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| 20090053771 | Process for making fuels and chemicals from AFEX-treated whole grain or whole plants - A process for hydrolyzing whole grain or whole plant biomass after an Ammonia Fiber Explosion (AFEX) process step is described. The process preferably uses a biomass that is hydrolyzed using a different combination of enzymes (amylase, cellulase and hemicellulase) to sugars for fermentation to produce ethanol. Harvesting the whole plant inclusive of grains and stalk for ethanol bio-processing is an economical route for future biorefineries. In addition to sugars, various value-added products like proteins and oil can be co-generated. | 02-26-2009 |
| 20090093027 | Process for producing sugars and ethanol using corn stillage - A process for producing sugars from lignocellulosic materials such as corn stover by the addition of corn stillage as a carbon source is disclosed. The sugars are formed by treating the combination of the corn stillage and the lignocellulosic materials with hydrolytic enzymes. The sugars can be fermented to ethanol, and the process improves ethanol production economies with an increased sugar yield from the lignocellulosic materials. | 04-09-2009 |
| 20110300269 | PRETREATED DENSIFIED BIOMASS PRODUCTS AND METHODS OF MAKING AND USING SAME - A product comprising at least one densified biomass particulate of a given mass having no added binder and comprised of a plurality of lignin-coated plant biomass fibers is provided, wherein the at least one densified biomass particulate has an intrinsic density substantially equivalent to a binder-containing densified biomass particulate of the same given mass and h a substantially smooth, non-flakey outer surface. Methods for using and making the product are also described. | 12-08-2011 |
| 20130196398 | METHODS OF HYDROLYZING PRETREATED DENSIFIED BIOMASS PARTICULATES AND SYSTEMS RELATED THERETO - A method is provided in which pretreated and densified cellulosic biomass particulates can hydrolyzed at a high solids loading rate as compared with the solids loading rate of loose hydrolysable cellulosic biomass fibers. The resulting high concentration sugar-containing stream can be easily converted to biofuels or an entire suite of other useful bioproducts. | 08-01-2013 |
| 20130217073 | DIGESTIBLE LIGNOCELLULOSIC BIOMASS AND EXTRACTIVES AND METHODS FOR PRODUCING SAME - The invention relates to methods for treating lignocellulosic biomass to obtain useful products therefrom. | 08-22-2013 |
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| 20080235830 | Transgenic plants containing ligninase and cellulase which degrade lignin and cellulose to fermentable sugars - The present invention provides transgenic plants which after harvest degrade the lignin and cellulose therein to fermentable sugars which can further be fermented to ethanol or other products. In particular, the transgenic plants comprise ligninase and cellulase genes from microbes operably linked to a DNA encoding a signal peptide which targets the fusion polypeptide produced therefrom to an organelle of the plant, in particular the chloroplasts. When the transgenic plants are harvested, the plants are ground to release the ligninase and cellulase which then degrade the lignin and cellulose of the transgenic plants to produce the fermentable sugars. | 09-25-2008 |
| 20090011474 | Process for producing sugars from cellulosic biomass - A process for increasing production of sugars from cellulose in a plant biomass using ammonia after swelling of the biomass with water and enzymatic hydrolysis is described. The sugars are preferably fermented to an alcohol, particularly ethanol as a fuel for vehicles. | 01-08-2009 |
| 20090042259 | Process for enzymatically converting a plant biomass - The present invention describes a process for at least a 90% conversion of a plant biomass preferably by a reduction of the units of cellulase needed and by using a xylanase which acts synergistically with the cellulase to improve the yield of xylose and glucose as sugars. The process enables greater conversion of a lignocellulosic plant biomass to glucose and xylose for use as animal feeds and as fermentation as medium for producing ethanol. | 02-12-2009 |
| 20090221042 | Process for the Treatment of Lignocellulosic Biomass - A process for the treatment of biomass to render structural carbohydrates more accessible and/or digestible using concentrated ammonium hydroxide with or without anhydrous ammonia addition, is described. The process preferably uses steam to strip ammonia from the biomass for recycling. The process yields of monosaccharides from the structural carbohydrates are good, particularly as measured by the enzymatic hydrolysis of the structural carbohydrates. The monosaccharides are used as animal feeds and energy sources for ethanol production. | 09-03-2009 |
| 20090318670 | Separation of Proteins from Grasses Integrated with Ammonia Fiber Explosion (AFEX) Pretreatment and Cellulose Hydrolysis - A process for extracting an aqueous ammonium hydroxide solution from a plant biomass after an Ammonia Fiber Explosion (AFEX) process step, is described. The proteins can be separated before or after a hydrolysis of sugar precursors (carbohydrates) from the biomass to produce sugars for fermentation to produce ethanol. The proteins are useful as animal feeds because of their amino acid food values. | 12-24-2009 |
| 20110192559 | METHODS FOR PRETREATING BIOMASS - A method of alkaline pretreatment of biomass, in particular, pretreating biomass with gaseous ammonia. | 08-11-2011 |
| 20110201091 | Production of microbial growth stimulant with ammonia fiber explosion (AFEX) pretreatment and cellulose hydrolysis - A process for producing a microbial growth stimulant (MGS) from a plant biomass is described. An ammonium hydroxide solution is used to extract a solution of proteins and ammonia from the biomass. Some of the proteins and ammonia are separated from the extracted solution to provide the MGS solution. The removed ammonia can be recycled and the proteins are useful as animal feeds. | 08-18-2011 |
| 20120325202 | PROCESS FOR THE TREATMENT OF LIGNOCELLULOSIC BIOMASS - A process for the treatment of biomass to render structural carbohydrates more accessible and/or digestible using concentrated ammonium hydroxide with or without anhydrous ammonia addition, is described. The process preferably uses steam to strip ammonia from the biomass for recycling. The process yields of monosaccharides from the structural carbohydrates are good, particularly as measured by the enzymatic hydrolysis of the structural carbohydrates. The monosaccharides are used as animal feeds and energy sources for ethanol production. | 12-27-2012 |
| 20130244293 | FRACTIONATED EXTRACTIVE PRODUCTS FROM PLANT BIOMASS AND METHODS OF MAKING AND USING SAME - A method is provided comprising converting at least a portion of native cellulose I | 09-19-2013 |
| 20130247456 | DENSIFIED BIOMASS PRODUCTS CONTAINING PRETREATED BIOMASS FIBERS - A product is provided comprising at least one densified biomass particulate having a substantially smooth, non-flakey outer surface and containing no added binder, wherein said densified biomass particulate is comprised of a plurality of pretreated lignin-coated plant biomass fibers which contain a trace amount of base from pretreatment of said fibers. Methods for using and making the product are also described. | 09-26-2013 |
| 20130280762 | METHODS FOR PRODUCING AND USING DENSIFIED BIOMASS PRODUCTS CONTAINING PRETREATED BIOMASS FIBERS - A process is provided comprising subjecting a quantity of plant biomass fibers to a pretreatment to cause at least a portion of lignin contained within each fiber to move to an outer surface of said fiber, wherein a quantity of pretreated tacky plant biomass fibers is produced; and densifying the quantity of pretreated tacky plant biomass fibers to produce one or more densified biomass particulates, wherein said biomass fibers are densified without using added binder. | 10-24-2013 |
| 20140038243 | METHODS FOR PRETREATING BIOMASS - A method for treating biomass is provided, which includes, in a reactor, allowing gaseous ammonia to condense on the biomass and react with water present in the biomass to produce pretreated biomass, wherein reactivity of polysaccharides in the biomass is increased during subsequent biological conversion as compared to polysaccharides in biomass which has not been pretreated. A method for treating biomass with a liquid ammonia and recovering the liquid ammonia is also provided. Related systems which include a biochemical or biofuel production facility are disclosed. | 02-06-2014 |
| 20150112101 | METHODS OF HYDROLYZING PRETREATED DENSIFIED BIOMASS PARTICULATES AND SYSTEMS RELATED THERETO - A method is provided in which pretreated and densified cellulosic biomass particulates can be hydrolyzed at a high solids loading rate as compared with the solids loading rate of loose hydrolysable cellulosic biomass fibers. The resulting high concentration sugar-containing stream can be easily converted to biofuels or to an entire suite of other useful bioproducts. | 04-23-2015 |
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| 20120186994 | FLUID DISTRIBUTION ASSEMBLY FOR TESTING SYSTEMS - Disclosed herein are fluid distribution methods and assemblies for supplying fluid to test assemblies. One embodiment of a fluid distribution assembly comprises at least two input lines each configured to supply a fluid. A source selection component is connected to the input lines and configured to receive the fluid of the input lines and select from the fluids a target fluid. A range selection component is configured to receive the target fluid and to select a flow range of the target fluid, outputting the target fluid to a flow component comprising a first flow adjustment component having a first flow rate resolution and a second flow adjustment component having a second flow rate resolution. The range selection component is configured to selectively output the target fluid to one of the first flow adjustment component and the second flow adjustment component based on the selected flow range. | 07-26-2012 |
| 20120208106 | CATALYST INK PREPARATION FOR FUEL CELL ELECTRODE FABRICATION - Methods of fabricating gas diffusion electrodes and gas diffusion electrodes made from such methods are disclosed herein. One method of fabricating a gas diffusion electrode for a fuel cell comprises preparing a catalyst ink of a predetermined viscosity. Preparing the catalyst ink comprises mixing a catalyst solution comprising catalyst particles, an ionomer and a solvent at a first speed for a first period of time and homogenizing the catalyst solution at a second speed in a temperature controlled environment for a second period of time, wherein the second period of time is longer than the first period of time, the second period of time and the second speed selected to preserve a structure of the catalyst particles during homogenization. An active electrode layer is formed by spraying the catalyst ink directly on a gas diffusion layer in a single application and a uniform loading. | 08-16-2012 |
| 20130045430 | PROCESS TO RECOVER PERFORMANCE OF FUEL CELL CATALYSTS - Disclosed herein are processes for recovering performance of fuel cells by recovering fuel cell catalyst activity and methods of testing the durability and activity performance of fuel cells. One catalyst recovery process disclosed herein for a fuel cell having a membrane electrode assembly comprises operating the fuel cell for a first recovery cycle with fuel gas supplied to an anode of the fuel cell and an oxidant supplied to a cathode of the fuel cell while drawing a current from the fuel cell at steady state throughout the first recovery cycle, the first recovery cycle having a predetermined time period. The fuel cell has reached end of life due in part to intermittent use prior to operating the fuel cell for the first recovery cycle. A life of the fuel cell improves when the first recovery cycle is complete. | 02-21-2013 |
| 20130045431 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR THE RECOVERY OF FUEL CELL CATALYST PERFORMANCE - Disclosed herein are systems and methods for recovering performance of fuel cells by recovering fuel cell catalyst activity. One system for recovering catalyst performance of a fuel cell stack made of one or more fuel cells in a vehicle comprises a sensor for detecting an EOL state of the fuel cell. A notification device notifies a user when the sensor detects the EOL state of the fuel cell. Means for drawing a steady-state load from the fuel cell stack is used to operate the fuel cell stack until the catalyst performance is recovered. | 02-21-2013 |
| 20130126072 | FABRICATION OF CATALYST COATED ELECTRODE SUBSTRATE WITH LOW LOADINGS USING DIRECT SPRAY METHOD - Disclosed herein are methods of making a membrane electrode assembly for a fuel cell. One method disclosed herein comprises preparing a catalyst ink of a predetermined viscosity, masking an electrode substrate having a first surface and a second surface on the first surface with a magnetic mask, spraying the catalyst ink on the first surface of the electrode substrate, and drying the catalyst ink by heating the electrode substrate and the magnetic mask in an oven at a predetermined temperature for a predetermined period of time. | 05-23-2013 |
| 20130157153 | APPARATUS AND METHOD OF IN SITU CATALYST DEGRADATION DETECTION DURING FUEL CELL OPERATION - Disclosed herein are catalyst degradation detection assemblies and methods of catalyst degradation detection that can be performed in-situ. One embodiment of an in-situ fuel cell catalyst degradation detection assembly comprises a humidified hydrogen supply configured to supply humidified hydrogen to an anode of a fuel cell, a humidified nitrogen supply configured to supply humidified nitrogen to a cathode of the fuel cell, a collection cell containing a liquid, the collection cell configured to receive either cathode exhaust from the fuel cell through a cathode exhaust line or anode exhaust from the fuel cell through an anode exhaust line and means for detecting a gas. | 06-20-2013 |
| 20130158757 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF IN-SITU DIAGNOSIS OF FUEL CELL HEALTH DURING VEHICLE OPERATION - Disclosed herein are systems and methods of diagnosing in situ the health of a fuel cell stack while it is in operation in a vehicle. One such system of diagnosing in situ the health of a fuel cell stack while it is in operation in a vehicle comprises at least one gas sensor configured to detect a gas in exhaust from the fuel cell stack and a control unit configured to receive data from the gas sensor. The control unit has baseline data particular to a catalyst of the fuel cell stack and is programmed to determine information from the baseline data and the data from the gas sensor, the information providing a condition of the fuel cell stack. A display unit is configured to display an indication of the condition. | 06-20-2013 |
| 20140004440 | ULTRALOW LOADING FUEL CELL CATALYST | 01-02-2014 |
| 20140004474 | ELECTROCATALYST ROTATING DISK ELECTRODE PREPARATION APPARATUS | 01-02-2014 |
