Abstract: This invention describes a process for the production of second generation alcohols and/or solvents starting from cellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass wherein the lignocellulosic or cellulosic biomass undergoes a pretreatment before being converted into ethanol after an enzymatic hydrolysis and an ethylic fermentation, wherein glucidic polymers of the pretreated plant are hydrolyzed by cellulases; microorganisms that primarily use hexoses and preferably glucose and mannose are used for the ethylic fermentation; wines, with or without separation of materials in suspension are extracted by distillation; pentoses in the vinasses are fermented by a solventogenic microorganism into a butyl wine, and at least one portion of the butyl wine is recycled upstream from enzymatic hydrolysis.

Abstract: The process for the production of alcohol and/or solvent from a biomass feedstock comprises the stages for pretreatment (P) of the biomass feedstock, for enzymatic hydrolysis (H1 and HF), and for fermenting the hydrolyzate (HF). To prevent solids from being sent and to facilitate operating the section for purifying the fermentation products, at least a portion of the solid material in the fermentation wine is extracted (Ex1) to obtain a stream of solid residue (11) comprising lignin and a fermentation wine (12) that is low in solid material. Then, the stream of solid residue is washed (L) with a liquid stream to recover a liquid stream that is enriched with fermentation products (16). The liquid stream that is enriched with fermentation products (16) is recycled in the enzymatic hydrolysis stage (H1) to recover any fermentation product and to increase the overall yield of the process.

Abstract: A process for producing oligosaccharides from lignocellulosic biomass, having the following steps: a) pre-treating the biomass in a pre-treatment reactor (1) in order to provide an effluent containing a pre-treated substrate; b) enzymatic hydrolysis of the pre-treated substrate contained in the effluent from step a) in a reactor, in the presence of cellulases such that a hydrolysate containing glucose, cellulases and water is produced; c) removing at least a portion of the hydrolysate from step b) comprising a liquid fraction; d) reducing the water content of said portion of the hydrolysate in step c) such that the liquid fraction of the hydrolysate has a water content of less than 65% by weight with respect to the total weight of the liquid fraction; e) incubating the hydrolysate from step d) at a temperature in the range 40° C. to 70° C. for the time necessary to produce an effluent enriched in oligosaccharides.

Abstract: The present invention describes a process for the production of solutions of sugars and alcohols from lignocellulosic biomass, comprising a pre-treatment, a step for enzymatic hydrolysis and alcoholic fermentation, a step for extraction of the alcohol produced, a step for separation of the solid residue, an optional step for washing and drying, followed by a step for digestion of the solid residue in a medium comprising at least one hydrated inorganic salt with formula MXn.n?H2O, in which M is a metal selected from groups 1 to 13 of the periodic classification, X is an anion and n is a whole number in the range 1 to 6 and n? is in the range 0.5 to 12, in order to obtain a solid fraction and a liquid fraction, said solid fraction then being separated and undergoing either an enzymatic hydrolysis step or steps for enzymatic hydrolysis and alcoholic fermentation.

Abstract: The process for the production of alcohol and/or solvent from a biomass feedstock comprises the stages for pretreatment (P) of the biomass feedstock, for enzymatic hydrolysis (H) of the pretreated substrate, and for fermenting the hydrolyzate (F). To reduce the size of the fermenters, at least a portion of the solid residue contained in the hydrolyzate is extracted (Ex1) in such a way as to obtain a stream of solid residue (9) comprising lignin and a hydrolyzate (8) that is low in solid residue. Then, the stream of solid residue is washed (L) with a liquid stream in such a way as to recover a sugar-enriched liquid stream (15). The sugar-enriched liquid stream (15) is recycled in the enzymatic hydrolysis stage (H) to be able to upgrade the sugars without providing dilution of the streams in the process.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the production of alcohols from biomass that comprises a stage in which at least one aqueous internal flow that comprises at least one alcohol that has n carbon atoms, with n between 2 and 5, is recycled, provided that when the alcohol comprises 2 carbon atoms, it is mixed with at least one other alcohol in such a way as to recover a vapor phase effluent that contains alcohols exiting from said pretreatment reactor.

Abstract: The present invention describes a process for the production of alcohol, known as second generation production, from a lignocellulosic substrate, in which a controlled quantity of furfural is produced in situ and which comprises at least the following steps: a first step for alkaline chemical pre-treatment of the substrate; a step for adjusting the pH of the substrate; then a step for enzymatic hydrolysis of said pre-treated substrate; a step for alcoholic fermentation of the hydrolysate obtained with an alcohol-producing microorganism; a step for separation/purification; and a step for acid conversion of at least one liquid fraction into furfural, said liquid fraction being obtained during one of the preceding steps; a step for mixing said furfural obtained with the pre-treated substrate during the pH adjusting step.

Abstract: A method for pretreating lignocellulosic biomass by: a) acid hydrolysis with an acid solution resulting in a liquid fraction and a solid fraction, b) separating the solid fraction and the liquid fraction, c) drying the solid fraction, d) firing the dried solid fraction in a medium comprising at least one hydrated inorganic salt to obtain a solid fraction and a liquid fraction, e) separating the solid fraction and the liquid fraction obtained in d), f) optionally, treating said solid fraction obtained in e), g) enzymatic hydrolysis of said solid fraction obtained in e) and/or f), and wherein at least a portion of the liquid fraction obtained in b) is used to grow microorganisms which produce the enzymes necessary for the enzymatic hydrolysis of g).

Abstract: A process for pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass by a) A stage for acid hydrolysis of the biomass by an acid solution leading to a liquid fraction and to a solid fraction, b) A stage for separation of the solid fraction and the liquid fraction, c) A stage for drying the solid fraction, d) A stage for baking the solid fraction that is dried in a medium by a hydrated inorganic salt of formula: MXn.n?H2O in which M is a metal of groups 1 to 13 of the periodic table, X is an anion, and n is an integer between 1 and 6, and n? is between 0.5 and 12, making it possible to obtain a solid fraction and a liquid fraction, e) A stage for separation of the solid fraction and the liquid fraction obtained in stage d).

Abstract: The process for the production of alcohol and/or solvent from a biomass feedstock comprises the stages for pretreatment (P) of the biomass feedstock, for enzymatic hydrolysis (H) of the pretreated substrate, and for fermenting the hydrolyzate (F). To reduce the size of the fermenters, at least a portion of the solid residue contained in the hydrolyzate is extracted (Ex1) in such a way as to obtain a stream of solid residue (9) comprising lignin and a hydrolyzate (8) that is low in solid residue. Then, the stream of solid residue is washed (L) with a liquid stream in such a way as to recover a sugar-enriched liquid stream (15). The sugar-enriched liquid stream (15) is recycled in the enzymatic hydrolysis stage (H) to be able to upgrade the sugars without providing dilution of the streams in the process.

Abstract: This invention describes a process for the production of alcohols and/or solvents from cellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass that comprises at least the following stages: a) Alkaline chemical pretreatment based on sodium sulfate of a cellulosic or lignocellulosic substrate; b) Washing of the pretreated substrate; c) Enzymatic hydrolysis of the substrate that is pretreated and washed using cellulolytic and/or hemicellulolytic enzymes that produce a hydrolyzate and a water-insoluble residue; d) Microorganism fermentation of the hydrolyzate that is obtained from stage c) and production of a fermentation must that contains at least one alcohol and/or solvent; e) Separation/purification of alcohol and/or solvent, and f) Separation of a cake that contains the insoluble residue, in which at least a portion of the cake that is obtained in stage f) is recycled upstream from the pretreatment stage a) and/or upstream from the washing stage b).

Abstract: This invention describes a process for the production of alcohols and/or solvents from cellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass that comprises at least the following stages: a) Alkaline chemical pretreatment of a cellulosic or lignocellulosic substrate; b) Optionally washing of the pretreated substrate; c) Enzymatic hydrolysis of the substrate that is pretreated and optionally washed using cellulolytic and/or hemicellulolytic enzymes that produce a hydrolyzate and a water-insoluble residue; d) Microorganism fermentation of the hydrolyzate that is obtained from stage c) and production of a fermentation must that contains at least one alcohol and/or solvent; e) Separation/purification of alcohol and/or solvent, and f) Separation of a cake that contains the insoluble residue, in which at least a portion of the cake that is obtained in stage f) is sent into at least one reactor for regeneration of cellulose, before being recycled downstream from stage a) for alkaline chemical pretreatment.

Abstract: The present invention describes a process for production of alcohols and/or solvents from a cellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass, comprising: a step for thermochemical pre-treatment of a cellulosic or lignocellulosic substrate; an optional step for washing the pre-treated substrate and adjusting the pH; a step for enzymatic hydrolysis of the pre-treated substrate; a step for ethanolic fermentation of the hexoses contained in the hydrolysate obtained from step (c) into ethanol by a hexose-fermenting microorganism and for obtaining an ex-hexose ethanolic liquor; an extraction step; a step for ethanolic fermentation of the pentoses contained in at least one of the streams obtained from one of the preceding steps with a pentose-fermenting microorganism and for obtaining an ex-pentose ethanolic liquor; in which at least a portion of the ex-pentose ethanolic liquor is recycled upstream of at least one of the enzymatic hydrolysis and/or ethanolic fermentation steps.

Abstract: A process for the production of alcohols and/or solvents starting from cellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass comprising at least: a) Thermochemical pretreatment of a cellulosic or lignocellulosic substrate; b) Optionally, washing pretreated substrate and setting the pH; c) Enzymatic hydrolysis of pretreated, optionally washed, substrate, using cellulolytic and/or hemicellulolytic enzymes producing a hydrolyzate and a water-insoluble residue; d) Ethylic fermentation of hexoses in hydrolyzate obtained from c) into ethanol by alcohologenic microorganism and production of ethyl wine; e) One extraction stage comprising e1) Separation and purification of ethanol and/or solvents obtained from d), and e2) Separation of a solid cake containing insoluble residue and production of vinasses; f) Butylic fermentation of pentoses contained in vinasses obtained in e2) by a solventogenic microorganism and production of butyl wine; at least a portion of butyl wine is recycled upstream from at least one enzymatic hydrolys

Abstract: This invention describes a process for the production of alcohols and/or solvents from cellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass that comprises at least the following stages: a) Alkaline chemical pretreatment of a cellulosic or lignocellulosic substrate; b) Optionally washing of the pretreated substrate; c) Enzymatic hydrolysis of the substrate that is pretreated and optionally washed using cellulolytic and/or hemicellulolytic enzymes that produce a hydrolyzate and a water-insoluble residue; d) Microorganism fermentation of the hydrolyzate that is obtained from stage c) and production of a fermentation must that contains at least one alcohol and/or solvent; e) Separation/purification of alcohol and/or solvent, and f) Separation of a cake that contains the insoluble residue, in which at least a portion of the cake that is obtained in stage f) is sent into at least one reactor for regeneration of cellulose, before being recycled downstream from stage a) for alkaline chemical pretreatment.

Abstract: This invention describes a process for the production of alcohols and/or solvents from cellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass that comprises at least the following stages: a) Alkaline chemical pretreatment based on sodium sulfate of a cellulosic or lignocellulosic substrate; b) Washing of the pretreated substrate; c) Enzymatic hydrolysis of the substrate that is pretreated and washed using cellulolytic and/or hemicellulolytic enzymes that produce a hydrolyzate and a water-insoluble residue; d) Microorganism fermentation of the hydrolyzate that is obtained from stage c) and production of a fermentation must that contains at least one alcohol and/or solvent; e) Separation/purification of alcohol and/or solvent, and f) Separation of a cake that contains the insoluble residue, in which at least a portion of the cake that is obtained in stage f) is recycled upstream from the pretreatment stage a) and/or upstream from the washing stage b).

Abstract: The present invention describes a process for the production of alcohol, known as second generation production, from a lignocellulosic substrate, in which a controlled quantity of furfural is produced in situ and which comprises at least the following steps: a first step for alkaline chemical pre-treatment of the substrate; a step for adjusting the pH of the substrate; then a step for enzymatic hydrolysis of said pre-treated substrate; a step for alcoholic fermentation of the hydrolysate obtained with an alcohol-producing microorganism; a step for separation/purification; and a step for acid conversion of at least one liquid fraction into furfural, said liquid fraction being obtained during one of the preceding steps; a step for mixing said furfural obtained with the pre-treated substrate during the pH adjusting step.

Abstract: The present invention describes a process for the production of alcohols and/or solvents from a cellulosic or lignocellulosic substrate, comprising at least the following steps: a step A for alkaline pre-treatment of said substrate, comprising a step for heating in the presence of an alkaline chemical reagent and an optional washing step; a step B constituted by a step for adjusting the pH and a step for enzymatic hydrolysis of the pre-treated substrate, at the end of which a hydrolysate is obtained constituted by a liquid phase containing sugars and a solid residue; a step for alcoholic fermentation of the hydrolysate obtained; a step for separation/purification (step C2) at the end of which one or more purified alcohols and/or solvents are obtained; a step for extracting the solid residue; a step D for acid digestion of at least a fraction of the extracted solid residue, at the end of which a portion or all of the product obtained is recycled to step B.