Continuous hydrolysis process of wood or other lignocellulose material

Abstract From the Canadian patent

A continuous hydrolysis process for the hydrolysis of wood and wood derived products into sugars and other products has an overall countercurrent flow of liquids and solids but an integral co-current flow of the liquids and solids as part of the process. Woodchip or other feedstock is formed into a slurry which is acidified, pressurised and heated before being hydrolysed in reactors. Three heat exchangers form a closed circuit in which a second heat exchanger recovers heat from the slurry a first, heat exchanger returns heat to the slurry and a third heat exchanger makes up lost heat. The slurry is cooled before pressure reduction by pressure reducing means and separation of the solids and …