Patent ID: 8765998

Claim:
A process for producing formic acid from a carbohydrate-containing material, the process comprising: introducing a carbohydrate-containing material to a first reactor of a first reactor system; hydrolyzing the carbohydrate-containing material in the first reactor in the presence of a mineral acid for a first time period at a first temperature and a first pressure to form in the first reactor system an intermediate hydrolysate comprising one or more sugars; transferring the intermediate hydrolysate from the first reactor system to a second reactor; hydrolyzing the intermediate hydrolysate in the second reactor for a second time period at a second temperature less than 195 degrees C. and a second pressure to form a hydrolysate product comprising formic acid, wherein at least a portion of the formic acid formed during hydrolyzing the intermediate hydrolysate is in a vapor form; continuously removing the at least a portion of formic acid in the vapor form from the second reactor during hydrolyzing the intermediate hydrolysate; and collecting the formic acid in a condensate form from the formic acid in the vapor form.