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PROCESS FOR PRODUCING HYDROCARBON MOLECULES FROM RENEWABLE BIOMASS

  • US 20090017513A1
  • Filed: 06/27/2008
  • Published: 01/15/2009
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2007
  • Status: Abandoned Application
First Claim
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1. A process for producing hydrocarbon molecules from biomass, said process comprising:

  • pre-processing the biomass by physical or mechanical breakdown, chemical degradation or a combination of physical or mechanical breakdown and chemical degradation to form a biomass fiber slurry;

    introducing the biomass fiber slurry into a first stage bioreactor;

    introducing microorganisms to the biomass fiber slurry in the first stage bioreactor, said microorganisms (a) being resistant to extreme heat and pressure, (b) comprising nucleic acid molecules encoding enzymes which degrade compounds selected from the group consisting of cellulose, lignin, xylan and hemicellulose, and (c) capable of generating hydrocarbon molecules from degraded cellulose, lignin, xylan and hemicellulose;

    incubating the microorganisms with the biomass fiber slurry in the first stage bioreactor at a temperature of between about 70°

    F. and about 120°

    F., an atmospheric pressure of near-vacuum, and a pH of between about 0.5 and about 2.0 for microorganisms which are acidophilic or a pH of between about 7.0 and about 9.0 for microorganisms which are basophilic for about 180 days to allow (a) the microorganisms to produce the enzymes which degrade compounds selected from the group consisting of cellulose, lignin, xylan and hemicellulose, (b) the produced enzymes to degrade the cellulose, lignin, xylan and hemicellulose and (c) the microorganisms to generate hydrocarbon molecules from the degraded cellulose, lignin, xylan and hemicellulose;

    removing a hydrocarbon slurry from the first stage bioreactor, said hydrocarbon slurry comprising hydrocarbon molecules;

    an aqueous solution comprising enzymes produced by the microorganisms; and

    sludge comprising microorganisms and non-hydrocarbon byproducts of enzymatic degradation of cellulose, lignin, xylan and hemicellulose; and

    separating the hydrocarbon molecules from the hydrocarbon slurry.

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