Some variations provide a new nanolignocellulose composition comprising, on a bone-dry, ash-free, and acetyl-free basis, from 35 wt% to 80 wt% cellulose nanofibrils, cellulose microfibrils, or a combination thereof, from 15 wt% to 45 wt% lignin, and from 5 wt% to 20 wt% hemicelluloses. The hemicelluloses may contain xylan or mannan as the major component. Novel properties arise from the hemicellulose content that is intermediate between high hemicellulose content of raw biomass and low hemicellulose content of conventional nanocellulose. The nanolignocellulose composition is hydrophobic due to the presence of lignin. Processes for making and using the nanolignocellulose compositions are also described.
Some variations provide a new nanolignocellulose composition comprising, on a bone-dry, ash-free, and acetyl-free basis, from 35 wt% to 80 wt% cellulose nanofibrils, cellulose microfibrils, or a combination thereof, from 15 wt% to 45 wt% lignin, and from 5 wt% to 20 wt% hemicelluloses. The hemicelluloses may contain xylan or mannan as the major component. Novel properties arise from the hemicellulose content that is intermediate between high hemicellulose content of raw biomass and low hemicellulose content of conventional nanocellulose. The nanolignocellulose composition is hydrophobic due to the presence of lignin. Processes for making and using the nanolignocellulose compositions are also described.
The present invention provides a process for producing a nanocellulose material, comprising: fractionating a lignocellulosic biomass feedstock in the presence of a solvent for lignin and water, but no acid catalyst, to generate cellulose-rich solids; and then mechanically treating the cellulose-rich solids to form a nanocellulose material comprising cellulose nanofibrils and/or cellulose nanocrystals. Many organic or inorganic solvents are possible. In some embodiments, the solvent for lignin is an oxygenated organic compound, such as a C1-C18 alcohol, e.g. ethanol, ethylene glycol, propanol, propanediol, glycerol, butanol, or butanediol. The solvent for lignin may be an aromatic alcohol, such as phenol, cresol, or benzyl alcohol. The solvent for lignin may be a ketone, an aldehyde, or an ether, such as methyl ethyl ketone or diethyl ether. The solvent for lignin may be a non-oxygenated alkane, olefin, or aromatic hydrocarbon. In some embodiments, the solvent for lignin is an ionic liquid.
The present invention provides a process for producing a nanocellulose material, comprising: fractionating a lignocellulosic biomass feedstock in the presence of a solvent for lignin and water, but no acid catalyst, to generate cellulose-rich solids; and then mechanically treating the cellulose-rich solids to form a nanocellulose material comprising cellulose nanofibrils and/or cellulose nanocrystals. Many organic or inorganic solvents are possible. In some embodiments, the solvent for lignin is an oxygenated organic compound, such as a C1-C18 alcohol, e.g. ethanol, ethylene glycol, propanol, propanediol, glycerol, butanol, or butanediol. The solvent for lignin may be an aromatic alcohol, such as phenol, cresol, or benzyl alcohol. The solvent for lignin may be a ketone, an aldehyde, or an ether, such as methyl ethyl ketone or diethyl ether. The solvent for lignin may be a non-oxygenated alkane, olefin, or aromatic hydrocarbon. In some embodiments, the solvent for lignin is an ionic liquid.
In some variations, OCC is screened, cleaned, deinked, and mechanically refined to generate cellulose nanofibrils. The OCC may be subjected to further chemical, physical, or thermal processing, prior to mechanical refining. For example, the OCC may be subjected to hot-water extraction, or fractionation with an acid catalyst, a solvent for lignin, and water. In certain embodiments to produce cellulose nanocrystals, OCC is exposed to AVAP .RTM. digestor conditions. The resulting pulp is optionally bleached and is mechanically refined to generate cellulose nanocrystals. In certain embodiments to produce cellulose nanofibrils, OCC is exposed to GreenBox+.RTM. digestor conditions. The resulting pulp is mechanically refined to generate cellulose nanofibrils. The site of a system to convert OCC to nanocellulose may be co-located with an existing OCC processing site. The nanocellulose line may be a bolt-on retrofit system to existing infrastructure. In other embodiments, a dedicated plant for converting OCC to nanocellulose is used.
In some variations, OCC is screened, cleaned, deinked, and mechanically refined to generate cellulose nanofibrils. The OCC may be subjected to further chemical, physical, or thermal processing, prior to mechanical refining. For example, the OCC may be subjected to hot-water extraction, or fractionation with an acid catalyst, a solvent for lignin, and water. In certain embodiments to produce cellulose nanocrystals, OCC is exposed to AVAP® digestor conditions. The resulting pulp is optionally bleached and is mechanically refined to generate cellulose nanocrystals. In certain embodiments to produce cellulose nanofibrils, OCC is exposed to GreenBox+® digestor conditions. The resulting pulp is mechanically refined to generate cellulose nanofibrils. The site of a system to convert OCC to nanocellulose may be co-located with an existing OCC processing site. The nanocellulose line may be a bolt-on retrofit system to existing infrastructure. In other embodiments, a dedicated plant for converting OCC to nanocellulose is used.
This invention provides optimized fermentation of cellulosic and hemicellulosic sugars. Biomass-derived hemicellulosic and cellulosic sugars are independently conditioned and separately fermented, utilizing reuse and recycle of microorganisms, metabolic intermediates, and nutrients. Conditioned sugars can be fermented in separate vessels, where excess cells from glucose fermentation are conveyed to hemicellulose sugar fermentation along with raffinate from solvent recovery, to enhance productivity and product yield. Some variations provide a method of fermenting C5 and C6 sugars to fermentation products, the method comprising: fermenting a C6-rich sugar feed to a first fermentation product; fermenting a C5-rich sugar feed to a second fermentation product; removing microorganism cells from the first fermentor, to maintain a cell concentration within a selected range; conveying microorganism cells to a second fermentor; and removing microorganism cells from the second fermentor, to maintain a microorganism cell concentration that is greater than that in the C6-rich fermentor.
The present invention provides a pulp product (e.g., paper) comprising cellulose and nanocellulose, wherein the nanocellulose is derived from the cellulose in a mechanical and/or chemical step that is separate from the main pulping process. The pulping process may be thermomechanical pulping or hydrothermal-mechanical pulping, for example. The pulp product is stronger and smoother with the presence of the nanocellulose. The nanocellulose further can function as a retention aid, for a step of forming the pulp product (e.g., in a paper machine). Other embodiments provide a corrugated medium pulp composition comprising cellulose pulp and nanocellulose, wherein the nanocellulose includes cellulose nanofibrils and/or cellulose nanocrystals and the nanocellulose may be hydrophobic. The nanocellulose improves the strength properties of the corrugated medium. In some embodiments, the cellulose pulp is a GreenBox+® pulp and the nanocellulose is derived from the AVAP® process.
Various processes are disclosed for producing nanocellulose materials following steam extraction or hot-water digestion of biomass. Processes are also disclosed for producing nanocellulose materials from a wide variety of starting pulps or pretreated biomass feedstocks. The nanocellulose materials may be used as rheology modifiers in many applications. Water-based and oil-based drilling fluid formulations and additives are provided. Also, water-based and oil-based hydraulic fracturing fluid formulations and additives are provided. In other embodiments, polymer-nanocellulose composites are provided.
D01F 2/02 - Filaments, ou similaires, artificiels, à un seul composant, formés de cellulose ou de dérivés de la celluloseLeur fabrication obtenus à partir de solutions de cellulose dans des acides, des bases ou des sels
C08B 1/02 - Méthode pour rendre la cellulose apte à l'estérification
C08B 1/06 - Méthode pour rendre la cellulose apte à l'éthérification
This disclosure provides a polymer composite including a polymer, nanocellulose, and a compatibilizer, wherein the nanocellulose comprises cellulose nanocrystals and/or cellulose nanofibrils, and wherein the compatibilizer comprises a maleated polymer. In some embodiments, the nanocellulose includes lignin-coated nanocellulose. The polymer may be selected from polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polylactide, or poly(ethylene terephthalate). The maleated polymer may be selected from maleated polyethylene, maleated polypropylene, maleated polystyrene, maleated polylactide, or maleated poly(ethylene terephthalate. Other variations provide a process for compatibilizing a polymer with nanocellulose, comprising: providing a polymer; providing nanocellulose comprising cellulose nanocrystals and/or cellulose nanofibrils; providing a maleated polymer; and combining the polymer, the nanocellulose, and the maleated polymer, wherein the maleated polymer functions as a compatibilizer between the polymer and the nanocellulose.
C08L 51/06 - Compositions contenant des polymères greffés dans lesquels le composant greffé est obtenu par des réactions faisant intervenir uniquement des liaisons non saturées carbone-carboneCompositions contenant des dérivés de tels polymères greffés sur des homopolymères ou des copolymères d'hydrocarbures aliphatiques ne contenant qu'une seule liaison double carbone-carbone
C08L 23/00 - Compositions contenant des homopolymères ou des copolymères d'hydrocarbures aliphatiques non saturés ne possédant qu'une seule liaison double carbone-carboneCompositions contenant des dérivés de tels polymères
Some variations provide a process for producing a nanocellulose material, comprising: providing a biomass feedstock comprising a bleached or unbleached pulp material; fractionating the feedstock in the presence of an acid, a solvent for lignin, and water, to generate cellulose-rich solids and a liquid containing hemicellulose and lignin; and mechanically treating the cellulose-rich solids to form cellulose fibrils and/or cellulose crystals, thereby generating a nanocellulose material. The process is preferably co-located with, or adjacent to, a mill that generates the pulp material. There are several advantages of a bolt-on AVAP® nanocellulose plant to an existing pulp mill, as disclosed herein.
B82Y 30/00 - Nanotechnologie pour matériaux ou science des surfaces, p. ex. nanocomposites
B82Y 40/00 - Fabrication ou traitement des nanostructures
C08B 15/08 - Fractionnement de la cellulose, p. ex. séparation des cristallites de cellulose
D21C 3/06 - Réduction en pâte des matières contenant de la cellulose avec des acides, des sels acides ou des anhydrides d'acide anhydride sulfureuxRéduction en pâte des matières contenant de la cellulose avec des acides, des sels acides ou des anhydrides d'acide acide sulfureuxRéduction en pâte des matières contenant de la cellulose avec des acides, des sels acides ou des anhydrides d'acide bisulfites
Some variations provide a process for producing a nanocellulose material, comprising: providing a biomass feedstock comprising a bleached or unbleached pulp material; fractionating the feedstock in the presence of an acid, a solvent for lignin, and water, to generate cellulose-rich solids and a liquid containing hemicellulose and lignin; and mechanically treating the cellulose-rich solids to form cellulose fibrils and/or cellulose crystals, thereby generating a nanocellulose material. The process is preferably co-located with, or adjacent to, a mill that generates the pulp material. There are several advantages of a bolt-on AVAP® nanocellulose plant to an existing pulp mill, as disclosed herein.
C08B 15/08 - Fractionnement de la cellulose, p. ex. séparation des cristallites de cellulose
D21C 3/06 - Réduction en pâte des matières contenant de la cellulose avec des acides, des sels acides ou des anhydrides d'acide anhydride sulfureuxRéduction en pâte des matières contenant de la cellulose avec des acides, des sels acides ou des anhydrides d'acide acide sulfureuxRéduction en pâte des matières contenant de la cellulose avec des acides, des sels acides ou des anhydrides d'acide bisulfites
A process is provided for producing a biomass-derived rheology modifier, comprising: providing a pretreated feedstock comprising cellulose-rich solids; refining the cellulose-rich solids in a first high-intensity refining unit, generating refined cellulose solids; gelling the refined cellulose solids in a second high-intensity refining unit, thereby generating gelled cellulose solids; and homogenizing the gelled cellulose solids in a high-shear homogenizer, thereby generating a biomass-derived rheology modifier. The pretreated feedstock may include kraft pulp, sulfite pulp, AVAP® pulp, soda pulp, mechanical pulp, thermomechanical pulp, and/or chemimechanical pulp, derived from wood or lignocellulosic biomass. The pretreated feedstock may be GP3+® pulp, obtained from steam or hot-water extraction of lignocellulosic biomass. These rheology modifiers may be utilized in a wide variety of applications, including water-based or oil-based hydraulic fracturing fluid formulations, as gelling agents. These rheology modifiers are biodegradable, and their production does not directly involve chemicals other than biomass and water.
A simple process for converting lignocellulosic biomass into fermentation products is disclosed. Biomass may be subjected to a steam or hot-water soak to dissolve hemicelluloses. This step is followed by mechanical refining, such as in a hot-blow refiner, of the cellulose-rich (and lignin-rich) solids. The refined solids are then enzymatically hydrolyzed to generate sugars. Certain embodiments provide a process for producing ethanol, comprising: digesting a cellulosic biomass feedstock with steam or hot water to produce cellulose-rich solids, hemicellulose oligomers, and lignin; conveying the digested stream through a blow-line refiner; separating a vapor from the refined stream; introducing the refined stream to an enzymatic hydrolysis unit to produce sugars; fermenting the sugars to produce ethanol in dilute solution; and concentrating the dilute solution to produce an ethanol product. Enzymes and microorganisms may be introduced at various points in the process. The invention may be applied to any other fermentation product.
C08L 97/02 - Matériau lignocellulosique, p. ex. bois, paille ou bagasse
C12N 1/00 - Micro-organismes, p. ex. protozoairesCompositions les contenantProcédés de culture ou de conservation de micro-organismes, ou de compositions les contenantProcédés de préparation ou d'isolement d'une composition contenant un micro-organismeLeurs milieux de culture
C12N 9/00 - Enzymes, p. ex. ligases (6.)ProenzymesCompositions les contenantProcédés pour préparer, activer, inhiber, séparer ou purifier des enzymes
C12P 7/06 - Éthanol en tant que produit chimique et non en tant que boisson alcoolique
A simple process for converting lignocellulosic biomass into fermentation products is disclosed. Biomass may be subjected to a steam or hot-water soak to dissolve hemicelluloses. This step is followed by mechanical refining, such as in a hot-blow refiner, of the cellulose-rich (and lignin-rich) solids. The refined solids are then enzymatically hydrolyzed to generate sugars. Certain embodiments provide a process for producing ethanol, comprising: digesting a cellulosic biomass feedstock with steam or hot water to produce cellulose-rich solids, hemicellulose oligomers, and lignin; conveying the digested stream through a blow-line refiner; separating a vapor from the refined stream; introducing the refined stream to an enzymatic hydrolysis unit to produce sugars; fermenting the sugars to produce ethanol in dilute solution; and concentrating the dilute solution to produce an ethanol product. Enzymes and microorganisms may be introduced at various points in the process. The invention may be applied to any other fermentation product.
C08L 97/02 - Matériau lignocellulosique, p. ex. bois, paille ou bagasse
C12N 1/00 - Micro-organismes, p. ex. protozoairesCompositions les contenantProcédés de culture ou de conservation de micro-organismes, ou de compositions les contenantProcédés de préparation ou d'isolement d'une composition contenant un micro-organismeLeurs milieux de culture
C12N 9/00 - Enzymes, p. ex. ligases (6.)ProenzymesCompositions les contenantProcédés pour préparer, activer, inhiber, séparer ou purifier des enzymes
16.
METHODS AND ADDITIVES FOR IMPROVING MELT STRENGTH IN POLYMER FILM PROCESSING AND BLOW MOLDING
In some variations, the invention provides a method and additive for improving melt strength and processing stability in polymer blow molding or blownfilm extrusion, comprising: providing a polymer or a combination of polymers; forming a melt phase of the polymer(s); and introducing nanocellulose to the melt phase, wherein the introduction of the nanocellulose increases the melt strength of the melt phase. The nanocellulose may include hydrophobic or hydrophilic nanocellulose. The nanocellulose may include lignin-coated cellulose nanocrystals and/or lignin-coated cellulose nanofibrils. The nanocellulose may be present in the melt phase at a concentration of about 0.01 wt% to about 10 wt%, for example. The nanocellulose is preferably obtained from an AVAP® lignocellulosic biomass fractionation process.
C08J 3/20 - Formation de mélanges de polymères avec des additifs, p. ex. coloration
C08J 5/10 - Renforcement des composés macromoléculaires avec des matériaux fibreux en vrac ou en nappes caractérisé par les additifs utilisés dans le mélange de polymères
The present invention relates to a process and a culture medium for biofuel and biochemical production by fermentation of lignocellulose biomass. The process describes the use of a solid-liquid mixed blend formed by solid fiber pulp, hydrolysate, and a polypeptide complex. The solid fiber pulp is partially degraded by the polypeptide complex allowing microbe immobilization and, at the same time, releasing substances that affect Clostridium quorum sensing pathways. The present process and culture medium allow the improvement of biofuels and biochemical production, as butanol and acetone in an industrial scale.
C12P 7/06 - Éthanol en tant que produit chimique et non en tant que boisson alcoolique
C12P 7/10 - Éthanol en tant que produit chimique et non en tant que boisson alcoolique préparé comme sous-produit, ou préparé à partir d'un substrat constitué par des déchets ou par des matières cellulosiques d'un substrat constitué par des matières cellulosiques
This invention provides a way to deal with acetic acid derived from biomass, for fermentation of cellulosic sugars. In some variations, a process for producing ethanol from lignocellulosic biomass comprises: extracting hemicelluloses and acetic acid from lignocellulosic biomass; hydrolyzing the hemicelluloses, using an acid catalyst or enzymes, to generate hemicellulose monomers and more acetic acid; fermenting acetic acid to lipids using a suitable lipid-producing microorganism, thereby reducing acetic acid concentration; fermenting hemicellulose monomers to ethanol using a suitable ethanol-producing microorganism; and recovering the ethanol. The co-fermentation of acetic acid and sugars may be carried out in a single fermentor or in separate fermentors. The invention may be applied to fermentation products other than ethanol. In some embodiments, the fermentation product can act as an extraction solvent to extract lipids from the lipid-producing microorganism, such as a lipid-producing yeast.
C12P 7/06 - Éthanol en tant que produit chimique et non en tant que boisson alcoolique
C12P 7/10 - Éthanol en tant que produit chimique et non en tant que boisson alcoolique préparé comme sous-produit, ou préparé à partir d'un substrat constitué par des déchets ou par des matières cellulosiques d'un substrat constitué par des matières cellulosiques
C12P 7/64 - GraissesHuilesCires de type esterAcides gras supérieurs, c.-à-d. ayant une chaîne continue d'au moins sept atomes de carbone liée à un groupe carboxyleHuiles ou graisses oxydées
C12P 7/14 - Fermentation en plusieurs étapesFermentation avec différents types de micro-organismes ou avec réemploi de micro-organismes
C12P 39/00 - Procédés faisant intervenir simultanément des micro-organismes de différents genres dans le même procédé
Some variations provide a method of enzymatically converting biomass- derived cellulose to glucose, comprising exposing the biomass-derived cellulose to (i) cellulase enzymes, to hydrolyze the cellulose to glucose; and (ii) an external sulfur- containing compound, to deter bacterial and/or yeast contamination during cellulose hydrolysis. In some embodiments, the sulfur-containing compound includes sulfur dioxide or lignosulfonates. When the sulfur-containing compound includes lignosulfonates, the lignosulfonates may also function as an enzyme surfactant to assist hydrolysis, in addition to deterring bacterial and/or yeast growth/contamination. This method may be applied to cellulose-rich solids obtained from the AVAP® fractionation process, the Green Power+® pretreatment process, or any other source of cellulose-rich solids.
A low-cost process is provided to render lignocellulosic biomass accessible to cellulase enzymes, to produce fermentable sugars. Some variations provide a process to produce ethanol from lignocellulosic biomass (such as sugarcane bagasse or corn stover), comprising introducing a lignocellulosic biomass feedstock to a single-stage digestor; exposing the feedstock to a reaction solution comprising steam or liquid hot water within the digestor, to solubilize the hemicellulose in a liquid phase and to provide a cellulose-rich solid phase; refining the cellulose-rich solid phase, together with the liquid phase, in a mechanical refiner, thereby providing a mixture of refined cellulose-rich solids and the liquid phase; enzymatically hydrolyzing the mixture in a hydrolysis reactor with cellulase enzymes, to generate fermentable sugars; and fermenting the fermentable sugars to produce ethanol. Many alternative process configurations are described. The disclosed processes may be employed for other fermentation products.
C12P 7/10 - Éthanol en tant que produit chimique et non en tant que boisson alcoolique préparé comme sous-produit, ou préparé à partir d'un substrat constitué par des déchets ou par des matières cellulosiques d'un substrat constitué par des matières cellulosiques
C12P 7/14 - Fermentation en plusieurs étapesFermentation avec différents types de micro-organismes ou avec réemploi de micro-organismes
In some variations, the invention provides a process for producing a microcrystalline cellulose material, comprising: fractionating lignocellulosic biomass feedstock in the presence of an acid, a solvent for lignin, and water, to generate cellulose-rich solids and a liquid containing hemicellulose and lignin; chemically and/or mechanically treating the cellulose-rich solids to form microcrystalline cellulose having an average crystallinity of at least 60%; and recovering the microcrystalline cellulose as a pharmaceutical excipient. The pharmaceutical excipient may function as an antiadherent, a binder, a coating, or a disintegrant. In some embodiments, the pharmaceutical excipient further comprises a lignin-derived lubricant, glidant, sorbent, preservative, or other component. The pharmaceutical excipient may be present in a pill, tablet, capsule, powder, slurry, or other pharmaceutically effective and acceptable form.
This disclosure provides lignin-based enzymatic hydrolysis enhancer that includes ethanol-soluble, partially sulfonated lignin. Some embodiments provide a lignin-based enzymatic hydrolysis enhancer comprising AVAP® lignin. Certain embodiments provide a lignin-based enzymatic hydrolysis enhancer comprising AVAP® lignin and lignosulfonates. In some variations, a process for producing a lignin-based enzymatic hydrolysis enhancer comprises fractionating biomass with an acid, a solvent for lignin, and water, to generate cellulose-rich solids and a liquid containing hemicellulose and lignin; recovering the lignin; and generating a lignin-based enzymatic hydrolysis enhancer comprising the lignin. Surprisingly, the lignin-based enzymatic hydrolysis enhancer is experimentally able to enhance glucose yields by 10% or more.
D21C 3/04 - Réduction en pâte des matières contenant de la cellulose avec des acides, des sels acides ou des anhydrides d'acide
D21C 3/06 - Réduction en pâte des matières contenant de la cellulose avec des acides, des sels acides ou des anhydrides d'acide anhydride sulfureuxRéduction en pâte des matières contenant de la cellulose avec des acides, des sels acides ou des anhydrides d'acide acide sulfureuxRéduction en pâte des matières contenant de la cellulose avec des acides, des sels acides ou des anhydrides d'acide bisulfites
D21C 3/20 - Réduction en pâte des matières contenant de la cellulose avec des solvants organiques
C08H 7/00 - LignineLignine modifiéeProduits dérivés à haut poids moléculaire
C08L 97/00 - Compositions contenant des matières contenant de la lignine
C13K 1/02 - GlucoseSirops glucosés obtenus par saccharification de matières cellulosiques
23.
PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR BIOMASS CLEANING IN LIGNOCELLULOSIC BIOREFINERIES
A wet process for cleaning biomass is disclosed, comprising: introducing biomass feedstock to a vibrating separator, to generate an overflow stream and an underflow stream, wherein the overflow stream comprises biomass and large grit, and wherein the underflow stream comprises fines and small grit; introducing the overflow stream to a kinetic separator, to generate an intermediate biomass stream and a large-grit stream; introducing the underflow stream and elutriation water to a hydroclone separator, to generate a wet biomass-fines stream and a small-grit stream; separating water contained in the wet biomass-fines stream and recycling it as elutriation water, to generate a biomass fines stream; and combining the biomass fines stream with the intermediate biomass stream, thereby generating clean biomass. An alternative embodiment for a dry process to clean biomass is also disclosed. The clean biomass may be used in a wide variety of biorefining processes.
A process for fractionating high-ash lignocellulosic biomass is provided, comprising: (a) providing a biomass feedstock comprising lignocellulosic material and ash, some of which may be removed before digestion; (b) contacting the feedstock with a digestor solution comprising a first organic solvent, an acid catalyst, and water, under effective digestor conditions and controlled acidity to produce intermediate solids and a first liquid phase comprising hemicelluloses and lignin; (c) separating the first liquid phase from the intermediate solids; (d) washing the intermediate solids with a wash solution comprising a second organic solvent and water, under effective washing conditions to produce cellulose-rich solids and a second liquid phase comprising hemicelluloses and lignin; and (e) separating the cellulose-rich solids from the second liquid phase. The solvent type is optimized to control acidity in the digestor. Controlling the acidity may also include adjusting digestor pH to a value between about 0.5 and about 2.0.
C08H 8/00 - Composés macromoléculaires dérivés de matériaux lignocellulosiques
D21C 3/04 - Réduction en pâte des matières contenant de la cellulose avec des acides, des sels acides ou des anhydrides d'acide
D21C 3/06 - Réduction en pâte des matières contenant de la cellulose avec des acides, des sels acides ou des anhydrides d'acide anhydride sulfureuxRéduction en pâte des matières contenant de la cellulose avec des acides, des sels acides ou des anhydrides d'acide acide sulfureuxRéduction en pâte des matières contenant de la cellulose avec des acides, des sels acides ou des anhydrides d'acide bisulfites
D21C 3/20 - Réduction en pâte des matières contenant de la cellulose avec des solvants organiques
D21C 1/04 - Traitement préalable des matériaux finement divisés avant la cuisson avec des composés à réaction acide
The present invention provides an automotive tire containing from 0.1 wt% to 50 wt% hydrophobic nanocellulose. Hydrophobic nanocellulose may include lignin-coated nanocellulose and/or a chemically modified surface to increase hydrophobicity. The nanocellulose may include cellulose nanofibrils and/or cellulose nanocrystals. The nanocellulose may be introduced into tire components such as inner liner, body ply, sidewall, beads, apex, belts, treads, cushion gum, and textile fabric. The nanocellulose may be obtained from a biomass-fractionation process utilizing an acid catalyst, a solvent for lignin, and water to generate a lignin-containing nanocellulose precursor, followed by mechanical treatment of the nanocellulose precursor to produce the nanocellulose. The tire may further include one or more additional components derived from lignocellulosic biomass. For example, the tire may contain lignin-derived carbon black, lignin-derived antioxidants, or biomass-derived silica. The tire may also contain synthetic polymers derived from biomass sugars.
Some variations provide an apparatus for enzymatically hydrolyzing pretreated lignocellulosic biomass, including at least one clarifying vessel comprising: an inlet well, disposed with walls at or near the top of the clarifying vessel, configured for continuously feeding pretreated lignocellulosic biomass; overflow weirs to allow liquid-phase hydrolysate to be continuously recovered from the clarifying vessel; and a controllable bottom outlet to allow a solid phase to be continuously or periodically recovered from the clarifying vessel. In certain embodiments, the clarifying vessel is an existing recausticizing clarifier in a pulp and paper mill. Other variations provide a method of enzymatically hydrolyzing pretreated lignocellulosic biomass, comprising: introducing pretreated lignocellulosic biomass to a clarifying vessel in the presence of cellulase enzymes, to hydrolyze the cellulose to a liquid-phase hydrolysate; separating, by sedimentation, the hydrolysate from the lignin; and recovering the hydrolysate from overflow weirs of the clarifying vessel.
The invention provides a continuous process for enzymatic hydrolysis of pretreated biomass, the process comprising: providing a pretreated lignocellulosic biomass feed material containing cellulose; introducing the pretreated lignocellulosic biomass feed material to a mechanical-treatment unit containing one or more decompression regions configured to release pressure; introducing a liquid solution containing cellulase enzymes to one or more decompression regions in the mechanical-treatment unit, wherein the liquid solution enters void spaces between fibers of the pretreated lignocellulosic biomass feed material, to form enzymecontaining cellulose-rich solids; and retaining the enzyme-containing cellulose-rich solids under effective hydrolysis conditions to hydrolyze at least some of the cellulose to glucose. Various apparatus configurations are disclosed for the mechanicaltreatment unit.
Some variations provide a process for producing cellulosic fructose from biomass, comprising: fractionating a biomass feedstock in the presence of an acid catalyst, a solvent for lignin, and water, to produce a liquor containing cellulose-rich solids, lignin, and dissolved hemicellulose; removing the cellulose-rich solids from the liquor; hydrolyzing the dissolved hemicellulose contained in the liquor, to produce a hydrolyzed liquor comprising hemicellulosic monomers; hydrolyzing the celluloserich solids to produce glucose, using cellulase enzymes or an acid or base hydrolysis catalyst; enzymatically isomerizing the glucose to fructose, using glucose isomerase enzymes; and recovering the fructose in purified form or in a fructose-glucose solution. The cellulosic fructose produced by the disclosed processes has many uses.
C13K 1/02 - GlucoseSirops glucosés obtenus par saccharification de matières cellulosiques
C13K 13/00 - Sucres non prévus ailleurs dans la présente classe
D21C 1/02 - Traitement préalable des matériaux finement divisés avant la cuisson avec l'eau ou la vapeur
D21C 1/04 - Traitement préalable des matériaux finement divisés avant la cuisson avec des composés à réaction acide
D21C 3/06 - Réduction en pâte des matières contenant de la cellulose avec des acides, des sels acides ou des anhydrides d'acide anhydride sulfureuxRéduction en pâte des matières contenant de la cellulose avec des acides, des sels acides ou des anhydrides d'acide acide sulfureuxRéduction en pâte des matières contenant de la cellulose avec des acides, des sels acides ou des anhydrides d'acide bisulfites
C12P 19/24 - Préparation de composés contenant des radicaux saccharide préparés par action d'une isomérase, p. ex. fructose
29.
PRODUCTION OF SUGARS FROM BIOMASS USING SOLID CATALYSTS
The invention provides a process for producing sugars from lignocellulosic biomass, comprising: drying lignocellulosic biomass; hydrolyzing the dried feedstock with a hydrolysis catalyst to reach high conversion of cellulose and hemicellulose to sugars; washing and/or separating the sugars from the residual solids (containing lignin and catalyst); combusting the residual solids to burn the lignin and produce an ash stream comprising the hydrolysis catalyst; recycling the ash stream comprising the hydrolysis catalyst to the hydrolysis reactor; and recovering the sugars. Some variations envision drying a feedstock (e.g., sugarcane straw) with flue gas, then mixing with catalysts, rotating until hydrolysis is completed, separating sugars, washing out catalyst and lignin, burning catalyst and lignin and collecting catalyst from the bottom of a fluidized bed to recycle the catalyst to the front (with fresh biomass). Alternatively, the catalyst may be first separated from lignin and only the lignin is burned.
A composition comprising nanocellulose is disclosed, wherein the nanocellulose contains very low or essentially no sulfur content. The nanocellulose may be in the form of cellulose nanocrystals, cellulose nanofibrils, or both. The nanocellulose is characterized by a crystallinity of at least 80%, an onset of thermal decomposition of 300F or higher, and a low light transmittance over the range 400-700 nm. Other variations provide a composition comprising lignin-coated hydrophobic nanocellulose, wherein the nanocellulose contains very low or essentially no sulfur content. Some variations provide a composition comprising nanocellulose, wherein the nanocellulose contains about 0.1 wt% equivalent sulfur content, or less, as SO4 groups chemically or physically bound to the nanocellulose. In some embodiments, the nanocellulose contains essentially no hydrogen atoms (apart from hydrogen structurally contained in nanocellulose itself) bound to the nanocellulose. Various compositions, materials, and products may incorporate the nanocellulose compositions disclosed herein.
C08B 1/00 - Traitement préparatoire de la cellulose pour l'obtention de dérivés cellulosiques
C08B 15/00 - Préparation d'autres dérivés cellulosiques ou de cellulose modifiée
B82B 3/00 - Fabrication ou traitement des nanostructures par manipulation d’atomes ou de molécules, ou d’ensembles limités d’atomes ou de molécules un à un comme des unités individuelles
B82Y 30/00 - Nanotechnologie pour matériaux ou science des surfaces, p. ex. nanocomposites
C08L 1/00 - Compositions contenant de la cellulose, de la cellulose modifiée ou des dérivés de la cellulose
31.
OLEOPHILIC AND HYDROPHOBIC NANOCELLULOSE MATERIALS
An oleophilic and hydrophobic nanocellulose material is disclosed herein, for nanocellulose sponges and other applications. The oleophilic and hydrophobic nanocellulose material comprises lignin-coated cellulose nanofibrils and/or lignincoated cellulose nanocrystals. In various embodiments, the nanocellulose material is in the form of a 2D coating or layer, or a 3D object (e.g., foam or aerogel). The nanocellulose material may be disposed onto a scaffold. A process is provided for producing an oleophilic and hydrophobic nanocellulose object, comprising fractionating a biomass feedstock with an acid, a solvent for lignin, and water, to generate cellulose-rich solids and a lignin-containing liquor; mechanically treating the cellulose-rich solids to form cellulose fibrils and/or cellulose crystals; generating a nanocellulose object from the intermediate nanocellulose material; exposing the nanocellulose object to the lignin-containing liquor to allow lignin to deposit onto a surface of the nanocellulose object; and recovering the oleophilic and hydrophobic nanocellulose object.
C08B 1/00 - Traitement préparatoire de la cellulose pour l'obtention de dérivés cellulosiques
C08B 15/00 - Préparation d'autres dérivés cellulosiques ou de cellulose modifiée
D21C 3/06 - Réduction en pâte des matières contenant de la cellulose avec des acides, des sels acides ou des anhydrides d'acide anhydride sulfureuxRéduction en pâte des matières contenant de la cellulose avec des acides, des sels acides ou des anhydrides d'acide acide sulfureuxRéduction en pâte des matières contenant de la cellulose avec des acides, des sels acides ou des anhydrides d'acide bisulfites
B82Y 30/00 - Nanotechnologie pour matériaux ou science des surfaces, p. ex. nanocomposites
B82Y 40/00 - Fabrication ou traitement des nanostructures
32.
PROCESSES FOR PRODUCING NANOCELLULOSE-LIGNIN COMPOSITE MATERIALS, AND COMPOSITIONS OBTAINED THEREFROM
This invention provides a process for producing a nanocellulose-lignin material, comprising: providing a starting material comprising lignin and discrete cellulose fiber fines, chemically and physically separate from the lignin; and mechanically refining the starting material to form a nanocellulose-lignin material comprising cellulose nanofibrils and/or cellulose nanocrystals chemically or physically associated with the lignin. In certain embodiments, the starting material contains about 60 wt% lignin and about 40 wt% cellulose fiber fines on a dry basis. The starting material may be obtained from an AVAP® process. The refining may utilize single disk refiners, double disk refiners, conical refiners, cylindrical refiners, beaters, grinders, homogenizers, microfluidizers, vortex mixers, rotor-stator mixers, and/or high-shear mixers, for example. A novel nanocellulose-lignin composite material is obtained.
Nanocellulose-reinforced cellulose fibers can increase the strength of hardwood fibers or agricultural-residue cellulose fibers, to simulate the strength of softwood fibers in pulp or pulp products (including composites). In some variations, the invention provides a method of reinforcing cellulose fibers, comprising providing cellulose fibers derived from hardwoods, agricultural residues, or a combination thereof; providing a source of nanocellulose comprising cellulose nanofibrils and/or cellulose nanocrystals; and reinforcing the cellulose fibers with the nanocellulose to increase strength of the cellulose fibers. In some embodiments, the nanocellulose is obtained from fractionating biomass in the presence of an acid, a solvent for lignin, and water, to generate cellulose-rich solids and a liquid phase; and then mechanically refining the cellulose-rich solids to generate the nanocellulose.
A polymer-nanocellulose-lignin composite as disclosed comprises a polymer, nanocellulose, and lignin, wherein lignin forms a hydrophobic interface between the polymer and the nanocellulose. In some variations, a process is disclosed for producing a polymer-nanocellulose-lignin composite material, comprising: fractionating lignocellulosic biomass in the presence of an acid, a solvent for lignin, and water, to generate cellulose-rich solids and a liquid containing hemicellulose and lignin, wherein lignin deposits onto fiber surfaces or into fiber pores; mechanically treating the cellulose-rich solids to form a hydrophobic nanocellulose material comprising cellulose fibrils and/or cellulose crystals; hydrolyzing the hemicellulose to generate fermentable hemicellulosic sugars; fermenting the fermentable hemicellulosic sugars to generate a monomer or monomer precursor; polymerizing the monomer to produce a polymer; and combining the polymer with the lignin-coated nanocellulose to generate a polymer-nanocellulose-lignin composite material for use in a wide variety of products.
D21C 5/00 - Autres procédés pour obtenir de la cellulose, p. ex. cuisson des linters de coton
C12P 7/10 - Éthanol en tant que produit chimique et non en tant que boisson alcoolique préparé comme sous-produit, ou préparé à partir d'un substrat constitué par des déchets ou par des matières cellulosiques d'un substrat constitué par des matières cellulosiques
C08L 1/00 - Compositions contenant de la cellulose, de la cellulose modifiée ou des dérivés de la cellulose
B82Y 30/00 - Nanotechnologie pour matériaux ou science des surfaces, p. ex. nanocomposites
This disclosure provides drilling fluids and additives as well as fracturing fluids and additives that contain cellulose nanofibers and/or cellulose nanocrystals. In some embodiments, hydrophobic nanocellulose is provided which can be incorporated into oil-based fluids and additives. These water-based or oil-based fluids and additives may further include lignosulfonates and other biomass-derived components. Also, these water-based or oil-based fluids and additives may further include enzymes. The drilling and fracturing fluids and additives described herein may be produced using the AVAP® process technology to produce a nanocellulose precursor, followed by low-energy refining to produce nanocellulose for incorporation into a variety of drilling and fracturing fluids and additives.
C09K 8/66 - Compositions à base d'eau ou de solvants polaires
C09K 8/70 - Compositions pour la formation de crevasses ou de fractures caractérisées par leur forme ou par la forme de leurs composants, p. ex. mousses
C09K 8/84 - Compositions à base d'eau ou de solvants polaires
A continuous process for producing hemicellulose sugars from a biomass extraction liquor is provided. A system is configured for continuously producing hemicellulose sugars and/or hemicellulose derivatives from a biomass extraction liquor, the system comprising at least a first hydrolysis reactor and a second hydrolysis reactor. Each of the hydrolysis reactors is in switchable communication with (i) an operating feed stream of a biomass extraction liquor containing water, hemicellulose oligomers, and dissolved or suspended lignin, and (ii) a cleaning feed stream of a cleaning agent selected from the group consisting of steam, an alkaline solution, an organic solvent, and combinations thereof. The cleaning agent dissolves precipitated lignin formed from the lignin under the hydrolysis reaction conditions.
C12P 19/14 - Préparation de composés contenant des radicaux saccharide préparés par action d'une carbohydrase, p. ex. par action de l'alpha-amylase
C12P 7/10 - Éthanol en tant que produit chimique et non en tant que boisson alcoolique préparé comme sous-produit, ou préparé à partir d'un substrat constitué par des déchets ou par des matières cellulosiques d'un substrat constitué par des matières cellulosiques
C07D 307/50 - Préparation à partir de produits naturels
37.
METHODS FOR REMOVING RESIDUAL SOLIDS FROM ENZYMATIC HYDROLYSATE TO MAKE PURIFIED FERMENTABLE SUGAR SYRUP
The invention provides a method for purifying a biomass hydrolysate comprising sugars and suspended particles, comprising centrifuging the biomass hydrolysate, thermally treating the centrifuged hydrolysate to chemically or physically agglomerate the suspended particles, and filtering the thermally treated hydrolysate to remove agglomerated suspended particles, thereby generating a purified hydrolysate (sugar syrup). The sequence of steps may be varied. Biomass hydrolysates may be provided from a wide variety of processes. Surprisingly, a 20-fold improvement in sugar purity (total suspended solids content) is demonstrated experimentally, compared to prior methods.
Cellulose precursor materials may be refined (e.g., fibrillated) in an ethanol medium, or other solvent medium, instead of water. Following refining, the solvent may be removed and recycled prior to incorporation into another material, or optionally, following such incorporation. The solvent may assist the incorporation of nanocellulose into another material (e.g., a polymer) for a composite, for example. In some variations, a process comprises fractionating a biomass feedstock in the presence of an acid, a solvent for lignin, and water, to generate cellulose-rich solids and a liquid containing hemicellulose and lignin; mechanically treating the celluloserich solids, in the presence of a refining solvent, to form cellulose fibrils and/or cellulose crystals, thereby generating a nanocellulose material; recovering and recycling the refining solvent; and recovering the nanocellulose material or incorporating the nanocellulose material into a composite material.
A biomass-derived dietary supplement comprising an acetate salt, a hemicellulose-derived sweetener, and cellulose is provided. The formulation may originate from treatment of biomass, by converting acetic acid (from biomass) to an acetate salt and combining it with a hemicellulose-based sweetener such as xylitol and inert, non-digestive cellulose. This is formed into a powder, crystal, pill or capsule to be delivered orally as a dietary supplement. Supplemental minerals and vitamins may be added. A process for producing a biomass-derived dietary supplement is also disclosed.
C08B 1/00 - Traitement préparatoire de la cellulose pour l'obtention de dérivés cellulosiques
C13K 13/00 - Sucres non prévus ailleurs dans la présente classe
A23L 1/308 - Addition de substances essentiellement non digestibles, p.ex. fibres diététiques (A23L 1/05 a priorité);;
A23L 1/09 - contenant des sirops d'hydrate de carbone; contenant des sucres; contenant des alcools de sucre, p.ex. xylitol; contenant des hydrolysats d'amidon, p.ex. dextrine (A23L 1/76, A23L 1/236 ont priorité);;
A23L 1/0534 - Cellulose; Ses dérivés, p.ex. éthers
40.
INTEGRATION OF NON-WOODY BIOREFINING AT PULP AND PAPER PLANTS
In some variations, a process is provided for producing a pulp product at a biorefinery site, comprising: converting a woody cellulosic material to a first pulp stream; converting a non-woody cellulosic material to a second pulp stream; blending the second pulp stream into the first pulp stream; and recovering or further processing the blended pulp stream as a pulp product. Biorefinery site infrastructure may be shared between the woody and non-woody lines. Also, the process may include process integration of mass and/or energy between the woody and non-woody lines. The process may be a retrofit addition to a pulp plant, or a greenfield biorefinery site. The non-woody line also can generate fermentable sugars, for fermentation to ethanol (or other products). Through allocation of carbon credits from the ethanol to the pulp, the final pulp product life-cycle profile can be improved.
C08H 7/00 - LignineLignine modifiéeProduits dérivés à haut poids moléculaire
C12P 7/10 - Éthanol en tant que produit chimique et non en tant que boisson alcoolique préparé comme sous-produit, ou préparé à partir d'un substrat constitué par des déchets ou par des matières cellulosiques d'un substrat constitué par des matières cellulosiques
Processes disclosed are capable of converting biomass into high-crystallinity nanocellulose with low mechanical energy input. In some variations, the process includes fractionating biomass with lignosulfonic acids, to generate cellulose-rich solids; and mechanically treating the cellulose-rich solids to form nanofibrils and/or nanocrystals. The strong lignosulfonic acids created during delignification give a pH less than 1 and hydrolyze preferentially the amorphous regions of cellulose. The total mechanical energy may be less than 500 kilowatt-hours per ton. The crystallinity of the nanocellulose material may be 80% or higher, translating into good reinforcing properties for composites. The nanocellulose material may include nanofibrillated cellulose, nanocrystalline cellulose, or both. In some embodiments, the nanocellulose material is hydrophobic via deposition of lignin onto the cellulose surface. Optionally, sugars derived from amorphous cellulose and hemicellulose may be separately fermented to co-products.
C08B 1/00 - Traitement préparatoire de la cellulose pour l'obtention de dérivés cellulosiques
C08B 15/00 - Préparation d'autres dérivés cellulosiques ou de cellulose modifiée
D21C 3/06 - Réduction en pâte des matières contenant de la cellulose avec des acides, des sels acides ou des anhydrides d'acide anhydride sulfureuxRéduction en pâte des matières contenant de la cellulose avec des acides, des sels acides ou des anhydrides d'acide acide sulfureuxRéduction en pâte des matières contenant de la cellulose avec des acides, des sels acides ou des anhydrides d'acide bisulfites
D21C 3/20 - Réduction en pâte des matières contenant de la cellulose avec des solvants organiques
B82Y 30/00 - Nanotechnologie pour matériaux ou science des surfaces, p. ex. nanocomposites
B82Y 40/00 - Fabrication ou traitement des nanostructures
What is disclosed is a biorefining process to co-produce xylitol with ethanol or other products. In some variations, a process for producing ethanol and xylitol from lignocellulosic biomass, comprises: extracting hemicelluloses from lignocellulosic biomass, wherein the hemicelluloses include xylose oligomers and other sugar oligomers; hydrolyzing the xylose oligomers and the other sugar oligomers, using an acid catalyst or enzymes, to generate xylose and other sugar monomers, respectively; fermenting the other sugar monomers to ethanol using a suitable ethanol-producing microorganism; removing at least some of the ethanol (to increase concentration of xylose); fermenting the xylose to xylitol using a suitable xylitol-producing microorganism; and recovering the xylitol at high concentration.
C08L 97/02 - Matériau lignocellulosique, p. ex. bois, paille ou bagasse
C12N 1/00 - Micro-organismes, p. ex. protozoairesCompositions les contenantProcédés de culture ou de conservation de micro-organismes, ou de compositions les contenantProcédés de préparation ou d'isolement d'une composition contenant un micro-organismeLeurs milieux de culture
C12N 9/00 - Enzymes, p. ex. ligases (6.)ProenzymesCompositions les contenantProcédés pour préparer, activer, inhiber, séparer ou purifier des enzymes
43.
PROCESSES FOR PRODUCING FLUFF PULP AND ETHANOL FROM SUGARCANE
The disclosure provides a process for producing fluff pulp and ethanol from sugarcane bagasse or straw, comprising: fractionating the feedstock in the presence of an acid catalyst, a solvent for lignin, and water, to generate a solid/liquid slurry comprising cellulose-rich solids, hemicelluloses, and lignin; separating the solid/liquid slurry into a solid stream and a liquid stream; further treating the cellulose-rich solids to produce fluff pulp; hydrolyzing the hemicelluloses to generate hemicellulose monomers; and fermenting at least a portion of the hemicellulose monomers to cellulosic ethanol. Lignin is removed from the process during one or more steps and combusted to provide energy for process requirements. The process is integrated with, and provides energy to, a first-generation process that ferments sugarcane-derived sucrose to first-generation ethanol. Similar processes are possible with energy cane, corn, and other crops.
This invention provides a process for producing biomass pellets and fermentable sugars from cellulosic biomass, comprising: extracting cellulosic biomass feedstock with steam and/or hot water to produce an extract liquor containing hemicellulosic oligomers, dissolved lignin, and cellulose-rich solids, wherein at least some of the steam and/or hot water is derived from an internal or external source of fermentation vinasse; separating at least a portion of the hemicellulosic oligomers from the cellulose-rich solids, to produce intermediate solids; hydrotorrefying the intermediate solids to produce the energy-dense biomass, wherein water for hydrotorrefaction is derived, at least in part, from the internal or external source of fermentation vinasse; pelletizing the energy-dense biomass to form biomass pellets; and hydrolyzing the hemicellulosic oligomers into fermentable sugars. The fermentation vinasse may be recycled from downstream operations involving fermentation of the sugars. Or the fermentation vinasse may be obtained from a first-generation ethanol plant, for example.
C12P 7/10 - Éthanol en tant que produit chimique et non en tant que boisson alcoolique préparé comme sous-produit, ou préparé à partir d'un substrat constitué par des déchets ou par des matières cellulosiques d'un substrat constitué par des matières cellulosiques
C12P 7/50 - Acides polycarboxyliques avec des groupes cétone, p. ex. acide céto-2 glutarique
C07D 307/50 - Préparation à partir de produits naturels
C08B 1/00 - Traitement préparatoire de la cellulose pour l'obtention de dérivés cellulosiques
C10L 5/44 - Combustibles solides à base essentielle de matières d'origine non minérale de matières végétales
45.
PROCESSES AND APPARATUS FOR MANAGING AND RECYCLING SULFUR DIOXIDE IN BIOREFINERIES
What is disclosed is a biorefining process and system including the steps of extracting, hydrolyzing, and/or digesting a lignocellulosic biomass feedstock, or a component thereof, with a liquid or vapor solution comprising reactant sulfur dioxide or a derivative thereof, to generate cellulose-rich solids and an intermediate liquid stream; combusting or gasifying a sulfur-containing fuel to generate heat and an exhaust gas stream comprising produced sulfur dioxide; contacting the exhaust gas stream with the intermediate liquid stream to dissolve the produced sulfur dioxide into the intermediate liquid stream; and then recycling the intermediate liquid stream to reuse the produced sulfur dioxide as the reactant sulfur dioxide. The sulfur- containing fuel may be sulfonated lignin generated by reaction of lignin (derived from the feedstock) with the reactant sulfur dioxide, resulting in a closed loop for sulfur dioxide in the biorefmery.
C08H 7/00 - LignineLignine modifiéeProduits dérivés à haut poids moléculaire
D21C 3/06 - Réduction en pâte des matières contenant de la cellulose avec des acides, des sels acides ou des anhydrides d'acide anhydride sulfureuxRéduction en pâte des matières contenant de la cellulose avec des acides, des sels acides ou des anhydrides d'acide acide sulfureuxRéduction en pâte des matières contenant de la cellulose avec des acides, des sels acides ou des anhydrides d'acide bisulfites
Processes disclosed are capable of converting biomass into high-crystallinity, hydrophobic cellulose. In some variations, the process includes fractionating biomass with an acid (such as sulfur dioxide), a solvent (such as ethanol), and water, to generate cellulose-rich solids and a liquid containing hemicellulose and lignin; and depositing lignin onto cellulose fibers to produce lignin-coated cellulose materials (such as dissolving pulp). The crystallinity of the cellulose material may be 80% or higher, translating into good reinforcing properties for composites. Optionally, sugars derived from amorphous cellulose and hemicellulose may be separately fermented, such as to monomers for various polymers. These polymers may be combined with the hydrophobic cellulose to form completely renewable composites.
A process is provided for producing a lignin-coated cellulose material, comprising: pre-extracting a lignocellulosic biomass feedstock in the presence of steam or hot water, depositing lignin from the liquid onto a surface of solids to generate a lignin-coated intermediate material; optionally drying the intermediate material; digesting the lignin-coated intermediate material in the presence of an acid, a solvent for lignin, and water, wherein the rate of delignification of surface lignin is lower than the rate of delignification of bulk lignin; and recovering a hydrophobic lignin-coated cellulose material. In some variations, part of the overall process is a combination of Green Power+® and AVAP® technologies. A cellulose-rich composition is provided, containing about 5 wt% to about 15 wt% total lignin, with particles having a higher average surface concentration of lignin compared to an average bulk (internal) concentration of lignin.
The disclosure provides a process for separating fermentation inhibitors from a biomass-derived hydrolysate, comprising: introducing a biomass-derived liquid hydrolysate stream to a stripping column; introducing a steam-rich vapor stream to the stripping column to strip fermentation inhibitors (such as acetic acid) from the liquid hydrolysate stream; recovering a stripped liquid stream and a stripper vapor output stream; compressing the stripper vapor output stream; introducing the compressed vapor stream, and a water-rich liquid stream, to an evaporator; recovering, from the evaporator, an evaporated liquid stream and an evaporator output vapor stream; and recycling the evaporator output vapor stream to the stripping column as the steam-rich vapor stream. Other variations utilize a rectification column to recover a rectified liquid stream and a rectification column vapor stream, and recycle the rectification column vapor stream to the stripping column as the steam-rich vapor stream.
C08B 1/00 - Traitement préparatoire de la cellulose pour l'obtention de dérivés cellulosiques
C12P 7/08 - Éthanol en tant que produit chimique et non en tant que boisson alcoolique préparé comme sous-produit, ou préparé à partir d'un substrat constitué par des déchets ou par des matières cellulosiques
49.
METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR REMOVING DISSOLVED GASES FROM FERMENTATION STREAMS
The present invention provides a method of treating a fermentation stream to remove dissolved gases, comprising obtaining a fermentation stream including water, one or more fermentation products, and dissolved gases; continuously sonicating the fermentation stream to generate acoustically cavitated gases from the dissolved gases; and applying vacuum to release the acoustically cavitated gases from the fermentation stream. The dissolved gases may include air, oxygen, nitrogen, helium, argon, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, hydrogen, or other non-condensables. The release of acoustically cavitated gases may optionally be done simultaneously with sonication. At least 75 %, such as up to 95 % or more, of the dissolved gases may be released from the fermentation stream. The disclosed method positively impacts downstream operations and product quality by removing dissolved gases.
C12P 7/10 - Éthanol en tant que produit chimique et non en tant que boisson alcoolique préparé comme sous-produit, ou préparé à partir d'un substrat constitué par des déchets ou par des matières cellulosiques d'un substrat constitué par des matières cellulosiques
C12P 19/04 - Polysaccharides, c.-à-d. composés contenant plus de cinq radicaux saccharide reliés entre eux par des liaisons glucosidiques
C12M 1/42 - Appareils pour le traitement de micro-organismes ou d'enzymes au moyen d'énergie électrique ou ondulatoire, p. ex. magnétisme, ondes sonores
50.
PROCESSES FOR PRODUCING HIGH-YIELD PULP AND PAPER PRODUCTS
An improved semichemical pulping process is disclosed to reduce washing costs and recovery process costs, while producing equivalent pulp and paper products. In some variations, the invention provides a process for producing a paper product from biomass, comprising: digesting lignocellulosic biomass in the presence of steam and/or hot water to generate an intermediate pulp material and a liquid phase containing extracted hemicelluloses; mechanically refining the intermediate pulp material, to generate a refined pulp material; and introducing the refined pulp material, the liquid phase, and optionally a separate solid material to a paper machine, to produce a paper product. The process optionally employs no washing step. When the liquid phase is washed from the intermediate pulp material or the refined pulp material using an aqueous wash solution, the wash filtrate may be introduced directly or indirectly to the paper machine.
Processes disclosed are capable of converting biomass into high-crystallinity nanocellulose with low mechanical energy input. In some variations, the process includes fractionating biomass with sulfur dioxide or a sulfite compound and water, to generate cellulose-rich solids and a liquid containing hemicellulose and lignin; and mechanically treating the cellulose-rich solids to form nanofibrils and/or nanocrystals. The total mechanical energy may be less than 500 kilowatt-hours per ton. The crystallinity of the nanocellulose material may be 80% or higher, translating into good reinforcing properties for composites. The nanocellulose material may include nanofibrillated cellulose, nanocrystalline cellulose, or both. In some embodiments, the nanocellulose material is hydrophobic via deposition of some lignin onto the cellulose surface. Optionally, sugars derived from amorphous cellulose and hemicellulose may be separately fermented, such as to monomers for various polymers. These polymers may be combined with the nanocellulose to form completely renewable composites.
C08B 15/00 - Préparation d'autres dérivés cellulosiques ou de cellulose modifiée
C08B 15/08 - Fractionnement de la cellulose, p. ex. séparation des cristallites de cellulose
C08B 1/00 - Traitement préparatoire de la cellulose pour l'obtention de dérivés cellulosiques
C08H 8/00 - Composés macromoléculaires dérivés de matériaux lignocellulosiques
B82B 3/00 - Fabrication ou traitement des nanostructures par manipulation d’atomes ou de molécules, ou d’ensembles limités d’atomes ou de molécules un à un comme des unités individuelles
52.
PRODUCTION OF FERMENTABLE C5 AND C6 SUGARS FROM LIGNOCELLULOSIC BIOMASS
In some variations, this invention provides a process for producing fermentable sugars from cellulosic biomass, comprising: extracting biomass with steam or hot water to produce an extract liquor containing hemicellulose oligomers, dissolved lignin, and cellulose-rich solids; separating and washing the cellulose-rich solids; removing a portion of glucan contained in the washed cellulose-rich solids as glucose oligomers using a liquefaction-focused blend of enzymes; co-hydrolyzing glucose oligomers and hemicellulose oligomers, with enzymes or chemical catalyst, to produce glucose and hemicellulose monomers; and recovering the glucose and hemicellulose monomers as fermentable sugars. The liquefaction-focused blend of enzymes contains endoglucanases and exoglucanases. Optionally, the glucose and the hemicellulose monomers may be recovered as separate streams. The residual cellulose (not hydrolyzed) as well as the lignin may be recovered and combusted, or utilized for other purposes, such as for energy-dense pellets.
The present invention is capable of producing glucose and hemicellulose sugars from lignocellulosic biomass. In some variations, a process includes optionally pre-steaming a biomass feedstock; extracting the feedstock with liquid hot water to produce glucan-rich solids and an extract liquor containing dissolved solids, which include hemicellulosic oligomers and lignin; washing the glucan-rich solids; hydrolyzing the hemicellulosic oligomers by contacting the extract liquor with an acid catalyst or enzymes possessing hemicellulase activity; separately hydrolyzing the glucan by contacting the glucan-rich solids stream with an acid catalyst or enzymes possessing glucanase activity, optionally with removing the glucose in situ by microfiltration and/or ultrafiltration; and recovering or fermenting each of the hemicellulosic monomers and the glucose. Preferred configurations and conditions are disclosed.
The present invention provides a process for fractionating lignocellulosic biomass, comprising: digesting a biomass feedstock in the presence of a solvent for lignin, an acid, and water, to produce cellulose-rich solids; separating and washing the cellulose-rich solids with a wash solvent; washing the cellulose-rich solids with water, to generate washed cellulose-rich solids and a wash liquor comprising fines, wherein the wash liquor is introduced to or in contact with a classifier to remove the fines; and separating the fines and recycling the remaining water. The classifier may include a screen with mesh size in the range of 10 to 500, such as 200. The washed cellulose- rich solids will typically have a lower Kappa number (lignin content) and ash content compared to cellulose-rich solids from a process without a classifier that removes fines.
C08B 15/08 - Fractionnement de la cellulose, p. ex. séparation des cristallites de cellulose
C08H 8/00 - Composés macromoléculaires dérivés de matériaux lignocellulosiques
D21C 3/00 - Réduction en pâte des matières contenant de la cellulose
D21C 3/04 - Réduction en pâte des matières contenant de la cellulose avec des acides, des sels acides ou des anhydrides d'acide
D21C 3/06 - Réduction en pâte des matières contenant de la cellulose avec des acides, des sels acides ou des anhydrides d'acide anhydride sulfureuxRéduction en pâte des matières contenant de la cellulose avec des acides, des sels acides ou des anhydrides d'acide acide sulfureuxRéduction en pâte des matières contenant de la cellulose avec des acides, des sels acides ou des anhydrides d'acide bisulfites
D21C 3/20 - Réduction en pâte des matières contenant de la cellulose avec des solvants organiques
55.
PROCESSES AND APPARATUS FOR REFINING SUGARCANE TO PRODUCE SUGARS, BIOFUELS, AND/OR BIOCHEMICALS
Conventionally, sugarcane processing avoids leaving residual sucrose in the bagasse, since the bagasse will be burned and the value of the sucrose would be lost. However, when coupled with a Green Power+® process to extract hemicelluloses, sucrose may also be extracted and recovered from the bagasse. In some variations, a process includes mechanically treating a feedstock to generate a sucrose-rich stream and lignocellulosic material that intentionally retains a significant amount of the initial sucrose in the feedstock; extracting the lignocellulosic material with steam and/or hot water to produce cellulose-rich solids and an extract liquor containing hemicellulosic oligomers and sucrose; and then hydrolyzing the hemicellulosic oligomers into a hemicellulose sugar stream. Each of the sucrose-rich stream and the hemicellulose sugar stream (containing the starting residual sucrose) may be recovered or further processed (e.g., fermented to ethanol). Similar processes are possible with energy cane, sugar beets, and energy beets.
In this disclosure, a process for producing biomass pellets and sugars from cellulosic biomass is provided, comprising: extracting the feedstock with steam and/or hot water and optionally with an acid catalyst, to produce cellulose-rich solids and an extract liquor containing hemicellulosic oligomers and lignin; separating the cellulose-rich solids from the extract liquor; filtering the extract liquor to remove at least some of the lignin, thereby generating a filter permeate comprising cleaned extract liquor containing the hemicellulosic oligomers and a filter retentate comprising a lignin-rich stream; hydrolyzing the hemicellulosic oligomers in the cleaned extract liquor with an acid or enzymes, to generate hemicellulosic monomers which are recovered; and pelletizing the cellulose-rich solids to form biomass pellets, wherein the pelletizing utilizes at least some of the lignin-rich stream as a binder or binder component.
C08B 1/00 - Traitement préparatoire de la cellulose pour l'obtention de dérivés cellulosiques
C08H 7/00 - LignineLignine modifiéeProduits dérivés à haut poids moléculaire
B01J 2/28 - Procédés ou dispositifs pour la granulation de substances, en généralTraitement de matériaux particulaires leur permettant de s'écouler librement, en général, p. ex. en les rendant hydrophobes en utilisant des charges particulières
57.
PRODUCTION OF SUGARS AND CO-PRODUCTS FROM CELLULOSIC WASTE STREAMS
This disclosure provides a business method and system for generating sugars and recycling a non-biomass component from a waste stream. In some embodiments, a waste stream comprising cellulose and a non-biomass component is saccharified to produce glucose, followed by recovery of the glucose and non-biomass component, which may be recycled to another site associated with production of a cellulose-containing product that contains the non-biomass component. In certain scenarios, the waste stream is generated at a first location, cellulose pretreatment (if desired) and hydrolysis are conducted at a second location, and the non-biomass component is recycled to the first location or a third location. The non-biomass component may include metals, metal oxides, salts, organic compounds, inorganic compounds, oligomers, or polymers, for example.
Processes are described for fractionating lignocellulosic biomass into cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, comprising fractionating lignocellulosic biomass in the presence of a solvent for lignin (such as ethanol), a hydrolysis catalyst (such as sulfur dioxide), and water, to produce a liquor containing hemicellulose, celluloserich solids, and lignin; hydrolyzing the hemicellulose to produce hemicellulosic monomers; saccharifying the cellulose-rich solids to produce glucose; recovering the hemicellulosic monomers and the glucose, separately or in a combined stream, as fermentable sugars; and fermenting the fermentable sugars to a fermentation product having a higher normal boiling point than water. Process integration of mass and/or energy is disclosed in many specific embodiments. The fermentation product may include an organic acid, an alcohol, a diol, or combinations thereof.
This invention provides processes to convert biomass, including wood and agricultural residues, to levulinic acid and co-products. Some variations treat feedstock with steam and/or hot water to produce an extract liquor containing hemicellulosic oligomers, lignin, and cellulose-rich solids, wherein the hemicellulosic oligomers comprise C5 hemicelluloses and C6 hemicelluloses; separate the celluloserich solids from the extract liquor, to produce dewatered solids containing cellulose and lignin; dehydrate the hemicellulosic oligomers to convert the C6 hemicelluloses directly to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural; and convert the 5-hydroxymethylfurfural to levulinic acid. Also, the cellulose may be dehydrated directly to 5- hydroxymethylfurfural, which may then be converted to additional levulinic acid. Various biorefinery embodiments are disclosed, in which C5 and C6 sugars are processed separately or in combination.
In some variations, the invention provides a process for fractionating biomass, comprising: fractionating the biomass in the presence of a solvent for lignin, sulfur dioxide, and water, to produce a liquor containing hemicellulose, cellulose-rich solids, and lignin; hydrolyzing the hemicellulose contained in the liquor, to produce hemicellulosic monomers; hydrolyzing the cellulose-rich solids to produce glucose; and recovering the hemicellulosic monomers and the glucose, as fermentable sugars, wherein a metal sulfite or metal bisulfite additive is introduced to react directly or indirectly with lignin to produce sulfonated lignin. The disclosed processes may enhance lignin separations as well as promote the co-product potential of lignin.
The present invention provides a process for fractionating lignocellulosic biomass, comprising: contacting biomass with S2, water, and optionally a first solvent, to produce intermediate solids; then contacting the intermediate solids with S2, water, and a second solvent, to produce cellulose-rich solids and a liquid phase comprising hemicelluloses and lignin. The first concentration of S2 may be lower or higher than the second concentration of S2. It is desirable to vary the S2 and solvent concentrations in different stages to optimize the removal of hemicellulose versus lignin. The resulting cellulose-rich material can contain very low hemicellulose, very low lignin, or both low hemicellulose and low lignin. High-purity cellulose is useful both for producing glucose as well as for cellulose products or derivatives. The hemicelluloses may be hydrolyzed to produce monomeric sugars, and the lignin may be recovered as a co-product.
In some variations, the invention provides a process for producing purified cellulose, comprising: providing a feedstock comprising lignocellulosic biomass; contacting the feedstock with sulfur dioxide, water, and a solvent for lignin, to produce intermediate solids and a liquid phase comprising hemicelluloses and lignin; mildly bleaching the intermediate solids to further delignify the intermediate solids, thereby generating cellulose-rich solids; and washing the cellulose-rich solids to generate purified cellulose with less than 2 weight percent lignin. The bleaching may employ bleaching agents including lignin-modifying enzymes. The bleaching and washing steps may be combined. It is also possible to carry out bleaching prior to, or simultaneously with, biomass fractionation in the digestor, which may help reduce downstream lignin precipitation. The purified cellulose may be utilized for making cellulose materials or cellulose derivatives, or for hydrolysis to produce glucose.
D21C 3/06 - Réduction en pâte des matières contenant de la cellulose avec des acides, des sels acides ou des anhydrides d'acide anhydride sulfureuxRéduction en pâte des matières contenant de la cellulose avec des acides, des sels acides ou des anhydrides d'acide acide sulfureuxRéduction en pâte des matières contenant de la cellulose avec des acides, des sels acides ou des anhydrides d'acide bisulfites
D21C 3/22 - Autres caractéristiques des procédés de réduction en pâte
D21C 3/20 - Réduction en pâte des matières contenant de la cellulose avec des solvants organiques
The invention provides processes for producing fermentable sugars from whole biomass that includes cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, and non-lignocellulosic sugars. Some variations fractionate the whole feedstock in the presence of sulfur dioxide, a solvent for lignin, and water, to produce a liquor containing hemicellulose, cellulose-rich solids, lignin, and the non-lignocellulosic sugars. After removing the cellulose-rich solids from the liquor, the hemicellulose is hydrolyzed to hemicellulosic monomers; the cellulose-rich solids are hydrolyzed to glucose; and the hemicellulosic monomers, the glucose, and the non-lignocellulosic sugars are all recovered (separately or in combination) as fermentable sugars. The whole biomass feedstock may be selected from sugarcane, energy cane, corn, wheat, rice, sugar beets, energy beets, etc. Typical non-lignocellulosic sugars are sucrose or starch, which may be converted to monomer sugars during initial fractionation. The invention provides a convenient biorefining system, avoiding expensive logistics associated with separating agricultural residues at harvest or following transportation.
In some variations, the invention provides a process for producing furfural, 5- hydroxymethylfurfural, and/or levulinic acid from cellulosic biomass, comprising: fractionating the feedstock in the presence of a solvent for lignin, sulfur dioxide, and water, to produce a liquor containing hemicellulose, cellulose-rich solids, and lignin; hydrolyzing the hemicellulose contained in the liquor, to produce hemicellulosic monomers; dehydrating the hemicellulose to convert at least a portion of C5 hemicelluloses to furfural and to convert at least a portion of C6 hemicelluloses to 5- hydroxymethylfurfural; converting at least some of the 5-hydroxymethylfurfural to levulinic acid and formic acid; and recovering at least one of the furfural, the 5- hydroxymethylfurfural, or the levulinic acid. Other embodiments provide a process for dehydrating hemicellulose to convert oligomeric C5 hemicelluloses to furfural and to convert oligomeric C6 hemicelluloses to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural. The furfural may be converted to succinic acid, or to levulinic acid, for example.
C07C 51/00 - Préparation d'acides carboxyliques, de leurs sels, halogénures ou anhydrides
C07C 59/185 - Composés saturés ne comportant qu'un groupe carboxyle et contenant des groupes cétone
C07H 1/08 - SéparationPurification à partir de produits naturels
C12P 7/10 - Éthanol en tant que produit chimique et non en tant que boisson alcoolique préparé comme sous-produit, ou préparé à partir d'un substrat constitué par des déchets ou par des matières cellulosiques d'un substrat constitué par des matières cellulosiques
65.
BIOREFINING PROCESSES AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING CELLULOSE, HEMICELLULOSE, AND LIGNIN FROM BIOMASS
The disclosed invention is a modification of the AVAP®? technology, employing CO2 (or derivatives thereof) rather than SO2 in the cooking liquor. In some variations, the invention provides a process for fractionating cellulosic biomass into cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, comprising: fractionating the feedstock in the presence of a solvent for lignin, carbon dioxide, and water, to produce a liquor containing hemicellulose, cellulose-rich solids, and lignin; substantially removing the cellulose-rich solids from the liquor; hydrolyzing the hemicellulose contained in the liquor, to produce hemicellulosic monomers; hydrolyzing at least some of the cellulose-rich solids to produce glucose (or recovering the cellulose-rich solids as a cellulose product); recovering the hemicellulosic monomers to produce fermentable sugars; and recovering the lignin which may be in the form of a lignocarbonate.
In some variations, the invention provides a process for fractionating biomass, comprising: in a digestor, fractionating a biomass feedstock in the presence of a solvent for lignin, sulfur dioxide, and water, to produce a liquor containing hemicellulose, cellulose-rich solids, and lignin; substantially removing the celluloserich solids from the liquor; hydrolyzing the hemicellulose contained in the liquor, to produce hemicellulosic monomers; hydrolyzing the cellulose-rich solids to produce glucose; neutralizing, with lime, a hydrolysate liquid containing the hemicellulosic monomers and the glucose, thereby generating gypsum; heating the gypsum to form calcium sulfate; reducing the calcium sulfate with a reductant (such as syngas) to generate calcium oxide and sulfur dioxide; and recycling the calcium oxide and the sulfur dioxide. In other variations, magnesium oxide is the base from neutralizing the hydrolysate, and the resulting magnesium sulfate is converted back to magnesium oxide and sulfur dioxide through combustion.
D21C 3/06 - Réduction en pâte des matières contenant de la cellulose avec des acides, des sels acides ou des anhydrides d'acide anhydride sulfureuxRéduction en pâte des matières contenant de la cellulose avec des acides, des sels acides ou des anhydrides d'acide acide sulfureuxRéduction en pâte des matières contenant de la cellulose avec des acides, des sels acides ou des anhydrides d'acide bisulfites
Aspects of the AVAP® and Green Power+® technologies may be integrated, as disclosed herein. The present invention, in some variations, couples a first step of steam or hot-water extraction of biomass, with fractionation of the resulting solids using sulfur dioxide (or other acid), an alcohol (or other solvent), and water. In other variations, a first step of fractionation with sulfur dioxide (or other acid), an alcohol (or other solvent), and water is followed by treatment with steam or hot water to reduce hemicellulose content of the final solids. Some embodiments provide cellulose materials with low lignin and low hemicellulose content. Such cellulose materials are useful for making glucose by hydrolysis, as a pulp product, or as purified cellulose for making cellulose derivatives.
The present invention generally provides methods of improving lignin separation during biomass fractionation with an acid to release sugars and a solvent for lignin (such as ethanol). In some embodiments, a digestor is employed to fractionating a feedstock in the presence of a solvent for lignin, sulfur dioxide, and water, to produce a liquor containing hemicellulose, cellulose-rich solids, and lignin. A solid additive is added to the digestor, wherein the solid additive combines with at least a portion of the lignin. Then a mixture of lignin and the solid additive is separated from the liquor, prior to hemicellulose recovery. Optionally, a solid additive may also be introduced to a hydrolysis reactor for converting hemicellulose oligomers to monomers, to improve separation of acid-catalyzed lignin. In some embodiments, the solid additive is gypsum or a gypsum/lignin mixture.
Processes disclosed are capable of converting biomass into high-crystallinity nanocellulose with surprisingly low mechanical energy input. In some variations, the process includes fractionating biomass with an acid (such as sulfur dioxide), a solvent (such as ethanol), and water, to generate cellulose-rich solids and a liquid containing hemicellulose and lignin; and mechanically treating the cellulose-rich solids to form nanofibrils and/or nanocrystals. The total mechanical energy may be less than 500 kilowatt-hours per ton. The crystallinity of the nanocellulose material may be 80% or higher, translating into good reinforcing properties for composites.
Processes disclosed are capable of converting biomass into high-crystallinity nanocellulose with surprisingly low mechanical energy input. In some variations, the process includes fractionating biomass with an acid (such as sulfur dioxide), a solvent (such as ethanol), and water, to generate cellulose-rich solids and a liquid containing hemicellulose and lignin; and mechanically treating the cellulose-rich solids to form nanofibrils and/or nanocrystals. The total mechanical energy may be less than 500 kilowatt-hours per ton.
The GreenBox+ technology is suitable to extract hemicellulose sugars prior to pulping of biomass into pulp products. The revenue obtainable from the sugar stream can significantly improve the economics of a pulp and paper mill. An initial extraction and recovery of sugars is followed by production of a pulp product with similar or better properties. Other co-products such as acetates and furfural are also possible. Some variations provide a process for co-producing pulp and hemicellulosic sugars from biomass, comprising: digesting the biomass in the presence of steam and/or hot water to extract hemicellulose into a liquid phase; washing the extracted solids, thereby generating a liquid wash filtrate and washed solids; separating the liquid wash filtrate from the washed solids; refining the washed solids at a refining pH of about 4 or higher, thereby generating pulp; and hydrolyzing the hemicellulose to generate hemicellulosic fermentable sugars.
Variations of this invention reduce or avoid lignin precipitation during acidic hydrolysis of biomass hydrolysates (such as hemicellulose-containing liquid extracts). Net acid usage and byproduct salt formation are significantly reduced. In some embodiments, hemicellulosic oligomers are hydrolyzed, in the presence of sulfur dioxide, to produce fermentable hemicellulosic sugars; the process comprising recovering and recycling at least a portion of the sulfur dioxide, wherein at least a portion of the sulfur dioxide reacts with the lignin to produce hydrophilic sulfonated lignin that has less tendency to precipitate or stick. In other embodiments, hemicellulosic oligomers are hydrolyzed, in the presence of a catalyst selected from the group consisting of sulfuric acid, sulfurous acid, sulfur dioxide, and combinations thereof, and an additive selected from metal sulfites, metal bisulfites, and combinations thereof, to produce fermentable hemicellulosic sugars, wherein at least a portion of the additive reacts with the lignin to produce sulfonated lignin.
D21C 1/02 - Traitement préalable des matériaux finement divisés avant la cuisson avec l'eau ou la vapeur
D21C 3/06 - Réduction en pâte des matières contenant de la cellulose avec des acides, des sels acides ou des anhydrides d'acide anhydride sulfureuxRéduction en pâte des matières contenant de la cellulose avec des acides, des sels acides ou des anhydrides d'acide acide sulfureuxRéduction en pâte des matières contenant de la cellulose avec des acides, des sels acides ou des anhydrides d'acide bisulfites
C13K 13/00 - Sucres non prévus ailleurs dans la présente classe
C08H 7/00 - LignineLignine modifiéeProduits dérivés à haut poids moléculaire
C12P 7/10 - Éthanol en tant que produit chimique et non en tant que boisson alcoolique préparé comme sous-produit, ou préparé à partir d'un substrat constitué par des déchets ou par des matières cellulosiques d'un substrat constitué par des matières cellulosiques
The present invention generally provides methods of improving lignin separation during lignocellulosic biorefining, comprising the steps of (i) catalyzing fractionation or hydrolysis with an acid to release sugars into an acidified solution containing lignin, (ii) neutralizing the acidified solution with a base to form a salt in a neutralized solution; (iii) in a separation unit, separating the salt and the lignin, each in free or combined form, from the neutralized solution; and then (iv) recycling a portion of the salt and optionally a portion of the lignin to step (i) to combine, physically or chemically, with the lignin, to improve lignin separation in the separation unit. In certain embodiments, the acid is a sulfur-containing acid and the base is lime, forming gypsum which is then recycled, in part, to the hydrolysis reactor.
This invention provides processes to convert biomass into energy-dense biomass for combustion, alone or in combination with another solid fuel. In some variations, biomass is extracted to produce an extract liquor containing hemicellulosic oligomers and cellulose-rich solids; hemicellulosic oligomers are removed; and the cellulose-rich solids are torrefied to produce energy-dense biomass. In some embodiments, hydrotorrefaction is employed to produce hydrophobic, energy-dense biomass in an energy-efficient process that avoids intermediate drying between extraction/hydrolysis and torrefaction. The energy-dense biomass may be pelletized or directly combusted or gasified. The hemicellulosic oligomers may be hydrolyzed to fermentable sugars and then fermented to ethanol or other products, or further reacted to produce furfural or other products.
C12P 7/10 - Éthanol en tant que produit chimique et non en tant que boisson alcoolique préparé comme sous-produit, ou préparé à partir d'un substrat constitué par des déchets ou par des matières cellulosiques d'un substrat constitué par des matières cellulosiques
C12P 19/04 - Polysaccharides, c.-à-d. composés contenant plus de cinq radicaux saccharide reliés entre eux par des liaisons glucosidiques
C13K 1/02 - GlucoseSirops glucosés obtenus par saccharification de matières cellulosiques
75.
PROCESSES AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING FERMENTABLE SUGARS AND LOW-ASH BIOMASS FOR COMBUSTION AT REDUCED EMISSIONS
This invention provides processes and apparatus to convert biomass, including wood and agricultural residues, into low-ash biomass pellets for combustion, alone or in combination with another solid fuel. Some embodiments provide processes for producing hemicellulosic sugars and low-ash biomass from cellulosic biomass, comprising providing an aqueous extraction solution with acetic acid; extracting the feedstock to produce an extract liquor containing soluble ash, hemicellulosic oligomers, acetic acid, dissolved lignin, and cellulose-rich solids; dewatering and drying the cellulose-rich, lignin-rich solids to produce a low-ash biomass; hydrolyzing the hemicellulosic oligomers to produce fermentable hemicellulosic sugars, wherein additional acetic acid is generated; removing a vapor stream comprising vaporized acetic acid from the extract; recycling the vapor or its condensate to provide some starting acetic acid for the extraction solution; and recovering fermentable hemicellulosic sugars. The disclosed processes can produce clean power from biomass. Co-products include fermentation products such as ethanol, fertilizers, and lignin.
C12P 7/10 - Éthanol en tant que produit chimique et non en tant que boisson alcoolique préparé comme sous-produit, ou préparé à partir d'un substrat constitué par des déchets ou par des matières cellulosiques d'un substrat constitué par des matières cellulosiques
This invention provides processes to convert biomass into energy-dense biomass for combustion, alone or in combination with another solid fuel. Some embodiments provide processes for producing fermentable sugars and energy-dense biomass from cellulosic biomass, comprising extracting the feedstock with steam and/or hot water to produce an extract liquor containing hemicellulosic oligomers, dissolved lignin, and cellulose-rich solids; separating the extract liquor, to produce dewatered cellulose-rich solids; hydrolyzing the dewatered cellulose-rich solids, thereby removing a portion of the cellulose, to produce intermediate solids (with higher energy density) and a hydrolysate; drying the intermediate solids to produce energy-dense biomass; and recovering fermentable sugars from the hydrolysate. The energy-dense biomass may be pelletized into biomass pellets, which may have a similar energy density as torrefied pellets from wood. The hemicellulosic oligomers may be further hydrolyzed to produce additional fermentable sugars. The fermentable sugars may be fermented to ethanol or another product.
C12P 7/10 - Éthanol en tant que produit chimique et non en tant que boisson alcoolique préparé comme sous-produit, ou préparé à partir d'un substrat constitué par des déchets ou par des matières cellulosiques d'un substrat constitué par des matières cellulosiques
The formulation of the current invention provides better deicing and anti-icing performance than commercial acetate-based deicing solutions. The performance is consistently better in all testing categories including melting, penetration, undercutting, and friction. The corrosiveness is similar to commercial deicers, which may include corrosion inhibitors. Chemical analysis reveals that a potassium acetate solution provided by the invention contains formate and lactate in the prepared deicer.
C09K 3/18 - Substances non couvertes ailleurs à appliquer sur des surfaces pour y minimiser l'adhérence de la glace, du brouillard ou de l'eauSubstances antigel ou provoquant le dégel pour application sur des surfaces
brevets
