A process for the manufacture of biodegradable plastic films in aqueous environment, starting from vegetal wastes in powder form includes dissolution at a temperature lower than 50° C. of waste material in form of a powder in an aqueous solution of hydrochloric acid, and transfer of the aqueous solution in a casting mould and evaporation of the aqueous solution, to yield the biodegradable plastic film. The total concentration of the hydrochloric acid is equal to or lower than 5% by weight. The aqueous solution may include acetic acid. The aqueous solution may also be filtered or centrifuged and/or subjected to dialysis against pure water.

A process for the manufacture of biodegradable plastic films in aqueous environment, starting from vegetal wastes in powder form includes dissolution at a temperature lower than 50° C. of waste material in form of a powder in an aqueous solution of hydrochloric acid, and transfer of the aqueous solution in a casting mould and evaporation of the aqueous solution, to yield the biodegradable plastic film. The total concentration of the hydrochloric acid is equal to or lower than 5% by weight. The aqueous solution may include acetic acid. The aqueous solution may also be filtered or centrifuged and/or subjected to dialysis against pure water.

A solid-liquid separation device includes a kettle body, a piston, a stirrer, a separation plate having filtration pores, and a filtration mesh. The kettle body is hollow along an axial direction to form a chamber body. The separation plate is fitly installed in the chamber body, and divides the chamber body into a washing chamber and a draining chamber. The piston and the stirrer are fitly disposed in the washing chamber. The filtration mesh is attached on a side of the separation plate to cover the filtration pores. The kettle body is further provided with a feed inlet, a water inlet, a material outlet, and a liquid outlet. The feed inlet and material outlet are communicated with the washing chamber, and the water inlet and the liquid outlet are communicated with the draining chamber. The method includes the following steps: feeding, solid-liquid separation, washing, and material discharge.

A solid-liquid separation device includes a kettle body, a piston, a stirrer, a separation plate having filtration pores, and a filtration mesh. The kettle body is hollow along an axial direction to form a chamber body. The separation plate is fitly installed in the chamber body, and divides the chamber body into a washing chamber and a draining chamber. The piston and the stirrer are fitly disposed in the washing chamber. The filtration mesh is attached on a side of the separation plate to cover the filtration pores. The kettle body is further provided with a feed inlet, a water inlet, a material outlet, and a liquid outlet. The feed inlet and material outlet are communicated with the washing chamber, and the water inlet and the liquid outlet are communicated with the draining chamber. The method includes the following steps: feeding, solid-liquid separation, washing, and material discharge.

The present invention describes a process for a controlled conversion of a biomass feedstock, wherein the process comprises the steps of: loading the biomass feedstock to at least one reactor; liquefaction of the biomass feedstock into a monomer and/or oligomer sugar mixture in said reactor by treatment in hot compressed liquid water (HCW) at sub- and/or super-critical condition; and removal of the monomer and/or oligomer sugar mixture, being the product molecules, to avoid continued detrimental decomposition.

The present invention describes a process for a controlled conversion of a biomass feedstock, wherein the process comprises the steps of: loading the biomass feedstock to at least one reactor; liquefaction of the biomass feedstock into a monomer and/or oligomer sugar mixture in said reactor by treatment in hot compressed liquid water (HCW) at sub- and/or super-critical condition; and removal of the monomer and/or oligomer sugar mixture, being the product molecules, to avoid continued detrimental decomposition.

The disclosure provides a process for separating fermentation inhibitors from a biomass-derived hydrolysate, comprising: introducing a biomass-derived liquid hydrolysate stream to a stripping column; introducing a steam-rich vapor stream to the stripping column to strip fermentation inhibitors (such as acetic acid) from the liquid hydrolysate stream; recovering a stripped liquid stream and a stripper vapor output stream; compressing the stripper vapor output stream; introducing the compressed vapor stream, and a water-rich liquid stream, to an evaporator; recovering, from the evaporator, an evaporated liquid stream and an evaporator output vapor stream; and recycling the evaporator output vapor stream to the stripping column as the steam-rich vapor stream. Other variations utilize a rectification column to recover a rectified liquid stream and a rectification column vapor stream, and recycle the rectification column vapor stream to the stripping column as the steam-rich vapor stream.

The disclosure provides a process for separating fermentation inhibitors from a biomass-derived hydrolysate, comprising: introducing a biomass-derived liquid hydrolysate stream to a stripping column; introducing a steam-rich vapor stream to the stripping column to strip fermentation inhibitors (such as acetic acid) from the liquid hydrolysate stream; recovering a stripped liquid stream and a stripper vapor output stream; compressing the stripper vapor output stream; introducing the compressed vapor stream, and a water-rich liquid stream, to an evaporator; recovering, from the evaporator, an evaporated liquid stream and an evaporator output vapor stream; and recycling the evaporator output vapor stream to the stripping column as the steam-rich vapor stream. Other variations utilize a rectification column to recover a rectified liquid stream and a rectification column vapor stream, and recycle the rectification column vapor stream to the stripping column as the steam-rich vapor stream.

A biomass upgrading process comprises a steam-cracking step for producing a granulated combustible product, and, prior to the granulation step, a step of mixing an intermediate pulverulent product resulting from the steam-cracking of the biomass and a pulverulent material having a high lignin content.

A method of producing crystalline cellulose from a cellulosic material includes the step of reacting the cellulosic material in an aqueous slurry comprising a transition metal catalyst and a hypohalite solution.