Non-Pressurised Pre-Treatment, Enzymatic Hydrolysis and Frementation of Waste Fractions

• US 20090004714A1
• Filed: 09/29/2006
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Renescience A/S
• Original Assignee: Dong Energy Gerneration A/S
• Inventors: Iversen, Frank Krogh, Norholm, Nanna Dreyer, Larsen, Jan
• Granted Patent: US 9,914,944 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/165
• CPC Class Codes: B09B 3/00 Destroying solid waste or transforming solid waste into something useful or harmless
• CPC Class Codes: B09B 3/45 Steam treatment, e.g. supercritical water gasification or oxidation
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 27/02 Stirrer or mobile mixing elements
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 27/06 with horizontal or inclined stirrer shaft or axis
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 27/24 Draft tube C12M29/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 45/04 Phase separators; Separation of non fermentable material; Fractionation
• 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: C12N 9/20 Triglyceride splitting, e.g. by means of lipase
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 9/2411 Amylases
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 9/2437 Cellulases (3.2.1.4; 3.2.1.74; 3.2.1.91; 3.2.1.150)
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 9/2477 Hemicellulases not provided in a preceding group
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 9/48 acting on peptide bonds (3.4)
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 19/00 Preparation of compounds containing saccharide radicals ketoaldonic acids C12P7/58
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/06 Ethanol, i.e. non-beverage
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/10 substrate containing cellulosic material
• 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

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for production of fermentation products, including bioethanol by non-pressurised pre-treatment, enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation of waste fractions containing mono- and/or polysaccharides, having a relatively high dry matter content. The process in its entirety, i.e. from non-pressurised pre-treatment over enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation to sorting of fermentable and non-fermentable solids can be processed at a relatively high dry matter content in a single vessel or similar device using free fall mixing for the mechanical processing of the waste fraction.

Claims

1. A process for the production of fermentation products from mono- and/or polysaccharide containing waste fractions having a dry matter content above 20% involving subjecting said waste fractions to:

non-pressurised pre-treatment

enzymatic hydrolysis

fermentation

wherein non-pressurised pre-treatment and enzymatic hydrolysis are carried out in a single vessel or similar device using free fall mixing for the mechanical processing of the waste.

2. A process according to claim 1, wherein the said fermentation, or part of it is carried out in the same said vessel used for non-pressurised pre-treatment and enzymatic hydrolysis.

3. A process according to claim 2, wherein recovery of the resulting fermentation products is performed in the same said vessel used for non-pressurised pre-treatment, enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation by applying heat and/or vacuum to the vessel.

4. A process according to claim 2, wherein a sorting/separation of the non-fermentable solids from the fermented mash is performed in the same said vessel used for non-pressurised pre-treatment, enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation.

5. A process according to claim 3, wherein said recovery in the same said vessel is only done from the solid part of the fermented mash after separation/removal of the liquid part.

6. A process according to claim 1, wherein the said mono- and/or polysaccharide containing waste fractions are derived from households such as e.g. unsorted municipal solid waste (MSW), MSW processed in some central sorting, shredding or pulping device, source sorted waste from households, organic fractions and paper rich waste fractions, RDF (Refuse-Derived-Fuel) fractions.

7. A process according to claim 1, wherein the said mono- and/or polysaccharide containing waste fractions are derived from the industry such as e.g. general industry waste fractions containing paper or other organic fractions, waste fractions from paper industry e.g. recycling facilities, waste fractions from food and feed industry, waste fractions from the medicinal industry.

8. A process according to claim 1, wherein the said mono- and/or polysaccharide containing waste fractions are derived from agriculture or farming related sectors such as e.g. waste fractions from processes including sugar or starch rich product such as potatoes and beet, contaminated or in other ways spoiled agricultural products such as grain, potatoes and beet not exploitable for food or feed purposes, manure, or manure derived products.

9. A process according to claim 1, wherein the said mono- and/or polysaccharide containing waste fractions are derived from municipal, county or state related or regulated activities such as e.g. sludge from waste water treatment plants, fibre or sludge fractions from biogas processing, general waste fractions from the public sector containing paper or other organic fractions.

10. A process according to claim 1, wherein the non-pressurised pre-treatment is performed using steam.

11. A process according to claim 10, wherein the treatment time of the non-pressurised pre-treatment is between 0-120 min with a temperature ranging between 60-110°

C. and a steam admission of 0-2 kg/kg dry matter.

12. A process according to claim 1, wherein the enzymatic hydrolysis of the mono- and/or polysaccharide containing waste fraction is performed with hydrolytic enzymes, supplied in either native form or in form of microbial organisms giving rise to the accumulation of such enzymes.

13. A process according to claim 12, wherein said enzymatic hydrolysis lasts for 0-96 hours and with a temperature ranging from 20-105°

C.

14. A process according to claim 1, wherein said fermentation is performed by the action of standard, cultivated or manipulated yeast and/or bacteria or any other microorganism capable of producing ethanol or other specific biochemicals.

15. A process according to claim 14, wherein said fermentation last for 1-150 hours with a temperature ranging from 20-105°

C.

16. A process according to claim 1, wherein the mixing of the mono- and/or polysaccharide containing waste fraction is performed with free fall mixers such as drum mixers, tumble mixers or similar mixing devices.

17. Use of a material produced by a process according to claim 1, in a process for bioethanol or/and any other fermentation product processing.

18. Use of a process according to claim 1 as part of a process for the production of bioethanol or/and any other fermentation product.