Disclosed herein are methods for improving ethanol production from biomass sources by blocking cellulose from binding to lignin.

The present invention provides for a method to deconstruct a biomass: the method comprising: (a) introducing a solvent comprising a polyamine, or a mixture of polyamines, to a biomass to dissolve at least part of solid biomass in the solvent, wherein the polyamine is a Bronsted or Lewis base, and/or the polyamine is a hydrogen bond donor and/or acceptor; (b) optionally introducing an enzyme and/or a microbe to the solubilized biomass mixture such that the enzyme and/or microbe produces a sugar from the solubilized biomass mixture; (c) optionally separating the sugar from the solubilized biomass mixture; and (d) optionally separating the lignan from the solubilized biomass mixture.

A method to deconstruct a biomass: the method comprising: introducing a solvent comprising a plurality of salt ionic liquid (PSIL) (such as a double salt ionic liquid (DSIL)) to a biomass to dissolve at least part of solid biomass in the solvent; wherein the PSIL (or DSIL) is an organic salt comprising three or more ions, and the PSIL comprises: (i) a hard anion ionic liquid (IL) and a soft anion IL, (ii) at least one IL having a pKa value of equal to or higher than 10, or (iii) at least one IL has a low hydrogen bond donor ability.

The present disclosure includes systems and methods for hydrolyzing (e.g., pretreatment and/or enzymatic hydrolysis) lignocellulosic biomass into one or more sugars such as pentose and glucose sugars. The present disclosure includes configurations that incorporate flashing and/or liquid cooling so as to permit desirable throughput. The present disclosure also includes a liquefaction configuration so as to permit desirable (e.g., continuous high volume) throughput.

A process for the use of peracid compositions to eliminate and/or control the growth of undesirable bacteria, including contaminating bacteria, in the fermentation production of alcohol is disclosed. Beneficially, the peracid compositions and methods of use of the same do not interfere or inhibit the growth or replication of yeast and have low or no adverse environmental impact.

The invention relates to a method for producing biogas from lignocellulose-containing biomass, preferably from straw, and to a plant for carrying out said method.

In one aspect, the present invention provides methods for preparing a fermentation product. The methods include pre-treating a mixture of biomass and ionic liquid, wherein the ionic liquid comprises a choline cation and the biomass comprises polysaccharide and lignin. The methods further include forming hydrolysates from the introduction of glycoside hydrolase to the pre-treated mixture at conditions sufficient to produce a sugar composition mixture for fermentation steps. The present invention provides methods for loading biomass mixtures in a batch-fed process, wherein the biomass slurries can be loaded into water or a concentrated sugar composition for hydrolysate production. The methods can be performed in a one-pot process, wherein the ionic liquids are present in the mixtures throughout each step. Aspects of the invention provide compositions of sugar composition mixtures and fermentation product mixtures.

Processes and systems for recovering products from a fermentation mash. In some examples, a process for recovering products from a fermentation mash can include processing a ground corn product to produce a fermentation mash that can include ethanol. At least a portion of the ethanol can be separated from the fermentation mash to produce a whole stillage. The whole stillage can be separated to produce a fiber rich product and a filtrate. The fiber rich product can be hydrolyzed to produce a saccharification mash. The saccharification mash can be processed to produce additional ethanol and a stillage protein product.

A process for producing a fuel from lignocellulosic biomass is disclosed. The process includes obtaining a feedstock comprising lignocellulosic biomass, feeding the feedstock and sulfur dioxide into a pretreatment reactor, wherein a total amount of sulfur dioxide in the pretreatment reactor is greater than 70 wt % based on dry weight lignocellulosic biomass, and heating the feedstock and sulfur dioxide in the pretreatment reactor at one or more temperatures between 110° C. and 150° C. for more than 60 minutes.

The present invention relates to a process which makes it possible to obtain a plurality of organic compounds that can be used as chemical intermediates through the use of waste cellulosic biomass as a raw material. Through this process fermentable saccharides can be extracted, separated and recovered from said waste cellulosic biomass.