Processing biomass

• US 10,047,384 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2017
• Issued: 08/14/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Xyleco, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Xyleco, Inc.
• Inventors: Medoff, Marshall
• Primary Examiner(s): Yamasaki, Robert J
• Application Number:
  US15/431,600
• Publication Number:
  US 20170152532A1
• Time in Patent Office: 547 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 10/00 Animal feeding-stuffs
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 10/12 by fermentation of natural products, e.g. of vegetable material, animal waste material or biomass
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 10/30 from material of plant origin, e.g. roots, seeds or hay; from material of fungal origin, e.g. mushrooms obtained by microbiological or biochemical processes, e.g. using yeasts or enzymes, A23K10/10
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 10/37 from waste material from hydrolysates of wood or straw A23K10/32; from molasses A23K10/33
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 20/163 Sugars; Polysaccharides
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 20/189 Enzymes
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 40/10 by agglomeration; by granulation, e.g. making powders
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 50/10 for ruminants
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 50/30 for swines
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 50/40 for carnivorous animals, e.g. cats or dogs
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 50/75 for poultry
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 50/80 for aquatic animals, e.g. fish, crustaceans or molluscs
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 5/00 Preparation or treatment of foods or foodstuffs, in general; Food or foodstuffs obtained thereby; Materials therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 5/30 Physical treatment, e.g. electrical or magnetic means, wave energy or irradiation cooking A23L5/10
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2002/00 Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/9717 Rhodophycota or Rhodophyta [red algae], e.g. Porphyra
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/9722 Chlorophycota or Chlorophyta [green algae], e.g. Chlorella
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/9728 Fungi, e.g. yeasts
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/9789 Magnoliopsida [dicotyledons]
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/9794 Liliopsida [monocotyledons]
• CPC Class Codes: A61Q 19/00 : Preparations for care of the skin
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 39/18 : the material being cellulose or derivatives thereof cork or peat B01D39/1646 ; making filter paper D21F11/14
• CPC Class Codes: C08H 8/00 : Macromolecular compounds derived from lignocellulosic materials pretreatment thereof B27N
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 3/28 : Treatment by wave energy or particle radiation
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 1/02 : Cellulose; Modified cellulose
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 5/14 : Hemicellulose; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 9/00 : Enzymes; Proenzymes; Compositions thereof preparations containing enzymes for cleaning teeth A61K8/66, A61Q11/00; medicinal preparations containing enzymes or proenzymes A61K38/43; enzyme containing detergent compositions C11D; enzymes with nucleic acid structure, e.g. ribozymes, C12N15/113; Processes for preparing, activating, inhibiting, separating or purifying enzymes preparation of malt C12C1/00
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 13/04 : Alpha- or beta- amino acids other amino acids C12P13/005
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 19/02 : Monosaccharides 2-ketogulonic acid C12P7/60
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 19/14 : produced by the action of a carbohydrase (EC 3.2.x), e.g. by alpha-amylase , e.g. by cellulase, hemicellulase
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 19/44 : Preparation of O-glycosides, e.g. glucosides polysaccharides and not substituted disaccharides C12P19/04, C12P19/12
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 2201/00 : Pretreatment of cellulosic or lignocellulosic material for subsequent enzymatic treatment or hydrolysis
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 2203/00 : Fermentation products obtained from optionally pretreated or hydrolyzed cellulosic or lignocellulosic material as the carbon source
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/10 : substrate containing cellulosic material
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/42 : Hydroxy-carboxylic acids
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/62 : Carboxylic acid esters
• CPC Class Codes: C13K 1/02 : obtained by saccharification of cellulosic materials manufacture of fodder A23K10/32
• CPC Class Codes: D21C 5/005 : Treatment of cellulose-containing material with microorganisms or enzymes
• CPC Class Codes: D21C 9/001 : Modification of pulp properties purification D21C9/08
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/818 : Alternative feeds for fish, e.g. in aquacultures
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/10 : Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/30 : Fuel from waste, e.g. synthetic alcohol or diesel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/87 : Re-use of by-products of food processing for fodder production

Abstract

Biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, microbial, and municipal waste biomass) is processed to produce useful products, such as food products and amino acids.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

milling a lignocellulosic material to a particle size that can pass through a screen having an average pore opening of less than 0.79 mm;

treating the milled lignocellulosic material with a beam of electrons, wherein the electrons have an energy level of about 0.8 MeV to 1.8 MeV and wherein the treating is performed to a dose of about 2 Mrad to 50 Mrad; and

combining the treated material with Alcaligenes eutrophus bacteria, which uses the treated material as a substrate to produce polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the lignocellulosic material comprises paper, paper products, paper waste, wood, particle board, sawdust, agricultural waste, sewage, silage, grasses, rice hulls, bagasse, cotton, jute, flax, bamboo, sisal, abaca, straw, corn cobs, corn stover, switchgrass, alfalfa, hay, rice hulls, coconut hair, cotton, cassava, and mixtures thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the treated material is combined with Alcaligenes eutrophus bacteria using a batch-fed fermentation process.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step selected from sonication, oxidation, pyrolyzing, and steam-explosion.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising adding a nutrient medium when the treated material is combined with Alcaligenes eutrophus bacteria.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the lignocellulosic material is cooled before, during or after exposure to the beam of electrons.