Patent ID: 8232082

Claim:
A process for producing ethanol enzymically from lignocellulose material, which process comprises the steps of: a) submitting a solid material comprising cellulose and lignin to one or more washes with alkaline solution at least partially to remove the lignin from said solid material, washing with water, and separating the remaining solid material from the aqueous phase; then b) hydrolysing the solid material, comprising reacting the solid material with a solution of micronutrients and a cellulolytic enzyme, wherein the solid:liquid ratio is from 1:10 to 1:20, the temperature is from 30° C. to 50° C., the enzyme concentration is from 20-30 FPU/g, and the reaction is allowed to proceed for from 8-32 hours; and c) fermenting, the medium resulting from enzymic hydrolysis, comprising adding an ethanol-producing yeast, wherein the yeast has a cell concentration of from 2 to 6 g/L, and maintaining a temperature of from 30° C. to 39° C., for a period of not more than 32 hours; then d) separating of the ethanol by distillation.