METHODS FOR CO-PRODUCTION OF ETHANOL AND SILICA FROM EQUISETUM
First Claim
1. A method for the co-production of silica and at least one other useful industrial chemical product, comprising the steps of:
- a) pre-treating siliceous plant matter to create a feedstock having exposed cellulose;
b) placing the feedstock in a reactor containing a biological agent effective to break down the cellulose into at least one useful organic chemical reaction product and a silica-containing co-product;
c) separating the at least one useful organic chemical product from the reactor;
d) separating the silica-containing co-product from the reactor; and
e) refining the silica-containing co-product into silica or other industrially useful silicon-containing products.
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Abstract
A method for the co-production of silica and at least one other useful industrial chemical such as ethanol, comprises the steps of: pre-treating siliceous plant matter derived from plants, such as horsetail weeds from the genus Equisetum, to create a feedstock having exposed cellulose; placing the feedstock in a reactor containing a biological agent effective to break down the cellulose into at least one useful organic chemical reaction product and a silica-containing co-product; separating the at least one useful organic chemical product from the reactor; separating the silica-containing co-product from the reactor; and refining the silica-containing co-products into silica or other industrially useful silicon containing products. The biological agent may be an anaerobic thermophyllic bacteria, enzymes, or a co-mixture of enzymes and yeast.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for the co-production of silica and at least one other useful industrial chemical product, comprising the steps of:
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a) pre-treating siliceous plant matter to create a feedstock having exposed cellulose; b) placing the feedstock in a reactor containing a biological agent effective to break down the cellulose into at least one useful organic chemical reaction product and a silica-containing co-product; c) separating the at least one useful organic chemical product from the reactor; d) separating the silica-containing co-product from the reactor; and e) refining the silica-containing co-product into silica or other industrially useful silicon-containing products. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for the co-production of amorphous silica and ethanol, comprising the steps of:
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a) pre-treating siliceous plant matter derived from plants of the genus Equisetum to create a feedstock having exposed cellulose and hemicellulose; b) placing the feedstock in a chemicobiological reactor containing a biological agent effective to break down the cellulose into ethanol and a silica-containing co-product; c) separating the ethanol from the reactor; d) separating the silica-containing co-product from the reactor; and e) refining the silica-containing co-product into silica or other industrially useful silicon-containing products. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for the co-production of amorphous silica and at least one other useful industrial chemical, comprising the steps of:
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a) pre-treating siliceous plant matter derived from the plants of the genus Equisetum to create a feedstock having exposed cellulose; b) placing the feedstock in a chemicobiological reactor containing enzymes effective to break down the cellulose and the hemicellulose into constituent sugars and a silicon-containing product; c) separating the constituent sugars from the reactor; d) separating the silica-containing co-product from the reactor; and e) refining the silica-containing co-product into silica or other industrially useful silicon-containing products.
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Specification