US 11,788,104 B2
Process for enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulosic material and fermentation of sugars
Johannes Petrus Smits, Echt (NL)
Assigned to Versalis S.p.A., San Donato (IT)
Filed by VERSALIS S.P.A., San Donato Milanese (IT)
Filed on Apr. 8, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/225,551.
Application 17/225,551 is a continuation of application No. 16/552,304, filed on Aug. 27, 2019, granted, now 11,060,117.
Application 16/552,304 is a continuation of application No. 15/544,827, granted, now 10,435,719, issued on Oct. 8, 2019, previously published as PCT/EP2016/051634, filed on Jan. 27, 2016.
Claims priority of application No. 15152901 (EP), filed on Jan. 28, 2015.
Prior Publication US 2021/0261989 A1, Aug. 26, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. C12P 7/10 (2006.01); C12P 7/04 (2006.01); C12P 7/06 (2006.01); C12N 1/14 (2006.01); C12R 1/645 (2006.01); C12P 7/00 (2006.01)
CPC C12P 7/10 (2013.01) [C12N 1/14 (2013.01); C12N 1/145 (2021.05); C12P 7/04 (2013.01); C12P 7/06 (2013.01); C12P 7/00 (2013.01); C12R 2001/645 (2021.05); Y02E 50/10 (2013.01); Y02P 20/10 (2015.11)] 16 Claims
 
1. An integrated process for alcohol production and enzyme production from lignocellulosic material, wherein the process comprises:
pretreatment of the lignocellulosic material to obtain pretreated lignocellulosic material;
solid/liquid separation of the pretreated lignocellulosic material to obtain at least a pretreated lignocellulosic solid fraction and at least a pretreated lignocellulosic liquid fraction;
enzymatic hydrolysis of the pretreated lignocellulosic solid fraction to obtain an enzymatically hydrolysed lignocellulosic hydrolysate;
solid/liquid separation of the enzymatically hydrolysed lignocellulosic hydrolysate to obtain at least a hydrolysate solid fraction and at least a hydrolysate liquid fraction;
washing the hydrolysate solid fraction with an aqueous wash liquid;
separation of the hydrolysate solid fraction from the wash liquid to obtain at least a washed hydrolysate solid fraction and at least a recovered wash liquid;
combining the recovered wash liquid with the hydrolysate liquid fraction;
concentrating the combined wash liquid and hydrolysate liquid fraction to obtain at least a concentrated glucose rich liquid fraction;
fermentation of a part of the pretreated lignocellulosic solid fraction; hydrolysate solid fraction; the washed hydrolysate solid fraction; the pretreated lignocellulosic liquid fraction; the part of the concentrated liquid fraction; or any combination thereof, by an alcohol producing microorganism to produce alcohol,
diluting the fermentation to 70% w/w of its original concentration with 13% w/w to 20% w/w concentrated liquid fraction and the remainder an aqueous solution;
propagation of the alcohol producing microorganism by fermentation of the part of the said liquid fractions and/or the said solid fractions,
propagation of an enzyme producing microorganism, and
production of enzymes by the enzyme producing microorganism, wherein the enzymes produced by the enzyme producing microorganism are used in the enzymatic hydrolysis.