Patent ID: 8729325

Claim:
A method comprising: providing a biomass conversion system that comprises a fluid circulation loop comprising: a hydrothermal digestion unit; a solids separation unit that is in fluid communication with an outlet of the hydrothermal digestion unit; wherein the solids separation unit comprises a centripetal force-based separation mechanism that comprises a fluid outlet and a solids outlet; and a catalytic reduction reactor unit that is in fluid communication with the fluid outlet of the centripetal force-based separation mechanism and an inlet of the hydrothermal digestion unit; providing a cellulosic biomass in the hydrothermal digestion unit; at least partially digesting the cellulosic biomass in the hydrothermal digestion unit to form a hydrolysate comprising soluble carbohydrates and cellulosic fines within a liquor phase; flowing the liquor phase through the solids separation unit to remove at least a portion of the cellulosic fines; after removing at least a portion of the cellulosic fines, flowing the liquor phase to the catalytic reduction reactor unit and forming a reaction product in the catalytic reduction reactor unit; and recirculating at least a portion of the reaction product to the hydrothermal digestion unit.