COMMINUTION AND DENSIFICATION OF BIOMASS PARTICLES

• US 20110114765A1
• Filed: 11/30/2009
• Published: 05/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MARD Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Kior Inc.
• Inventors: Stamires, Dennis, Bartek, Robert, O'Connor, Paul, Brady, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,465,627 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 241/1
• CPC Class Codes: D21B 1/02 Pretreatment of the raw materials by chemical or physical means removal of bark B27L
• CPC Class Codes: D21B 1/021 by chemical means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/10 Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel

Abstract

A method is disclosed for reducing the mechanical strength of solid biomass material, in particular ligno-cellulosic biomass. The method comprises heating the solid biomass material to a temperature in the range of 105° C. to 200° C. The heat treatment, which is referred to as “toasting”, significantly reduces the mechanical energy required for reducing the particle size of the solid biomass material.

The method is particularly suitable as a pretreatment step to a conversion reaction of the solid biomass material.

Claims

1. A process for producing a modified biomass material, said process comprising the step of exposing a solid biomass material to a toasting temperature in the range of from 105°

C. to 200°

C. during an exposure time of from 1 minute to 12 hours.

7. The process of claim 1 wherein the toasting step is carried out in the presence of steam.

8. The process of claim 1 comprising the further step of intimately mixing the solid biomass material with a particulate inorganic material, said further step being carried out before the step of exposing the solid biomass material to the toasting temperature.

9. The process of claim 8 wherein the particulate inorganic material comprises a catalyst.

10. The process of claim 9 further comprising the step of reducing the ash content of the solid biomass material prior to the step of mixing the solid biomass material with the particulate inorganic catalyst;

and wherein;

the toasting step is carried out in the presence of steam;

the solid biomass material is a lignocellulosic biomass material;

the particulate inorganic catalyst is selected from the group consisting of carbonates, hydroxides and oxides of alkali and earth alkaline metals;

mixed metal oxides;

layered cationic materials;

natural clays;

hydrotalcite-like materials;

crystalline aluminosilicates; and

combinations thereof;

the toasting is conducted in a fluidized bed fixed bed, transported bed or ebullated bed type of reactor; and

the modified biomass material has a reduced resistance to mechanical disintegration.

11. The process of claim 1 comprising the further step of impregnating the solid biomass material with an inorganic material in the form of a solution or colloidal suspension, said further step being carried out before the step of exposing the solid biomass material to the toasting temperature.

12. The process of claim 1 comprising the further step of intimately mixing the solid biomass material with a particulate inorganic catalyst material and impregnating the solid biomass material with an inorganic material, said inorganic material is in the form of a solution or colloidal suspension, said further step being carried out before the step of exposing the solid biomass material to the toasting temperature.

13. The process of claim 12 further comprising the step of reducing the ash content of the solid biomass material prior to the step of mixing the solid biomass material with the particulate inorganic catalyst and impregnating the solid biomass material with an inorganic material;

and wherein;

the solid biomass material is a lignocellulosic biomass material;

the particulate inorganic catalyst is selected from the group consisting of layered anionic materials;

the inorganic material is selected from the group consisting of hydroxides and carbonates of sodium and potassium;

the toasting is conducted in a fluidized bed, fixed bed, transported bed or ebullated bed type of reactor; and

the modified biomass material has a reduced resistance to mechanical disintegration.

15. A modified biomass material obtainable by the process of claim 1 wherein the modified biomass material has a reduced resistance to mechanical disintegration.

16. The process of claim 1 wherein the biomass material has been contacted with an organic compound before or during the toasting process.

19. A process for the conversion of the modified biomass material of claim 15 comprising pyrolysis, biomass catalytic cracking, hydrothermal upgrading, gasification, chemical conversion, hydrothermal conversion, hydropyrolytic conversion, enzymatic conversion or a combination thereof.

21. A modified biomass material obtainable by the process of claim 10.

22. A process for the conversion of the modified biomass material of claim 21 comprising pyrolysis, biomass catalytic cracking, hydrothermal upgrading, gasification, chemical, conversion, hydrothermal conversion, hydropyrolytic conversion, enzymatic conversion or a combination thereof.

31. The process of claim 1 further comprising subjecting a flash material to flash heating wherein the flash material has biomass particles, is selected from the group consisting of the solid biomass material and the modified biomass material, and before said flash heating the flash material has a moisture content of at least 20 wt. %.

32. The process of claim 31 wherein:

said flash heating occurs prior to said toasting

wherein the flash heating comprises increasing the temperature from 80°

C. or below to 120°

C. or above in less than 30 seconds, and

wherein the flash heating is followed or accompanied by a pressure drop.

33. The process of claim 31 wherein:

said flash heating occurs after said toasting and said flash material is contacted with an aqueous liquid sufficient to increase the moisture content to at least 20 wt. % prior to said flash heating;

wherein the flash heating comprises increasing the temperature from 80°

C. or below to 120°

C. or above in less than 30 seconds; and

wherein the flash heating is followed or accompanied by a pressure drop.

38. The process of claim 31 wherein step (i) further comprises contacting the biomass particles of the flash material with a swelling aid selected from the group consisting of water soluble bases, water soluble acids, water soluble salts, and mixtures thereof.

39. The process of claim 38 wherein the swelling aid comprises at least one cation selected from the group consisting of K;

NH4;

Na;

Ba;

Mn;

Mg;

Ca;

Li; and

Zn;

or at least one anion selected from the group consisting of ClO3;

SO4;

SO3;

NO3;

Cl;

Br;

ClO4;

I;

CNS;

HSO4;

OH;

HCO3;

HSO3;

(OH)CO3.

40. The process of claim 38 wherein the swelling aid comprises at least one compound selected from the group consisting of a salt of 1) an alkali metal, an alkaline-earth metal, a transition metal, or a rare earth metal;

and

     2) an aluminum-containing anion; and

combinations thereof.

43. The process of claim 1 wherein prior to or following the toasting of said solid biomass material, the solid biomass material is exposed to a pressure swing explosion by:

(i) exposing, at a high pressure, said solid biomass material to a compound selected from the group consisting of steam, ammonia and CO₂; and

(ii) allowing the pressure to be reduced to a low pressure;

wherein the pressure and temperature of said gas in step (i) are such that at least a portion of said gas is liquefied; and

wherein said low pressure in step (ii) is below said high pressure of step (i) and sufficiently low such that substantially all of said compound is in the form of a gas.

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