Process, Plant, and Biofuel for Integrated Biofuel Production

• US 20110076724A1
• Filed: 06/15/2010
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: BP Biofuels UK Ltd. (BP PLC)
• Original Assignee: BP Biofuels UK Ltd. (BP PLC)
• Inventors: Dumenil, Jean-Charles
• Application Number:
  US12/815,903
• Publication Number:
  US 20110076724A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/72
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/026 for compression ignition
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/04 essentially based on blends of hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/19 Esters ester radical containing compounds; ester ethers; carbonic acid esters C10L1/1802, C10L1/1805, C10L1/1808, C10L1/1811, C10L1/1814, C10L1/1817 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 19/02 Monosaccharides 2-ketogulonic acid C12P7/60
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/10 substrate containing cellulosic material
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/16 Butanols
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/649 Biodiesel, i.e. fatty acid alkyl esters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/10 Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/10 Process efficiency

Abstract

This invention relates to a process, a plant, and a biofuel for integrated biofuel production, such as with butanol, biodiesel, and/or sugar product. The integrated process includes the step of removing hexose from a feedstock to form a lignocellulosic material. The process also includes the step of converting the hexose to butanol and/or a biodiesel material, and the step of depolymerizing lignocellulosic material to form pentose and a residue. The process also includes the step of converting the pentose to butanol and/or a biodiesel material.

Claims

1. An integrated process of coproducing biofuels, the process comprising:

removing hexose from a feedstock to form a lignocellulosic material;

converting the hexose to a first biofuel material wherein said first biofuel material is butanol, a biogasoline material or a biodiesel material;

depolymerizing the lignocellulosic material to form pentose and a residue; and

converting the pentose to a second biofuel material wherein said first biofuel material is butanol, a biogasoline material or a biodiesel material.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein:

the second biofuel material comprises a biogasoline material or a biodiesel material.

3. The process of claim 1, wherein:

the second biofuel material comprises a biodiesel material.

4. The process of claim 1, wherein:

the second biofuel material comprises a biogasoline material.

5. The process of claim 1, wherein the feedstock comprises sugarcane, energy cane, corn, maize, sorghum, sweet sorghum, sugar beet, rice, cassaya, or combinations thereof.

6. The process of claim 1, wherein the depolymerizing the lignocellulosic material to form pentose comprises a hydrolysis process, an acidic process (pH 7 and below), a basic or alkali process (pH above 7), an ammonia fiber expansion process, an enzymatic process, a solvent process, a thermomechanical process, a thermochemical process, a steam based process, a steam explosion process, a hot water based treatment process, a supercritical process, and/or or combinations thereof.

7. The process of claim 1, wherein the converting the hexose or the pentose to the first biofuel material or the second biofuel material comprises a microorganism process.

8. The process of claim 1, wherein the converting the hexose or the pentose to the first biofuel material or the second biofuel process comprises an algae process, a bacterial process, a fungal process, a free enzyme process, a chemical process, a thermochemical process, a thermocatalytic process, or combinations thereof.

9. The process of claim 1, wherein the removing hexose from the feedstock comprises crushing, milling, diffusion, and/or combinations thereof.

10. The process of claim 1, wherein the converting the hexose or pentose to the first biofuel material or the second biofuel material comprises ethanol fermentation.

11. The process of claim 1, further comprising consuming the residue to produce energy comprising:

burning the residue in a fired heater or a boiler unit; and

generating steam.

12. The process of claim 1, wherein the lignocellulosic material comprises bagasse, rice straw, corn stover, miscanthus, switchgrass, wheat straw, wood, wood waste, paper, paper waste, agricultural waste, municipal waste, or combinations thereof.

13. The process of claim 1, wherein the residue comprises cellulose or lignin.

14. The process of claim 1, wherein:

the second biofuel material comprises a biodiesel material; and

the biodiesel material comprises polyunsaturated fatty acids, esters, triglycerides, alkanes, or combinations thereof.

15. The process of claim 1, wherein:

the hexose comprises glucose, sucrose, or fructose; and

the pentose comprises xylose.

16. The process of claim 1, further comprising:

reacting the second biofuel material with an alcohol-based material to form a biodiesel product and glycerin; and

optionally converting the glycerin to additional biodiesel material.

17. The process of claim 16, wherein the alcohol-based material comprises ethanol or methanol.

18. The process of claim 17, wherein the alcohol-based material comprises the biogasoline derived from converting hexose.

19. One or more biofuels made by the process of claim 1.

20. An integrated process of coproducing biofuels, the process comprising:

removing hexose from sugarcane to form a lignocellulosic material;

converting the hexose to butanol, a biogasoline material or a biodiesel material;

depolymerizing the lignocellulosic material to form pentose and a residue;

converting the pentose to a butanol, a biogasoline material or a biodiesel material;

consuming the residue to produce energy;

reacting the biodiesel material with methanol to form a biodiesel product and glycerin; and

converting the glycerin to additional biodiesel material.

21. An integrated biofuels plant, the plant comprising:

a hexose removal unit for removing hexose from a feedstock to form a lignocellulosic material;

a hexose conversion unit for converting hexose to butanol, a biogasoline material or a biodiesel material;

a pentose depolymerization unit for removing pentose from the lignocellulosic material to form a residue; and

a pentose conversion unit for converting pentose to butanol, a biogasoline material or a biodiesel material.

22. The plant of claim 21, further comprising:

an esterification unit to react the biodiesel material with an alcohol-based material to form a biodiesel product and glycerin; and

a line adapted for supplying the glycerin to the pentose conversion unit.

23. The plant of claim 22, wherein the pentose depolymerization unit uses a hydrolysis process, an acidic process (pH 7 and below), a basic or alkali process (pH above 7), an ammonia fiber expansion process, an enzymatic process, a solvent process, a thermomechanical process, a thermochemical process, a steam based process, a steam explosion process, a hot water based treatment process, a supercritical process, and/or combinations thereof.

24. The plant of claim 22, wherein the pentose conversion unit uses a microorganism.

26. The plant of claim 22, wherein the pentose conversion unit uses an algae process, a bacterial process, a fungal process, a free enzyme process, a chemical process, a thermochemical process, a thermocatalytic process, or combinations thereof.

27. An integrated process of coproducing sugar product and biofuel, the process comprising:

removing hexose from a feedstock and to form a lignocellulosic material;

converting the hexose to a sugar product;

depolymerizing the lignocellulosic material to form pentose and a residue; and

converting the pentose to butanol.