GB341501A - A process for obtaining sugar from cellulose or cellulose-containing substances - Google Patents

Abstract

Cellulose-containing material such as comminuted wood with its natural water content or a reduced water content is decomposed and saccharified to fermentable sugars, by treatment under such conditions, e.g. low temperature and gaseous acids, that premature formation of sugar is avoided, and submitting it to an immediate rapid hydrolysis by indirect heating if desired in a closed vessel to temperatures above 50 DEG C., preferably about 70 DEG C., or at a higher temperature followed by cooling. The material, in a loose, non-compact condition, or a solution obtained from it, is then extensively freed from hydrochloric acid and converted in known manner, e.g. heating in the presence of water, to monoses. The cooling of the material to be decomposed may be effected by introducing the hydrochloric acid gas or gaseous mixture containing hydrochloric acid gas in a strongly cooled condition or by using liquefied hydrogen chloride. The Specification as open to inspection under Sect. 91 (3) (a) states that this hydrolyzing process may also be applied to decomposition products which have been obtained from cellulose-containing materials by methods other than those described above. This subject-matter does not appear in the Specification as accepted.