This document discusses a project to improve the efficiency of converting cellulose waste into ethanol. The key goals are to improve the yield of sugars from cellulose, lower costs, and improve fermentation economics. A new catalysis reactor is proposed that could lower the energy needed to convert cellulose into fermentable sugars like glucose and xylose. This would increase sugar yields and prevent the formation of non-fermentable byproducts. The project aims to lower the costs of cellulose ethanol production significantly compared to other methods.

1. ECR BIODIESEL ATLANTA, LLC
CELLULOSE ETHANOL
CATALYSIS REACTION PROCESS
•Project Fundamentals –
–Dilute Hydrolysis
•Project, “solve existing problems”
•Why try and solve these problems?

2. PROJECT GOALS
• Improve Cellulose to sugar conversion yield into
fermentable sugars
• Lower operating and capital costs
• Generally improve Fermentation economics and yield
• Scope of significance to the Ethanol Industry in general

3. HOW MUCH OF THIS OCCURS WORLDWIDE
EACH YEAR?

4. CAN THIS BE CONVERTED INTO A VALUABLE
PRODUCT COST EFFECTIVELY?

5. WHAT DO WE NORMALLY DO WITH
THIS STUFF? ADD VALUE, EVER?
•
Turning these wood scraps into electricity will

6. IS THIS GOOD USE OF A RENEWABLE
NATURAL RESOURCE?

7. WHAT IS CELLULOSE ETHANOL?
• Cellulose comes from plant matter, any plant matter, wood
or agricultural waste for example.
• Has chemical formula (C6H10O5)x, and is a polymer
• Cellulose (C6H10O5)x is very similar to Starch (C6 H10O5)x
• Starch can form Dextrin (C6H10O5)x-x1 a shorter molecule
• Starch is well known to be hydrolyzed into sugar for
fermentation to alcohol, (ethanol).
• Fermentable Sugar, Glucose (C6 H12O6) is derived from
starchy materials
• Cellulose produces some Xylose (C5 H10O5) sugars as well as
Glucose and is also fermentable
• Fermentation of sugar produces Ethanol, the process is
based on Biological methods, suitable for the type sugars
present

8. WHAT IS CELLULOSE ETHANOL?
• Cellulose comes from plant matter, any plant matter, is
converted to sugars, and can be a complex of sugar
molecules.
• Types of sugar molecules can vary, most are easily
fermentable.
• Fermentation converts (C6H12O6) into (C2H5OH) or better
known as Ethanol
• One Glucose molecule is broken into three molecules of
alcohol
• The catalysis energy for the conversion is provided by
enzymes of fermentation origin

9. CONVERSION EFFICIENCIES
• Many studies have been conducted to determine cellulose
sugar conversion to ethanol, and range from 60 gallons per
ton of cellulose waste to 110 gallons per ton.
• Maximum theoretical Ethanol conversion per dry ton of
wood waste, 134 gallons
– And can have an Ethanol value of +$350 per dry ton
– If wood/agriculture/paper mill sludge waste is used, adds
significant value for a waste stream
• Much of the conversion efficiency is based on producing
fermentable sugars.
• Successful projects must consider conversion efficiency as
important.
• How can conversion efficiency be improved?

10. DILUTE HYDROLYSIS
• Conversion of cellulose into fermentable sugars was first
developed by USDA in 1957, but encountered several major
problems
• These problems have hindered development to this day.
• What are the hindrances?
– The conversion energy of traditional methods, breaks; Xylose
(C5H10O5) sugars into Furfural - (C5 H4O2) and is not
fermentable
– As the Xylose content increases, yield efficiency drops
proportionally and costs increase
– All cellulose contains at least 20% (C5 H10 O5) Xylose sugars.
– Furfural - (C5 H4O2) hinders fermentation and raises costs
– Corn Stover and Cobb materials have 26% Hemi-Cellulose,
thereby having a low fermentable sugar yield
– Dilute hydrolysis can only produce est. 60-90 gallons Ethanol
per dry ton of Corn Stover waste, about 50% efficiency

11. DILUTE HYDROLYSIS
WHAT CAN BE DONE?
• Change the energy used in cellulose conversion to lower the
bond energy of cellulose conversion to sugar.
– How?
• Use a catalysis reactor that is well proven to lower bond energy
conversions for Cellulose to Glucose and Xylose
• The bond reactions for conversion require 156 to 190 kcal/mole
energy
• ECR’s reactor may lower this energy value to 90 kcal/mole or less
and prevent Xylose (C5H10O5) conversion to Furfural - (C 5H4O2)
• The net affect would be, increase fermentable sugar
conversion and drastically lower costs, improving margin.
• Energy bonds of importance, carbon-hydrogen, hydrogen-
oxygen

12. PROJECT GOALS
• Improve Cellulose to sugar conversion yield into
fermentable sugars.
• Lower operating and capital costs.
• Generally improve Fermentation economics and yield.
• Verify Heat/Mass Balance calculations against theoretical.
• Determine ECR technology costs match theory, ~$0.42 per
gallon verses other methods at $1.87 per gallon.
• ECR expects to reduce Cellulose Ethanol costs by a factor of
Four (4).
• Raise thermal conversion efficiency by +200%

13. ECR PROJECT OVERVIEW
SINGLE LINE DIAGRAM OF ECR PROCESS ELEMENTS

14. ECR ENERGY CALCULATOR – BTU’s per Gallon
• ECR Energy calculations summary
– Each Gallon of Ethanol requires 17,000 – 30,000 btu’s
– Energy is derived - 100% from lignin waste stream with 50%
excess energy available for sale outside the operation
– Ethanol has 18,250 Btu/lb = 120,000 Btu/gallon
– Energy input verses output, 120,000/30,000 = 400% net
energy gain, not including reduction for energy sale of excess
btu’s, making project about a net 600-800% gain in energy
from waste sources.
• Conventional Industry Projections
– 49,000 process steam
– 11,000 other
– 60,000 to 70,000 btu/gallon
– Net energy gain 120,000/70,000 = 171%
• ECR is projected to be 228% more efficient than
conventional wood waste processes