Biomass conversion to alcohol using ultrasonic energy

• US 20050136520A1
• Filed: 09/30/2004
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FCStone Carbon LLC (StoneX Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: FCStone Carbon LLC (StoneX Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Krohn, Bradley, Kinley, Michael T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,504,245 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/155
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 21/12 for producing fuels or solvents C12M21/04 takes precedence; liquid carbonaceous fuels C10L1/00, solid fuels C10L5/00
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 35/04 Mechanical means, e.g. sonic waves, stretching forces, pressure or shear stimuli
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 45/02 by mechanical forces; Stirring; Trituration; Comminuting crushing, pulverizing, disintegrating in general B02C
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 45/06 by chemical means or hydrolysis
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 45/20 Heating; Cooling heating or cooling apparatus for laboratory uses B01L7/00
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/06 Ethanol, i.e. non-beverage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/10 Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel

Abstract

A method comprising applying ultrasonic energy to a biomass to alcohol production process is provided. In one embodiment the alcohol production process is an ethanol production process. In one embodiment, the biomass to alcohol process employs ultrasonic energy as the only means of pretreatment. In one embodiment, the biomass to alcohol process additionally employs a concentrated acid hydrolysis pretreatment. In one embodiment, the biomass to alcohol process additionally employs any conventional pretreatment, such as a hydrothermal or chemical pretreatment, followed by an enzymatic hydrolysis step or a simultaneous enzymatic hydrolysis and saccharification step. In one embodiment, the conventional pretreatment is selected from the group consisting of dilute acid hydrolysis, high pressure hot water-based methods, i.e., hydrothermal treatments such as steam explosion and aqueous hot water extraction, reactor systems (e.g., batch, continuous flow, counter-flow, flow-through, and the like), ammonia explosion, ammonia recycled percolation (ARP), lime treatment and a pH-based process.

Claims

1. A method comprising applying ultrasonic energy to a biomass to alcohol process.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the biomass to alcohol process is a biomass to ethanol process.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the biomass to alcohol process includes a concentrated acid hydrolysis pretreatment.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the biomass to alcohol process includes a two-stage acid hydrolysis process.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the biomass to alcohol process includes a pretreatment step and an enzymatic hydrolysis step.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the pretreatment step is a hydrothermal or chemical pretreatment.

7. The method of claims 1 or 5 wherein the biomass to alcohol process employs a pretreatment method selected from the group consisting of dilute acid hydrolysis, high pressure hot water-based method, reactor system, ammonia explosion, ammonia recycled percolation (ARP), lime treatment and pH based treatment.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the high-pressure hot water-based method is steam explosion or aqueous hot water extraction.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the reactor system is a batch system, continuous flow system, counter-flow system or flow-through system.

10. The method of claim 2 wherein the biomass is plant biomass or municipal waste biomass.

11. A method comprising applying ultrasonic energy before, during or after a pretreatment step in a biomass to alcohol process.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein ultrasonic energy is also applied after a fermentation step in the biomass to alcohol process.

12. A method comprising applying ultrasonic energy before and during a pretreatment step in a biomass to alcohol process.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein ultrasonic energy is also applied after a fermentation step in the biomass to alcohol process.

13. A method comprising applying ultrasonic energy before and after a pretreatment step in a biomass to alcohol process.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein ultrasonic energy is also applied after a fermentation step in the biomass to alcohol process.

14. A method comprising applying ultrasonic energy during and after a pretreatment step in a biomass to alcohol process.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein ultrasonic energy is also applied after a fermentation step in the biomass to alcohol process.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the ultrasonic energy is applied to thin stillage.

15. A method comprising applying ultrasonic energy after a fermentation step in the biomass to alcohol process.

21. A pretreatment method comprising applying ultrasonic energy to a biomass slurry wherein the ultrasonic energy causes an increase in conversion rates of components in the biomass slurry to fermentable sugars.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein at least a portion of the biomass slurry is hydrolyzed during the pretreatment step.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the components are cellulose and hemicellulose.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the fermentable sugars are converted into ethanol.

25. A system comprising:

one or more ultrasonic energy transducers; and

a biomass to alcohol production facility adapted for use with the one or more ultrasonic energy transducers.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the biomass to alcohol production facility is a plant biomass to ethanol production facility.