Method for treating biomass and organic waste with the purpose of generating desired biologically based products

• US 20090178671A1
• Filed: 09/23/2005
• Published: 07/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cambi Bioethanol APS
• Original Assignee: Cambi Bioethanol APS
• Inventors: Ahring, Birgitte Kiaer, Munck, Jens
• Granted Patent: US 8,506,716 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 127/37
• CPC Class Codes: C08B 1/003 Preparation of cellulose solutions, i.e. dopes, with different possible solvents, e.g. ionic liquids solutions used in the manufacture of monocomponent artificial filaments or cellulose or derivatives thereof D01F2/02
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 2201/00 Pretreatment of cellulosic or lignocellulosic material for subsequent enzymatic treatment or hydrolysis
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/08 produced as by-product or from waste or cellulosic material substrate
• CPC Class Codes: C13K 1/02 obtained by saccharification of cellulosic materials manufacture of fodder A23K10/32
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/10 Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for treatment of lignocellulosic organic waste or biomass, by which the carbohydrates are rendered more available for subsequent hydrolysis, e.g. by means of addition of enzymes or direct fermentation to one or more desired products. The invention more specifically relates to a method comprising a combination of the following process steps: thermal hydrolysis, wet oxidation and wet explosion. The method according to the present invention can operate with undivided or only poorly divided substrate having a high dry matter concentration.

Claims

1. Method for treatment of a material consisting of biomass or organic waste containing lignocellulosic material, wherein said material:

is subjected to thermal hydrolysis at a temperature above 140°

C., and

oxidation at a pressure above the saturation pressure in (1), followed by

wet explosion,

with the aim of rendering the carbohydrates of the material more available for a subsequent reaction by enzymatic hydrolysis and/or fermentation.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the method is carried out as a batch process.

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the material contains more than 5% (w/w) lignin.

4. Method according to any of the claims 1-3, wherein the material has a dry matter concentration above 5%.

5. Method according to any of the claims 1-4, wherein the material is chosen from the group consisting of e.g. straw, wood, fibres, baits, paper pulp, slurry and household waste or other similar materials applicable in the production of ethanol or other biological products.

6. Method according to any of the claims 1-5, wherein the material has particle sizes above 2 cm, preferably between 5-20 cm.

7. Method according to any of the claims 1-6, wherein the lignocellulosic material is treated with acid.

8. Method according to any of the claims 1-7, wherein the thermal hydrolysis is carried out by means of heating to 140-200°

C., preferably 160-180°

C., at saturation pressure, and where said conditions are maintained for 5-30 minutes, preferably 10-20 minutes.

9. Method according to any of the claims 1-9, wherein the oxidation is carried out by means of

adding oxygen, hydrogen peroxide and/or air in an amount corresponding to 2-20% of the COD content of said material,

heating to 150-210°

C., preferably 160-200°

C.,

applying a pressure of 15-35 bar,

maintaining these conditions for 1-30 minutes, preferably 5-10 minutes.

wherein the pressure of the biomass after termination of the wet oxidation reaction optionally is released to 5-10 bar.

10. Method according to any of the claims 1-9, wherein the wet explosion is carried out by means of reducing the pressure from 5-35 bar to atmospheric pressure.