Abstract: A process for recovering a volatile carboxylic acid from an aqueous stream containing same comprising the steps of: (a) evaporating the aqueous stream to produce a vapour stream comprising the volatile carboxylic acid that has been vapourized and water vapour, which aqueous stream is produced by a conversion process using a lignocellulosic feedstock as a substrate; (b) contacting the vapour stream with an organic solvent so as to extract the volatile carboxylic acid present in the vapour stream, thereby producing a liquid stream comprising the organic solvent and the volatile carboxylic acid, and a water vapour stream, wherein the organic solvent has an atmospheric boiling point of at least about 150° C. and is insoluble in water; and (c) separating the volatile carboxylic acid from the organic solvent.

Abstract: A method for processing of a lignocellulosic feedstock is provided comprising exposing lignocellulosic feedstock to acid in a reactor to hydrolyze at least hemicellulose present in said lignocellulosic feedstock, wherein during said exposing, a scale deposit comprising lignin forms on the inner surface of said reactor; and treating the scale deposit with an alkali solution at a temperature between about 140° C. and about 250° C. so as to remove scale. Also provided is a method for reducing scale deposit that forms on process equipment during a stage of reacting a lignocellulosic feedstock with acid.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for producing fermentable sugar or a fermentation product from a lignocellulosic feedstock. The process comprises leaching the lignocellulosic feedstock with an aqueous solution to remove at least potassium salts from the lignocellulosic feedstock and without significantly hydrolyzing hemicellulose and cellulose, thereby producing a leached feedstock and leachate. The leachate is removed from the leachate and concentrated. The leached feedstock is hydrolyzed to produce fermentable sugar, which may be fermented to produce a fermentation broth comprising the fermentation product. The concentrated leachate is recirculated to one or more stages in the process involving alkali addition to adjust the pH of a process stream.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the conversion of a lignocellulosic feedstock involving acid pretreatment. The process comprises the steps of treating the lignocellulosic feedstock with alkali at a pH of between about 8.0 and about 12.0 so as to dissolve acetyl groups present on said lignocellulosic feedstock, while converting less than about 10% of the xylan present in the lignocellulosic feedstock to xylose and less than about 10% of the cellulose to glucose, thereby producing an alkali conditioned feedstock. The alkali conditioned feedstock is then pretreated at a temperature of about 160° C. to about 250° C., at a pH of about 0.5 to about 2.5 for about 0.5 to about 10 minutes so as to hydrolyze about 80 to 100% of the xylan and about 3 to about 15% of the cellulose to produce an acid pretreated feedstock comprising cellulose. The cellulose in the pretreated feedstock can be hydrolyzed to glucose with cellulase and the glucose can be fermented to produce a fermentation product.

Abstract: A method for processing of a lignocellulosic feedstock is provided comprising exposing lignocellulosic feedstock to acid in a reactor to hydrolyze at least hemicellulose present in said lignocellulosic feedstock, wherein during said exposing, a scale deposit comprising lignin forms on the inner surface of said reactor; and treating the scale deposit with an alkali solution at a temperature between about 140° C. and about 250° C. so as to remove scale. Also provided is a method for reducing scale deposit that forms on process equipment during a stage of reacting a lignocellulosic feedstock with acid.

Abstract: A process for recovering a volatile carboxylic acid from an aqueous stream containing same comprising the steps of: (a) evaporating the aqueous stream to produce a vapour stream comprising the volatile carboxylic acid that has been vapourized and water vapour, which aqueous stream is produced by a conversion process using a lignocellulosic feedstock as a substrate; (b) contacting the vapour stream with an organic solvent so as to extract the volatile carboxylic acid present in the vapour stream, thereby producing a liquid stream comprising the organic solvent and the volatile carboxylic acid, and a water vapour stream, wherein the organic solvent has an atmospheric boiling point of at least about 150° C. and is insoluble in water; and (c) separating the volatile carboxylic acid from the organic solvent.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to a method of converting cellulose to glucose by treating a pretreated lignocellulosic substrate with an enzyme mixture comprising cellulase enzyme and endoglucanase core proteins, wherein the endoglucanase core proteins are present in the enzyme mixture at an amount relative to all endoglucanases from about 35 wt. % to about 100 wt. % and wherein the endoglucanase cellulase enzymes are present in the enzyme mixture at an amount relative to the amount of CBH and EG enzymes from about 2 wt. % to about 50 wt. %. The pretreated lignocellulosic substrate is selected from the group consisting of agricultural residues, residues after starch or sugar removal, dedicated ethanol crops, forestry products, and pulp and paper products, or combinations thereof.

Abstract: A process for obtaining one or more than one salt of an organic acid(s), or organic acid(s), from an aqueous sugar stream comprising one or more than one mineral acid and the organic acid(s) is provided. The process comprises introducing the aqueous sugar stream to a separation system comprising one or more beds of anion exchange resin and obtaining a stream therefrom comprising the sugar. The one or more beds of anion exchange resin are then regenerated in one or more stages to produce at least one product stream comprising the organic acid, a salt of the organic acid, or a combination thereof, and a separate outlet stream comprising the mineral acid, a salt of the mineral acid, or a combination thereof. The product stream is then recovered. The separation may be conducted with two separation units, or using a single anion exchange unit.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to a method of converting cellulose to glucose by treating a pretreated lignocellulosic substrate with an enzyme mixture comprising cellulase enzyme and endoglucanase core proteins, wherein the endoglucanase core proteins are present in the enzyme mixture at an amount relative to all endoglucanases from about 35 wt. % to about 100 wt. % and wherein the endoglucanase cellulase enzymes are present in the enzyme mixture at an amount relative to the amount of CBH and EG enzymes from about 2 wt. % to about 50 wt. %. The pretreated lignocellulosic substrate is selected from the group consisting of agricultural residues, residues after starch or sugar removal, dedicated ethanol crops, forestry products, and pulp and paper products, or combinations thereof.

Abstract: An oxido-reducto synthesis is carried out in a liquid medium with enzymatic transformation of a substrate with an oxido-reducto cofactor dependent enzyme in the presence of a cofactor for the transformation; the enzyme is immobilized by a support which is stationarily disposed in a flow path along which a liquid medium containing the substrate flows in contact with the support.