Digestion of cellulosic biomass solids may be complicated by release of lignin therefrom. Methods and systems for processing a reaction product containing lignin-derived products, such as phenolics, can comprise hydrotreating the reaction product to convert the lignin-derived products to desired higher molecular weight compounds. The methods can further include separating the higher molecular weight compounds from unconverted products, such as unconverted phenolics, and recycling the unconverted phenolics for use as at least a portion of the digestion solvent and for further conversion to desired higher molecular weight compounds with additional hydrotreatment. The methods and systems can further include generating hydrogen with the further hydrotreatment.

Described herein are processes for one-step delignification and hydrodeoxygenation of lignin fraction a biomass feedstock. The lignin feedstock is derived from by-products of paper production and biorefineries. Additionally described is a process for converting biomass-derived oxygenates to lower oxygen-content compounds and/or hydrocarbons in the liquid or vapor phase in a reactor system containing hydrogen and a catalyst comprised of a hydrogenation function and/or an oxophilic function and/or an acid function. Finally, also described herein is a process for converting biomass-derived oxygenates to lower oxygen-content compounds and/or hydrocarbons in the liquid or vapor phase in a reactor system containing hydrogen and a catalyst comprised of a hydrogenation function and/or an oxophilic function and/or an acid function.

Digestion of cellulosic biomass solids may be complicated by release of lignin therefrom. Methods and systems for processing a reaction product containing lignin-derived products, such as phenolics, can comprise hydrotreating the reaction product to convert the lignin-derived products to desired higher molecular weight compounds. The methods can further include separating the higher molecular weight compounds from unconverted products, such as unconverted phenolics, and recycling the unconverted phenolics for use as at least a portion of the digestion solvent and for further conversion to desired higher molecular weight compounds with additional hydrotreatment.

The invention is directed to compositions and processes concerning efficient downstream processing of products derived from organic acids pretreatment of plant materials.

A method for producing a high yield Kraft pulp is provided. In particular, the method involves adding a composition comprising an organic amine phosphonate and a sulphonated linear alcohol ethoxylate surfactant to a pulping process. The composition enhances the delignification of cellulosic fiber in chemical wood pulps.

In general, the present invention is directed to a method of cooking wood in a cooking liquor medium. The method comprises a step of providing wood to a treatment vessel and contacting the wood with a digester additive composition. The composition comprises a first surfactant comprising an anionic surfactant, a derivative thereof, a salt thereof, or any combination thereof and a second surfactant comprising a polyoxyalkylene glycol or a derivative thereof. Additionally, according to another embodiment, the present invention is directed to a digester additive composition comprising a first surfactant comprising an anionic surfactant, a derivative thereof, a salt thereof, or any combination thereof and a second surfactant comprising a polyoxyalkylene glycol or a derivative thereof.

Provided are compositions and processes concerning efficient downstream processing of products derived from organic acids pretreatment of plant materials.

The present invention provides for a method to deconstruct a biomass comprising: (a) introducing one or more individual components of an ionic liquid (IL) or deep eutectic solvent (DES) to a biomass, wherein the one or more individual components, and optionally any components already present in the biomass, form an IL or DES, or mixture thereof, which solubilizes the biomass to form a solubilized biomass mixture, wherein at least one individual component is introduced to the biomass separately from any other individual component; (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; and, (c) optionally separating the sugar from the solubilized biomass mixture.

In a process for oxidation of white liquor, in particular of white liquor used in a process of production of paper or cellulose, the oxygen required for the oxidation is supplied to the reactor or the reactors in which the oxidation is carried out at least partially in the form of oxygen-containing nanobubbles. Due to the relatively long lifetime of the nanobubbles this very efficiently provides oxygen also for oxidation reactions in the white liquor proceeding at different rates.

Described is a method of kraft pulping in which a phenolic compound is added to the cooking step. The phenolic compound is added at a time point between about 5 minutes and about 120 minutes prior to completion of the cooking step. The presence of the phenolic compound increases the extent of delignification in the cooking step.