Processing materials

Abstract

Biomass feedstocks (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) are processed to produce useful products, such as fuels. For example, systems are described that can convert feedstock materials to a sugar solution, which can then be fermented to produce ethanol. Biomass feedstock is saccharified in a vessel by operation of a jet mixer, the vessel also containing a liquid medium and a saccharifying agent.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of saccharifying lignocellulosic material, the method comprising:
 providing in a vessel, a slurry comprising a lignocellulosic material, water, and an enzyme, the slurry having greater than 20 weight percent solids;   drawing slurry material from the vessel and jetting the slurry material into the vessel, while saccharifying at least a portion of the lignocellulosic material, producing a sugar; and   converting the sugar to a product.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein jetting the slurry material comprises providing a jet mixer having a nozzle, and directing the slurry material through the nozzle under pressure. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein a pump generates the pressure, the nozzle being in fluid communication with the pump. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the product comprises an alcohol. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein converting comprises fermentation. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein fermentation is performed in the vessel. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the enzyme comprises a cellulose. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the sugar comprises glucose. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the solids level of the slurry is at least 30 weight percent solids.