A selective removal of metal and its anion species that are detrimental to subsequent hydrothermal hydrocatalytic conversion from the biomass feed prior to carrying out catalytic hydrogenation/hydrogenolysis/hydrodeoxygenation of the biomass in a manner that does not reduce the effectiveness of the hydrothermal hydrocatalytic treatment while minimizing the amount of water used in the process is provided.

The present invention relates to a process for the extraction of valuable components from a tannin-rich bark raw-material, by carrying out an alkaline cooking step, followed by acid precipitation to separate the valuable components from the remaining bark pulp. The invention also relates to the use of said process on a bark side stream of a chemical pulping plant, whereby the liquor remaining after the extraction of the present process is returned to a stream of the wood pulping process, typically to a black liquor stream, while the spent pulp can be processed further, e.g. by bleaching to give dissolved pulp.

The present invention relates to a process for the extraction of valuable components from a tannin-rich bark raw-material, by carrying out an alkaline cooking step, followed by acid precipitation to separate the valuable components from the remaining bark pulp. The invention also relates to the use of said process on a bark side stream of a chemical pulping plant, whereby the liquor remaining after the extraction of the present process is returned to a stream of the wood pulping process, typically to a black liquor stream, while the spent pulp can be processed further, e.g. by bleaching to give dissolved pulp.

The present invention involves an environmentally friendly process and apparatus for the delignification of lignin-containing materials, such as cardboard newspaper or agricultural or tree pruning wastes. This process produces cellulose using low temperatures and low concentrations of hydrogen peroxide. It can be performed using a column fitted with a semipermeable gasket that pressurizes the column by retaining oxygen released by action of the hydrogen peroxide on a lignin-containing material.

An advantageous process for pre-treating lignocellulosic biomass to hydrolysable polysaccharide enriched biomass with reduced amount of inhibitors of catalysis comprising steps of: providing a feedstock comprising cellulosic biomass; chopping of cellulosic biomass to have a cellulosic biomass feed material of uniform size; feeding of uniform sized feed material to a horizontal counter current extraction unit; removing excess of water from the feed material obtained from the extraction unit; soaking the extruded feed material obtained from the extraction unit; optionally removing excess of water from the feed material obtained after acid soaking; steam pre-treating the feed material obtained after removing excess of water from the acid soaked feed material; neutralizing the slurry obtained from the steam pre-treating; and optionally saccharifying the neutralized slurry.

An advantageous process for pre-treating lignocellulosic biomass to hydrolysable polysaccharide enriched biomass with reduced amount of inhibitors of catalysis comprising steps of: providing a feedstock comprising cellulosic biomass; chopping of cellulosic biomass to have a cellulosic biomass feed material of uniform size; feeding of uniform sized feed material to a horizontal counter current extraction unit; removing excess of water from the feed material obtained from the extraction unit; soaking the extruded feed material obtained from the extraction unit; optionally removing excess of water from the feed material obtained after acid soaking; steam pre-treating the feed material obtained after removing excess of water from the acid soaked feed material; neutralizing the slurry obtained from the steam pre-treating; and optionally saccharifying the neutralized slurry.

The invention relates to a method for treating biomass (2). In a step (S10), biomass (2) and an impregnation liquid are fed into a first reactor unit (10) such that the biomass (2) is impregnated with the impregnation liquid while the biomass (2) is transferred through the first reactor unit (10) by a conveyor means (11). In another step (S20), the impregnated biomass (2a) is transferred from the first reactor unit (10) to a separation unit (25), wherein at least a part of the impregnation liquid is separated from the impregnated biomass (2a) within the separation unit. In a step (S30), the separated impregnation liquid is discharged from the separation unit (25), such that a first part (26a) of the impregnation liquid is recirculated back to the first reactor unit (10). The invention further relates to a system for treating biomass (2).

The invention relates to a method for treating biomass (2). In a step (S10), biomass (2) and an impregnation liquid are fed into a first reactor unit (10) such that the biomass (2) is impregnated with the impregnation liquid while the biomass (2) is transferred through the first reactor unit (10) by a conveyor means (11). In another step (S20), the impregnated biomass (2a) is transferred from the first reactor unit (10) to a separation unit (25), wherein at least a part of the impregnation liquid is separated from the impregnated biomass (2a) within the separation unit. In a step (S30), the separated impregnation liquid is discharged from the separation unit (25), such that a first part (26a) of the impregnation liquid is recirculated back to the first reactor unit (10). The invention further relates to a system for treating biomass (2).

A process to separate lignin from a lignocellulosic feedstock, said process comprising the steps of: providing said lignocellulosic feedstock; providing a composition comprising; an acid; a modifying agent selected from the group consisting of: sulfamic acid; imidazole; imidazole derivatives; taurine; a taurine derivative; a taurine-related compound; alkylsulfonic acid; arylsulfonic acid; triethanolamine; and combinations thereof; a peroxide salt; and a peroxide; exposing said lignocellulosic feedstock to said composition for a period of time sufficient to depolymerize substantially all of the lignin present in said lignocellulosic feedstock into lignin oligomers and lignin monomers;
wherein said process is carried out at atmospheric pressure.

Method of delignification of plant material, said method comprising: providing said plant material comprising cellulose fibres and lignin; exposing said plant material requiring to a composition comprising: an acid; a modifying agent selected from the group consisting of: sulfamic acid; imidazole; taurine; a taurine derivative; a taurine-related compound; alkylsulfonic acid; aryl sulfonic acid; triethanolamine; and combinations thereof; a metal salt; and a peroxide; for a period of time sufficient to remove substantially all (at least 80%) of the lignin present on said plant material.