Process for producing alcohol and other bioproducts from biomass extracts in a kraft pulp mill

Abstract

A method for the production of alcohol and other bioproducts from power boiler woody biomass extract containing hemicelluloses, with or without combining extract from wood prior to Kraft cooking. The process is integrated with the host Kraft pulp mill plant process to minimize the heat loss from extracting hemicelluloses and the energy used in the process.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A process for the production of alcohol from biomass, said process comprising:
 (a) extracting a biomass feedstock with steam or hot water, to generate a first liquid hydrolyzate and a first extracted-solids stream;   (b) extracting wood chips with steam in a digester, to generate a second liquid hydrolyzate and a second extracted-solids stream;   (c) combining said first liquid hydrolyzate and said second liquid hydrolyzate to generate a combined hydrolyzate;   (d) further hydrolyzing said combined hydrolyzate with an acid or enzymes to convert oligomeric hemicelluloses into monomer sugars; and   (e) fermenting said monomer sugars to produce an alcohol.   
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein said alcohol is ethanol or butanol. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1 , said process further comprising dewatering and combusting said first extracted-solids stream to produce power. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1 , said process further comprising pulping said second extracted-solids stream to produce pulp. 
     
     
         5 . A process for the production of alcohol and power from biomass, said process comprising:
 (a) extracting a first biomass feedstock with steam or hot water, to generate a first liquid hydrolyzate and a first extracted-solids stream;   (b) optionally extracting a second biomass feedstock, in the form of wood chips, with steam in a Kraft digester, to generate a second liquid hydrolyzate and a second extracted-solids stream;   (c) further hydrolyzing said first liquid hydrolyzate and, if step (b) is conducted, said second liquid hydrolyzate, with an acid or enzymes to convert oligomeric hemicelluloses into monomer sugars;   (d) fermenting said monomer sugars to produce an alcohol;   (e) combusting said first extracted-solids stream to produce power; and   (f) if step (b) is conducted, pulping said second extracted-solids stream to produce pulp.   
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 5 , said process further comprising evaporating said first liquid hydrolyzate and, if step (b) is conducted, said second liquid hydrolyzate using mechanical-vapor recompression evaporation. 
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 5 , wherein said first liquid hydrolyzate and, if step (b) is conducted, said second liquid hydrolyzate is each maintained at a pH below 4.8 to volatilize acetic acid during said evaporating. 
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 5 , wherein production and purification of said alcohol is integrated with a host Kraft pulp mill, to minimize heat loss and energy use. 
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 5 , wherein a separate multiple-effect evaporator located at a host Kraft pulp mill is integrated with an alcohol distillation column for purifying said alcohol. 
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 5 , said process further comprising injecting distillation column bottoms into weak black liquor of a Kraft pulp mill, to concentrate said distillation column bottoms. 
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 5 , said process further comprising combining concentrated distillation column bottoms with said first extracted-solids stream prior to said combusting. 
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 5 , wherein step (e) produces high-pressure steam suitable for a turbine to generate said power, and wherein used steam from step (e) is recycled to step (b), if conducted, and/or step (c). 
     
     
         13 . A process for the production of alcohol and pulp from biomass, said process comprising:
 (a) extracting a first biomass feedstock, in the form of wood chips, with steam in a Kraft digester, to generate a first liquid hydrolyzate and a first extracted-solids stream;   (b) optionally extracting a second biomass feedstock with steam or hot water, to generate a second liquid hydrolyzate and a second extracted-solids stream;   (c) further hydrolyzing said first liquid hydrolyzate and, if step (b) is conducted, said second liquid hydrolyzate, with an acid or enzymes to convert oligomeric hemicelluloses into monomer sugars;   (d) fermenting said monomer sugars to produce an alcohol;   (e) pulping said first extracted-solids stream to produce pulp; and   (f) if step (b) is conducted, combusting said second extracted-solids stream to produce power.   
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 13 , said process further comprising evaporating said first liquid hydrolyzate and, if step (b) is conducted, said second liquid hydrolyzate using mechanical-vapor recompression evaporation. 
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein said first liquid hydrolyzate and, if step (b) is conducted, said second liquid hydrolyzate is each maintained at a pH below 4.8 to volatilize acetic acid during said evaporating. 
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein production and purification of said alcohol is integrated with a host Kraft pulp mill, to minimize heat loss and energy use. 
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein a separate multiple-effect evaporator located at a host Kraft pulp mill is integrated with an alcohol distillation column for purifying said alcohol. 
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 13 , said process further comprising injecting distillation column bottoms into weak black liquor of a Kraft pulp mill, to concentrate said distillation column bottoms. 
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein step (b) is conducted, said process further comprising combining concentrated distillation column bottoms with said second extracted-solids stream prior to said combusting. 
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein step (b) is conducted, wherein step (f) produces high-pressure steam suitable for a turbine to generate said power, and wherein used steam from step (f) is recycled to step (a) and/or step (c).