Abstract: A bioethanol production method using lignocellulosic biomass as a raw material, the method being adapted to increase the ethanol concentration of a fermentation liquid obtained in a fermentation step and reduce the distillation load without having to use specialized equipment in solubilizing the biomass by enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose contained in the biomass. When a solid residue of the cellulosic biomass, from which hemicellulose has been removed, is mixed with an aqueous solution containing a cellulose-hydrolyzing enzyme in a reaction vessel, ethanol is added in an amount of 3 to 6% by mass. Bacterial proliferation is suppressed during hydrolysis of cellulose, and the ethanol concentration achieved in ethanol fermentation of a saccharified solution is increased, so that the distillation load is reduced. The ethanol added at the time of hydrolysis can be collected during distillation of the alcoholic fermentation liquid and reused.

Abstract: A saccharified solution production method in which cellulosic biomass is solubilized by enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose contained in the cellulosic biomass, the method being adapted to quickly solubilize the biomass and give a slurry while keeping a high solids concentration in a reaction vessel. The biomass pulverized and an aqueous solution containing a cellulose-hydrolyzing enzyme are mixed in one reaction vessel including no baffle plate disposed in its interior, and the cellulosic biomass is solubilized under stirring. Afterwards, the contents of the reaction vessel are transferred to another reaction vessel including a baffle plate disposed in its interior, and enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose is allowed to proceed. The solids concentration in the first reaction vessel is preferably 15 to 30% by mass. The efficiency of stirring during enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose is enhanced, and thus the amount of sugar production can be increased.

Abstract: A method for producing a saccharified solution making it possible that while the concentration of a solid in a reactor is kept high at an initial stage of hydrolyzing a cellulose contained in a biomass with an enzyme, the biomass is earlier solubilized to be made into a slurry form. In the method, at an initial stage of mixing an aqueous solution containing a biomass pulverized in a reactor, the aqueous solution is poured into reactor, and then pulverized biomass is supplied thereinto step by step while content in reactor is stirred. A final solid concentration in reactor is set into the range of 15 to 30% both inclusive by mass. The reactor's bottom plane is made into a conical or mirror plate form. At least in upper and lower parts of the reactor's inside, plural stirring fans having a long rotation radius are located to stir content in reactor.

Abstract: A method of producing a saccharified solution, in which saccharified slurry is obtained by hydrothermally treating cellulosic biomass slurry in a supercritical state or a subcritical state by a continuous reactor. The method reduces the risk of a pressure reducing valve becoming clogged when the high-temperature and high-pressure slurry is flash-evaporated after being hydrothermally treated. Also provides an apparatus for producing a saccharified solution and a continuous reactor. At the time of hydrothermally treating the cellulosic biomass slurry by the continuous reactor continuously, the slurry is intensely stirred in a front part of the continuous reactor, and stirred in a rear part of the continuous reactor by a stirring device with low propelling force, such that the plug flow in the axial direction is kept while the slurry is being uniformly mixed with respect to the cross section perpendicular to the mixing axis.

Abstract: A biomass cake pressure-feeding apparatus includes: a screw pump including a first screw with a helical first conveying thread, a second screw with a helical second conveying thread, and a casing accommodating the first screw and the second screw such that the first screw and the second screw are parallel to each other, the screw pump being configured to feed biomass cake to a high pressure reactor, the biomass cake being obtained by adding water to powdery biomass; and a throttle part positioned downstream of the screw pump and configured to form a material seal made of the biomass cake by restricting a flow of the biomass cake.

Abstract: A method for producing a saccharified solution making it possible that while the concentration of a solid in a reactor is kept high at an initial stage of hydrolyzing a cellulose contained in a biomass with an enzyme, the biomass is earlier solubilized to be made into a slurry form. In the method, at an initial stage of mixing an aqueous solution containing a biomass pulverized in a reactor, the aqueous solution is poured into reactor, and then pulverized biomass is supplied thereinto step by step while content in reactor is stirred. A final solid concentration in reactor is set into the range of 15 to 30% both inclusive by mass. The reactor's bottom plane is made into a conical or mirror plate form. At least in upper and lower parts of the reactor's inside, plural stirring fans having a long rotation radius are located to stir content in reactor.

Abstract: A biomass cake pressure-feeding apparatus includes: a screw pump including a first screw with a helical first conveying thread, a second screw with a helical second conveying thread, and a casing accommodating the first screw and the second screw such that the first screw and the second screw are parallel to each other, the screw pump being configured to feed biomass cake to a high pressure reactor, the biomass cake being obtained by adding water to powdery biomass; and a throttle part positioned downstream of the screw pump and configured to form a material seal made of the biomass cake by restricting a flow of the biomass cake.

Abstract: A saccharification-reaction apparatus includes: a reactor which causes a saccharification-reaction of a raw material; and a raw material charging device which charges the raw material into the reactor at a predetermined interval; the reactor includes: a heating steam feeder which increases a temperature of the raw material charged from the charging device to a saccharification-reaction temperature; and a feeding mechanism which sequentially feeds each of the charged raw materials toward an outlet-port in a predetermined short period of time while causing the saccharification-reaction of each raw material under a high temperature and pressure; the raw material charging-device charges into the reactor, the raw material with a suitable bulk density for a saccharification-reaction speed of the reactor; in this manner, the saccharification-reaction apparatus charges the raw material in a hydrolytic saccharification state into the reactor by the raw material charging device; and hydrolytically saccharifying the raw

Abstract: A saccharified solution production method includes: a saccharifying step of saccharifying hemicellulose or cellulose contained in cellulosic biomass to C5 or C6 saccharides by subjecting a slurry of cellulosic biomass to a hot water treatment in a supercritical state or subcritical state; a washing step of successively washing a solid in the slurry with washing water after the saccharifying step, by using multiple stages of thickeners for washing arranged in series so that the direction of movement of the solid in the slurry and the direction of movement of overflow water are opposite to each other; and a concentration step of removing a solid residue from the washing water recovered in the washing step by using a thickener for still standing that is different from the thickeners for washing, and then concentrating a supernatant of the thickener for still standing by using a concentration device to give a saccharified solution.

Abstract: A saccharide recovering method for recovering saccharides from a saccharified slurry obtained after subjecting a slurry of cellulosic biomass to a hot water treatment and to provide a washing device for washing a saccharified slurry residue suited for conducting such a saccharide recovery method is provided. Saccharified slurry of cellulosic biomass is fed on a conveyor having a net conveyor belt, the saccharified slurry is dehydrated, washing water is sprayed to dissolve saccharides remaining in the residue into the washing liquid. The residue is washed by a plurality of washing water spraying units disposed in series in such a manner that the moving direction of the residue and the moving direction of the washing water are opposite to each other. The washing water having washed the residue is used as washing water for washing water spraying unit in the direction opposite to the moving direction of the conveyor.

Abstract: A method of producing a saccharified solution, in which saccharified slurry is obtained by hydrothermally treating cellulosic biomass slurry in a supercritical state or a subcritical state by a continuous reactor. The method reduces the risk of a pressure reducing valve becoming clogged when the high-temperature and high-pressure slurry is flash-evaporated after being hydrothermally treated. Also provides an apparatus for producing a saccharified solution and a continuous reactor. At the time of hydrothermally treating the cellulosic biomass slurry by the continuous reactor continuously, the slurry is intensely stirred in a front part of the continuous reactor, and stirred in a rear part of the continuous reactor by a stirring device with low propelling force, such that the plug flow in the axial direction is kept while the slurry is being uniformly mixed with respect to the cross section perpendicular to the mixing axis.

Abstract: A saccharification-reaction apparatus includes: a reactor which causes a saccharification-reaction of a raw material; and a raw material charging device which charges the raw material into the reactor at a predetermined interval; the reactor includes: a heating steam feeder which increases a temperature of the raw material charged from the charging device to a saccharification-reaction temperature; and a feeding mechanism which sequentially feeds each of the charged raw materials toward an outlet-port in a predetermined short period of time while causing the saccharification-reaction of each raw material under a high temperature and pressure; the raw material charging-device charges into the reactor, the raw material with a suitable bulk density for a saccharification-reaction speed of the reactor; in this manner, the saccharification-reaction apparatus charges the raw material in a hydrolytic saccharification state into the reactor by the raw material charging device; and hydrolytically saccharifying the raw

Abstract: In the present disclosure, after a volatile organic acid is added as a catalyst to a slurry and the hydrolytic saccharification reaction of hemicellulose is performed, the volatile organic acid (including one added to the slurry and one produced as a by-product) contained in a C5 saccharified solution can be easily recovered by adding a small amount of sulfuric acid to the C5 saccharified solution and subjecting the C5 saccharified solution to air stripping treatment. The efficiency of hydrolytic saccharification of hemicellulose into C5 sugars using a volatile organic acid can also be continuously improved by adding the recovered volatile organic acid as a catalyst to another slurry of cellulosic biomass.

Abstract: A method for producing a concentrated saccharified solution using lignocellulosic biomass as a source material. The method includes filtering a saccharified solution obtained by hydrolysis of cellulosic biomass through a membrane separator having a separation membrane having a molecular cutoff ranging from 1000 or more and 7000 or less, and feeding it to a reverse osmosis membrane device to concentrate the same. By such treatment, the saccharides having small molecular weights contained in the saccharified solution are transferred to the filtrate, and the lignin and its decomposition product having large molecular weights are drained as a concentrated solution from the membrane separator. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent loss of saccharides contained in the saccharified solution, and to easily prevent occurrence of fouling in the reverse osmosis membrane used in concentration of the saccharified solution.

Abstract: A saccharified solution production method includes: a saccharifying step of saccharifying hemicellulose or cellulose contained in cellulosic biomass to C5 or C6 saccharides by subjecting a slurry of cellulosic biomass to a hot water treatment in a supercritical state or subcritical state; a washing step of successively washing a solid in the slurry with washing water after the saccharifying step, by using multiple stages of thickeners for washing arranged in series so that the direction of movement of the solid in the slurry and the direction of movement of overflow water are opposite to each other; and a concentration step of removing a solid residue from the washing water recovered in the washing step by using a thickener for still standing that is different from the thickeners for washing, and then concentrating a supernatant of the thickener for still standing by using a concentration device to give a saccharified solution.

Abstract: A saccharide recovering method for recovering saccharides from a saccharified slurry obtained after subjecting a slurry of cellulosic biomass to a hot water treatment and to provide a washing device for washing a saccharified slurry residue suited for conducting such a saccharide recovery method is provided. Saccharified slurry of cellulosic biomass is fed on a conveyor having a net conveyor belt, the saccharified slurry is dehydrated, washing water is sprayed to dissolve saccharides remaining in the residue into the washing liquid. The residue is washed by a plurality of washing water spraying units disposed in series in such a manner that the moving direction of the residue and the moving direction of the washing water are opposite to each other. The washing water having washed the residue is used as washing water for washing water spraying unit in the direction opposite to the moving direction of the conveyor.

Abstract: In the present disclosure, after a volatile organic acid is added as a catalyst to a slurry and the hydrolytic saccharification reaction of hemicellulose is performed, the volatile organic acid (including one added to the slurry and one produced as a by-product) contained in a C5 saccharified solution can be easily recovered by adding a small amount of sulfuric acid to the C5 saccharified solution and subjecting the C5 saccharified solution to air stripping treatment. The efficiency of hydrolytic saccharification of hemicellulose into C5 sugars using a volatile organic acid can also be continuously improved by adding the recovered volatile organic acid as a catalyst to another slurry of cellulosic biomass.

Abstract: A method for producing ethanol by alcohol fermentation of a saccharide obtained by hydrolyzing cellulosic biomass in a supercritical or subcritical state, wherein excessive decomposition and caramelization of the saccharide are inhibited to prevent a reduction in yield of the saccharide, and flash steam is effectively used. The method for producing ethanol of the present invention is characterized in that in a saccharification/decomposition step, a slurry after saccharification/decomposition, is flash-evaporated in a first flash tank so as to have a temperature of 150° C. to 200° C.; the slurry after saccharification/decomposition, which is taken from the first flash tank, is further flash-evaporated in a second flash tank so as to have a temperature of 100° C. to 120° C.; and first flash steam generated from the first flash tank is used as a heat source in the saccharification/decomposition step or a distillation step.

Abstract: The hydrolytic saccharification method and hydrolytic saccharification apparatus according to the present invention use a hydraulic cylinder-type pressurized reactor as a reactor for causing cellulosic biomass to be in a supercritical or subcritical state, and use a hydraulic cylinder-type steam compressor as a source of superheated steam, such that the reactor and the compressor are operated in conjunction with each other. Surplus hydraulic pressure that is generated when hydrolysis of the cellulosic biomass is completed is recovered as compression power of the hydraulic cylinder-type steam compressor. Moreover, flash steam generated from slurry containing a hydrolysate is supplied to the hydraulic cylinder-type steam compressor for cyclic use of the flash steam.

Abstract: A moving granular bed dust removal and reaction apparatus using glanular reaction agent as a granular bed material comprises a generally cylindrical, air-tight vessel disposed vertically, which has a gas outlet port, a reaction agent supply port and a reaction agent storage portion in an upper portion thereof, a gas inlet port, a gas chamber connected to the gas inlet port and a reaction agent passage defined in the gas chamber by a louver device in an intermediate portion and a lower portion having a regulatable discharge device. The reaction agent passage of the intermediate portion is communicated with a lower end of the reaction agent storage portion form a single column of reation agent. The regulatable discharge device regulates the moving speed of granular reaction agent supplied through the reaction agent supply port and allows it to move down by gravity to fill the single reaction agent column while filtering and adsorbing dust and toxic substances contained in upwardly moving gas therethrough.