Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090305374 | PROCESS FOR OBTAINING BIOCHEMICALS IN A ZERO-LIQUID DISCHARGE PLANT - A method is presented for the production of cellulosic ethanol, acetic acid and derivatives from the extract containing fibers and hemicelluloses after steam cooking of biomass in a host plant. The process is integrated with the host plant process to minimize the effect of loss of heat value from the extracted hemicelluloses and eliminate the need for the waste water treatment plant. | 12-10-2009 |
20130130318 | PROCESS FOR OBTAINING BIOCHEMICALS IN A ZERO-LIQUID DISCHARGE PLANT - A method is presented for the production of cellulosic ethanol, acetic acid and derivatives from the extract containing fibers and hemicelluloses after steam cooking of biomass in a host plant. The process is integrated with the host plant process to minimize the effect of loss of heat value from the extracted hemicelluloses and eliminate the need for the waste water treatment plant. | 05-23-2013 |
20140034047 | PROCESSES AND APPARATUS FOR LIGNIN SEPARATION IN BIOREFINERIES - 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. | 02-06-2014 |
20140065682 | PROCESSES AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING FERMENTABLE SUGARS, CELLULOSE SOLIDS, AND LIGNIN FROM LIGNOCELLULOSIC BIOMASS - 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. | 03-06-2014 |
20140103249 | CORROSION-INHIBITING DEICERS DERIVED FROM BIOMASS - In some variations, the invention provides a deicer composition comprising alkali acetate, a solvent (such as water) for the alkali acetate, and a corrosion inhibitor comprising lignin or a lignin derivative. The acetate and the lignin or lignin derivative are preferably each derived from the same biomass feedstock. In some embodiments, the alkali is selected from the group consisting of potassium, sodium, magnesium, calcium, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the alkali acetate is present in a concentration from about 30 wt % to about 99 wt %. Deicer products may be a crystallized or dried form of the deicer composition. | 04-17-2014 |
20140154756 | PROCESSES AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING NANOCELLULOSE, AND COMPOSITIONS AND PRODUCTS PRODUCED THEREFROM - 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. 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. | 06-05-2014 |
20140154757 | PROCESSES AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING NANOCELLULOSE, AND COMPOSITIONS AND PRODUCTS PRODUCED THEREFROM - 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. 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. | 06-05-2014 |
20140155301 | PROCESSES AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING NANOCELLULOSE, AND COMPOSITIONS AND PRODUCTS PRODUCED THEREFROM - 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. 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. | 06-05-2014 |
20140163210 | PROCESSES AND APPARATUS FOR LIGNIN SEPARATION IN BIOREFINERIES - 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. | 06-12-2014 |
20140186901 | PROCESSES AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING FERMENTABLE SUGARS, CELLULOSE SOLIDS, AND LIGNIN FROM LIGNOCELLULOSIC BIOMASS - 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. | 07-03-2014 |
20140186903 | PROCESSES AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING FURFURAL, LEVULINIC ACID, AND OTHER SUGAR-DERIVED PRODUCTS FROM BIOMASS - 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 C | 07-03-2014 |
20140370551 | 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. | 12-18-2014 |