Methods of processing lignocellulosic biomass using single-stage autohydrolysis pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis

摘要

A method of processing lignocellulosic biomass comprising: - Providing soft lignocellulosic biomass feedstock, - Pretreating the feedstock at pH within the range 3.5 to 9.0 in a single-stage pressurized hydrothermal pretreatment to log severity Ro 3.75 or lower so as to produce a pretreated biomass slurry in which the undissolved solids comprise at least 5.0% by weight xylan, and Hydrolysing the pretreated biomass with or without addition of supplemental water content using enzymatic hydrolysis for at least 24 hours catalysed by an enzyme mixture comprising endoglucanase, exoglucanase, beta-glucosidase, endoxylanase, and beta-xylosidase activities at activity levels in nkat/g glucan of endoglucanase of at least 1100, exoglucanase of at least 280, beta-glucosidase of at least 3000, endoxylanase of at least 1400, and beta-xylosidase of at least 75, so as to produce a hydrolysate in which the yield of C5 monomers is at least 55% of the original xylose and arabinose content of the feedstock prior to pretreatment.