Delignification of Lignocellulose-Containing Material

• US 20100285550A1
• Filed: 01/09/2009
• Published: 11/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Novozymes A/S (Novozymes)
• Original Assignee: Novozymes A/S (Novozymes)
• Inventors: Zhu, Yongming
• Application Number:
  US12/811,986
• Publication Number:
  US 20100285550A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/160
• CPC Class Codes: D21C 3/024 with NH3 or H2O
• CPC Class Codes: D21C 3/20 with organic solvents or in solvent environment
• CPC Class Codes: D21C 3/222 Use of compounds accelerating the pulping processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/10 Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel

Abstract

The invention relates to processes of delignifying lignocellulose-containing material, wherein the lignocellulose-containing material is treated with a delignification catalyst and a lignin solubilizing agent.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A method of delignifying lignocellulose-containing material, comprising treating the lignocellulose-containing material with a treating solution comprising a delignification catalyst and a lignin solubilizing agent.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the delignification catalyst constitutes from 1-30 wt. % per g treating solution.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the delignification catalyst is ammonium.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the lignin solubilizing agent constitutes from 5-60 wt. % per g treating solution.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the lignin solubilizing agent is ethanol, glycerol or acetone.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein treatment is carried out in a slurry wherein the lignocellulose-containing material constitutes from 5-30 wt. %.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the temperature during treatment is in the range from 60-180°

C.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein the treatment is carried out for 10 minutes to 1 week.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein delignification is carried out at alkaline pH.

30. The method of claim 21, wherein the lignocellulose-containing material is a non-wood material.

31. A process of producing a fermentation product from lignocellulose-containing material, comprising the steps of:

(a) delignifying lignocellulose-containing material using the method defined in claim 21;

(b) hydrolyzing the material;

(c) fermenting using a fermenting organism.

32. The process of claim 31, wherein steps (b) and (c) are carried out sequentially, simultaneously, or as a hybrid hydrolysis and fermentation process.

33. The process of claim 31, wherein the lignocellulose-containing material is treated with ammonium as delignification catalyst and ethanol as lignin solubilizing agent in step (a).

34. The process of claim 31, wherein remaining unsoluble lignin is removed after hydrolysis.

35. The process of claim 31, wherein hydrolysis in step (b) or SSF or HHF, is carried out using cellulolytic enzymes or hemicellulolytic enzymes, or a combination thereof.

36. The process of claim 31, wherein the fermenting organism in step (c) or SSF or HHF, is yeast.

37. The process of claim 31, wherein the fermentation product is ethanol or butanol.

38. A treating solution for delignifying lignocellulose-containing material comprising:

(a) from 1-30 wt. % delignification catalyst; and

(b) from 5-60 wt. % lignin solubilizing agent.

39. The treating solution of claim 38, wherein the delignification catalyst is ammonium, and the lignin solubilizing agent is ethanol, glycerol or acetone.