Biomass conversion to alcohol using ultrasonic energy

• US 20080044891A1
• Filed: 10/16/2007
• Published: 02/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: FCStone Carbon LLC (StoneX Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: FCStone Carbon LLC (StoneX Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kinley, Michael, Krohn, Bradley
• Application Number:
  US11/974,757
• Publication Number:
  US 20080044891A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/289.1
• 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 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.

2. The system of claim 2 wherein the biomass to alcohol production facility is a plant biomass to ethanol production facility.