The invention relates to a continuous process for converting carbonaceous material contained in one or more feedstocks into a liquid hydrocarbon product, said feedstocks including the carbonaceous material being in a feed mixture including one or more fluids, said fluids including water and further liquid organic compounds at least partly produced by the process in a concentration of at least 1% by weight, where the process comprises converting at least part of the carbonaceous material by pressurizing the feed mixture to a pressure in the range 50-400 bar, heating the feed mixture to a temperature in the range 250-500 C., and maintaining said pressurized and heated feed mixture in the desired pressure and temperature ranges in a reaction zone for a predefined time; cooling the feed mixture to a temperature in the range 25-200 C. and expanding the feed mixture to a pressure in the range of 1-70 bar, thereby causing the carbonaceous material to be converted to a liquid hydrocarbon product; separating a fraction comprising liquid hydrocarbon product, and leaving a residual fraction; feeding said residual fraction into a bioreactor for the production of biomass such as algae and/or bacteria such as cyano bacteria.

An ethanol production facility is provided for processing a plurality of fermentable feedstock materials into an ethanol end product through fermentation and distillation. The facility includes a fermenting stage for converting the plurality of fermentable feedstocks into an alcohol mixture including ethanol and water, and a distillation stage. The distillation stage distills the low concentration alcohol mixture into a high concentration alcohol distillate. A kernel feedstock processing stage is receives and processes a kernel containing feedstock, and includes a receiving station for receiving the kernel containing feedstock. A storage station is provided for storing the kernel based feedstock, and a mill is provided for milling the kernel based feedstock into a flour based feedstock. A conveyor is provided for conveying the milled floor based feedstock to the fermenting stage. A flour feed stock processing stage is operable in parallel with the kernel feedstock processing stage for receiving and processing a flour predominant feedstock. The flour feedstock processing stage includes a storage station for storing the flour for predominant feedstock, and a pneumatic conveyor for conveying the flour to the fermenting stage.

An ethanol production facility is provided for processing a plurality of fermentable feedstock materials into an ethanol end product through fermentation and distillation. The facility includes a fermenting stage for converting the plurality of fermentable feedstocks into an alcohol mixture including ethanol and water, and a distillation stage. The distillation stage distills the low concentration alcohol mixture into a high concentration alcohol distillate. A kernel feedstock processing stage is receives and processes a kernel containing feedstock, and includes a receiving station for receiving the kernel containing feedstock. A storage station is provided for storing the kernel based feedstock, and a mill is provided for milling the kernel based feedstock into a flour based feedstock. A conveyor is provided for conveying the milled floor based feedstock to the fermenting stage. A flour feed stock processing stage is operable in parallel with the kernel feedstock processing stage for receiving and processing a flour predominant feedstock. The flour feedstock processing stage includes a storage station for storing the flour for predominant feedstock, and a pneumatic conveyor for conveying the flour to the fermenting stage.

Systems and methods are disclosed for treating lignocellulosic biomass to be supplied to a fermentation system for production of a fermentation product. The systems and methods comprise pre-treating the biomass into pre-treated biomass and separating the pre-treated biomass into a liquid component comprising sugars and a solids component comprising cellulose and lignin. The systems and methods also comprise treating the solids component of the pre-treated biomass into a treated component. The biomass comprises lignocellulosic material. Treating the solids component comprises application of an enzyme formulation and makeup water to form a slurry. The enzyme formulation comprises a cellulase enzyme. The makeup water includes a clarified thin stillage composition and/or an anaerobic membrane digester effluent composition.

Discloses is a continuous fermenter for sequential fermentation of hexose and pentose which includes (a) a hexose fermenter equipped with a saccharified solution supply unit containing hexose, pentose and lignin, a plurality of trays closing at least half of the diameter of the fermenter, impellers disposed on each of the trays, an impeller driving unit, a lignin discharge unit disposed at the bottom of the fermenter, a fermented solution discharge unit, and a temperature control jacket; and (b) a pentose fermenter equipped with a fermented solution supply unit for supplying the fermented solution discharged from the hexose fermenter, a plurality of trays closing at least half of the diameter of the fermenter, impellers disposed on each of the trays, an impeller driving unit, a lignin discharge unit disposed at the bottom of the fermenter, a fermented solution discharge unit, and a temperature control jacket.

This disclosure describes techniques for using a single feedstock of barley to produce a fermented product and a method for filtering a large-particles stream from a liquid stream containing small particles of a process stream using a series of mechanical separation devices to increase yield.

The present invention relates to the fermentative production of alcohols including ethanol and butanol, and processes for improving alcohol fermentation employing in situ product removal methods.

A system and a process for the production of ethanol and related products from lignocellulosic biomasses (second generation2G-ethanol), particularly from sugarcane bagasse and straw is provided, however not limited thereto, integrated with conventional processes for the production of ethanol (first generation1G-ethanol) such as, for example, from sugarcane juice and/or molasses (either in sugar and ethanol plants or in autonomous distilleries), corn, grain, wheat, sugary sorghum, white beetroot, among others, including the recovery/reuse of streams and effluents. More specifically, an integrated process for the production of ethanol and related products where the process warrants increased efficiency particularly in the use of the raw material, steam, electric power and treated water is provided.

A scalable photobioreactor system for efficient production of photosynthetic microorganisms such as microalgae and cyanobacteria is described. In various embodiments, this system may include the use of extended surface area to reduce light intensity and increase photosynthetic efficiency, an external water basin to provide structure and thermal regulation at low cost, flexible plastic or composite panels that are joined together make triangular or other shapes in cross-section when partially submerged in water, use of positive gas buoyancy and pressure to maintain the structural integrity of the photobioreactor chambers and use of structure to optimize distribution of diffuse light. Other embodiments concern air tubes comprised of plastic film at the bottom of each photobioreactor chamber to provide sparging air bubbles to the chamber. The photobioreactor system design also comprises gas exchange, temperature control, air pumping, liquid pumping, filtration, media recycling and harvesting methods. For biofuels production, the photobioreactor system can comprise a separate growth photobioreactor and secondary stress reactor.

A system comprising a collocated thermal plant, water source, CO.sub.2 source and biomass growth module is disclosed. A method of improving the environment by utilizing the system is disclosed.