid stream comprises the soaked biomass; and C) Steam exploding the first solid stream to create a steam exploded stream comprising solids and a second liquid.

Abstract: An improved method of conducting the pre-soaking step involving pre-soaking the ligno-cellulosic biomass in a liquid (water) at a temperature in the range of between 100° C. to 150° C. prior to soaking at higher temperatures. This material can then be soaked and soaked liquid filtered by nano-filtration. When nano-filtration is used, the pre-soak temperature can be in the range of 10° C. to 150° C.

Abstract: The process is for pretreating a lignocellulosic biomass feedstock and comprises: soaking a lignocellulosic biomass feedstock wherein the soaked biomass is present as a mixture with a free liquid and wherein the free liquid comprises at least one dissolved compound selected from the group consisting of glucose, xylose and respective oligomers thereof, washing the mixture of the soaked biomass and the free liquid, wherein at least a portion of the free liquid containing at least one dissolved compound selected from the group consisting of glucose, xylose and respective oligomers thereof is separated from the soaked biomass to create a soaked washed biomass and at least one free liquid stream, compressing the soaked biomass to create a released liquid, separating the released liquid from the soaked biomass, and keeping at least a portion of the released liquid separate from any free liquid.

Abstract: This invention is to a biomass composition of 5 and 6 carbon sugars, lignin, and cellulose which has been steam exploded and the composition has a very high enzyme accessibility at 24 hours for hydrolysis.

Abstract: An improved method of conducting the pre-soaking step involving pre-soaking the ligno-cellulosic biomass in a liquid (water) at a temperature in the range of between 100° C. to 150° C. prior to soaking at higher temperatures. This material can then be soaked and soaked liquid filtered by nano-filtration. When nano-filtration is used, the pre-soak temperature can be in the range of 10° C. to 150° C.

Abstract: This specification discloses an improved method for conducting the removal of C5 xylan based sugars from biomass. The improved method involves a series of soakings and washings of the biomass as opposed to conducting one soaking and washing step.

Abstract: The process is for pretreating a lignocellulosic biomass feedstock and comprises: soaking a lignocellulosic biomass feedstock wherein the soaked biomass is present as a mixture with a free liquid and wherein the free liquid comprises at least one dissolved compound selected from the group consisting of glucose, xylose and respective oligomers thereof, washing the mixture of the soaked biomass and the free liquid, wherein at least a portion of the free liquid containing at least one dissolved compound selected from the group consisting of glucose, xylose and respective oligomers thereof is separated from the soaked biomass to create a soaked washed biomass and at least one free liquid stream, compressing the soaked biomass to create a released liquid, separating the released liquid from the soaked biomass, and keeping at least a portion of the released liquid separate from any free liquid.

Abstract: This specification discloses a process for the removal of solids and non-sugar components from a pre-treated lignocellulosic biomass stream by the precipitation of the non-sugar components with preferably barium hydroxide or calcium hydroxide. The precipitation removes the non-sugar components and some salts, leaving the glucose and xylose and other sugars in the liquid stream for further processing.

Abstract: It is disclosed a process for removing at least a portion of the furfural and acetic acid in a first stream comprised of water, at least one compound selected from the group consisting of furfural and acetic acid, C5's and C6's. Such process comprises the steps of contacting the stream with an adsorption media which has been previously contacted with a second stream comprised of the same components and the adsorption media has been regenerated by exposing it to conditions, without being in contact with the second stream, such that at least 70% of the adsorbed furfural and acetic acid have each been desorbed and at least 60% of the C5's and C6's remain adsorbed on the media.