Patent ID: 7670813

Claim:
A method for processing a lignocellulosic feedstock and obtaining an inorganic salt selected from the group consisting of ammonium sulfate, potassium sulfate, ammonium phosphate and potassium phosphate during said processing, said method comprising: (a) pretreating the lignocellulosic feedstock by adding one or more than one soluble base selected from the group consisting of ammonia, ammonium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide to the lignocellulosic feedstock to produce a pretreated lignocellulosic feedstock; (b) optionally separating an aqueous stream from the pretreated lignocellulosic feedstock; (c) adding sulfuric acid or phosphoric acid to the pretreated lignocellulosic feedstock to adjust the pH of the pretreated lignocellulosic feedstock to produce a neutralized feedstock and inorganic salt selected from the group consisting of ammonium sulfate, potassium sulfate, ammonium phosphate and potassium phosphate; (d) hydrolyzing the neutralized feedstock to produce a hydrolyzed feedstock; and (e) recovering an inorganic salt comprising inorganic salt arising from step (c) from a salt-containing stream obtained during the processing of the lignocellulosic feedstock.