Patent ID: 9738729
Date: 2017-08-22
CPC Classifications: C08B,C08H

Claim:
1. A process for separating fermentation inhibitors from a biomass-derived hydrolysate, said process comprising: (a) providing a biomass-derived liquid hydrolysate stream comprising a fermentation inhibitor; (b) introducing said liquid hydrolysate stream to a stripping column; (c) introducing a steam-rich vapor stream to said stripping column to strip at least a portion of said fermentation inhibitor from said liquid hydrolysate stream; (d) recovering, from said stripping column, a stripped liquid stream and a stripper vapor output stream, wherein said stripped liquid stream has lower fermentation inhibitor concentration than said liquid hydrolysate stream; (e) compressing said stripper vapor output stream to generate a compressed vapor stream; (f) introducing said compressed vapor stream, and a water-rich liquid stream, to an evaporator; (g) recovering, from said evaporator, an evaporated liquid stream and an evaporator output vapor stream; and (h) recycling at least a portion of said evaporator output vapor stream to said stripping column as said steam-rich vapor stream, or a portion thereof.