Autohydrolysis-extraction process

Alcohol recovery from the fermentation brews was less than complete in most cases, which may be attributable to less than ideal conditions. The best yields, 60 to 97% of theory, were obtained with sugars obtained by hydrolysis of cellulosic residues of the autohydrolysis-extraction process. Unextracted pulps, or the hemicellulose solutions, gave poor ethanol formation, which suggests inhibition. In the calculation of material and energy balances which follows, we have assumed 95% yields of ethanol from wood sugars, which is readily achieved in industrial practice and which we believe to be achievable with our wood sugars as well. 

The data above enable us to make some rough estimates of costs associated with two processes (i) ACID, that is aspen wood-autohydrolysis-caustic extraction-acid hydrolysis-fermentation-distillation and (ii) ENZYME, that is aspen wood-autohydrolysis-caustic extraction-enzymatic hydrolysis-fermentation-distillation. For purposes of comparison, the product in both cases will be assumed to be 10 million gallons of 95% ethanol per year, a minimum economic size. 

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