Biomass treatment process and system
First Claim
1. A process for treating biomass comprising:
- (a) inducing at least a first portion of a composition comprising biomass and a working fluid to flow into a passage of a fluid processing apparatus;
(b) injecting a high velocity transport fluid into the composition through a nozzle communicating with the passage of the fluid processing apparatus, whereby the transport fluid applies a shear force to the composition such that the working fluid is atomised and a vapour and droplet flow regime is formed downstream of the nozzle;
(c) condensing the vapour and droplet flow regime;
(d) transferring the composition to a first holding vessel; and
(e) holding the composition in the first holding vessel at a first predetermined temperature for a first predetermined period of time, wherein a liquefaction enzyme is added to the composition prior to or during the process.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides processes and systems for treating biomass and, e.g., making biofuels, such as bioethanol, from the biomass. More particularly, one process according to the present invention includes (a) inducing at least a first portion of a composition containing biomass and a working fluid to flow into a passage of a fluid processing apparatus, (b) injecting a high velocity transport fluid into the composition through a nozzle communicating with the passage of the fluid processing apparatus, whereby the transport fluid applies a shear force to the composition such that the working fluid is atomised and a vapour and droplet flow regime is formed downstream of the nozzle, (c) condensing the vapour and droplet flow regime, (d) transferring the composition to a first holding vessel, and (e) holding the composition in the first holding vessel at a first predetermined temperature for a first predetermined period of time, wherein a liquefaction enzyme is added to the composition prior to or during the process. Thereafter, the composition may be further processed to form a biofuel, such as, e.g., bioethanol.
155 Citations
74 Claims
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1. A process for treating biomass comprising:
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(a) inducing at least a first portion of a composition comprising biomass and a working fluid to flow into a passage of a fluid processing apparatus; (b) injecting a high velocity transport fluid into the composition through a nozzle communicating with the passage of the fluid processing apparatus, whereby the transport fluid applies a shear force to the composition such that the working fluid is atomised and a vapour and droplet flow regime is formed downstream of the nozzle; (c) condensing the vapour and droplet flow regime; (d) transferring the composition to a first holding vessel; and (e) holding the composition in the first holding vessel at a first predetermined temperature for a first predetermined period of time, wherein a liquefaction enzyme is added to the composition prior to or during the process. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A system for treatment of a composition comprising a biomass and a working fluid, the system comprising:
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(a) at least one fluid processing apparatus, which comprises a passage having an inlet for receiving a supply of the composition and a transport fluid nozzle having a nozzle outlet opening into the passage and having a throat portion whose cross sectional area is less than that of the outlet; (b) a first holding vessel in fluid communication with an outlet of the passage; and (c) a fermentation vessel in fluid communication with the first holding vessel. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73)
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74. A process for producing bioethanol from a biomass comprising:
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(a) inducing at least a first portion of a composition comprising biomass and a working fluid to flow into a passage of a fluid processing apparatus; (b) injecting a high velocity transport fluid into the composition through a nozzle communicating with the passage of the fluid processing apparatus, whereby the transport fluid applies a shear force to the composition such that the working fluid is atomised and a vapour and droplet flow regime is formed downstream of the nozzle; (c) condensing the vapour and droplet flow regime; (d) transferring the composition to a first holding vessel; (e) holding the composition in the first holding vessel at a first predetermined temperature for a first predetermined period of time, wherein a liquefaction enzyme is added to the composition prior to or during the process; (f) transferring the composition to a second holding vessel following the end of the first predetermined period of time; (g) holding the composition in the second holding vessel at a second predetermined temperature for a second predetermined period of time; (h) cooling the composition to a predetermined fermentation temperature; (i) adding a fermentation agent to the composition; (j) transferring the composition to a fermentation vessel; and (k) holding the composition in the fermentation vessel at the predetermined fermentation temperature for a predetermined fermentation time to generate a fermented composition, which comprises bioethanol.
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Specification