GB614433A - Process for the continuous saccharification of vegetable substances - Google Patents

Abstract

614,433. Saccharifying cellulose. HERENG, A. March 11, 1946. No. 7571. [A Specification was laid open to inspection under Sect. 91 of the Acts, March 23, 1946] [Class 127] A continuous process for the saccharification of cellulosic material comprises impregnating the material by sprinkling it with an excess of aqueous acid solution, maintaining the material in turbulent condition while subjecting it to an initial treatment by the acid in a gaseous state and then to a final treatment by the acid in a cold, gaseous, anhydrous state so as to dry the material and recover the acid used. In a preferred process comminuted wood is fed from silo 1 into mixer 2 where it is sprayed with aqueous hydrochloric acid. It then passes down tower 3 which may be of the type described in Specification 606,465, in countercurrent to gaseous hydrochloric acid which leaves the tower via pipes 23 and then passes through calcium chloride solution in tank 16 to be dehydrated before passing back to the apparatus via pipe 4. The treated wood passes up conveyor 8 and descends a second tower 9 through which passes anhydrous hydrochloric acid which leaves by pipe 20 to the recovery plant. The dried hydrolised wood is washed in vessel 12 to remove all sugars which are concentrated in vessels 13, inverted in autoclaves 14 and neutralized to a syrup of 18 degrees brix in vat 15.