Patent ID: 6419828
Filing Date: 2002-07-16
Classification: B01D,C13K

Abstract:
A method for producing ethanol from a material comprising at least one of cellulose and hemicellulose, comprising:(a) hydrolyzing with acid the material comprising at least one of cellulose and hemicellulose to obtain a soluble and insoluble component; (b) separating the soluble and insoluble components obtained in step (a); (c) separating the soluble component obtained in step (b) into an acid containing solution and a sugar containing solution by continuous ion exchange or exclusion chromatography using a simulated moving bed apparatus containing an anionic exchange or exclusion chromatographic material; (d) treating the sugar containing solution with lime to neutralize any residual acid and precipitate heavy metals; (e) concentrating the sugar containing solution obtained in step (d) to about 10-22% sugar; (f) fermenting with yeast the solution obtained in step (e) to give a beer; (g) optionally removing the yeast from the beer obtained in step (f); (h) distilling the ethanol from the beer obtained in step (g); (i) drying the insoluble component obtained in step (b); (j) burning the dry insoluble component obtained in step (i) as a fuel to provide heat for the distillation of ethanol in step (h) from the filtered beer obtained in step (g); and (k) concentrating the acid containing solution obtained in step (c).