HYBRID BIOREFINING AND GASIFICATION OF LIGNOCELLULOSIC FEEDSTOCKS

• US 20120202260A1
• Filed: 09/03/2010
• Published: 08/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lignol Innovations Ltd (Suzano S.A.)
• Original Assignee: Lignol Innovations Ltd (Suzano S.A.)
• Inventors: Maclachlan, John Ross
• Application Number:
  US13/393,000
• Publication Number:
  US 20120202260A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/157
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0465 Composition of the impurity
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/048 the impurity being an organic compound
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/50 Separation of hydrogen or hydrogen containing gases from gaseous mixtures, e.g. purification C01B3/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 29/1518 one step being the formation of initial mixture of carbon oxides and hydrogen for synthesis
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 31/04 Methanol
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 31/08 Ethanol
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 31/12 containing four carbon atoms
• CPC Class Codes: C08H 8/00 Macromolecular compounds derived from lignocellulosic materials pretreatment thereof B27N
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0903 Feed preparation
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0916 Biomass
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1659 to liquid hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1665 to alcohols, e.g. methanol or ethanol
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 3/00 Production of combustible gases containing carbon monoxide from solid carbonaceous fuels destructive distillation processes C10B
• CPC Class Codes: D21C 11/0007 Recovery of by-products, i.e. compounds other than those necessary for pulping, for multiple uses or not otherwise provided for volatile compounds obtained by decomposition of spent liquors in order to regenerate them D21C11/125; compounds obtained by fractionating the liquors in order to regenerate them D21C11/0042
• CPC Class Codes: D21C 11/0042 Fractionating or concentration of spent liquors by special methods concentration by evaporation D21C11/10
• CPC Class Codes: D21C 11/125 Decomposition of the pulp liquors in reducing atmosphere or in the absence of oxidants, i.e. gasification or pyrolysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/10 Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/145 the feedstock being materials of biological origin

Abstract

Processes and systems for concurrent recovery of lignin derivatives and syngas from a lignocellulosic feedstock. The processes and systems therefor generally comprise the steps of: (a) perfusing and cooking the lignocellulosic feedstock with a suitable organic solvent for a suitable period of time thereby producing a cellulosic solids output stream and a spent liquid solvent stream, said spent liquid solvent stream comprising solubilized lignin derivatives and other organic compounds; (b) separating said cellulosic solids output stream and said spent liquid solvent stream; (c) recovering lignin derivatives from the spent liquid solvent stream thereby producing at least a partially de-lignified spent liquid solvent stream; (d) recovering a portion of the organic solvent from the at least partially de-lignified spent liquid solvent stream thereby producing a stillage; and (e) gasifying the cellulosic solids output stream thereby producing a combustible syngas.

Claims

4. A process according to claim 3, wherein the processed stillage waste stream is concurrently gasified with the cellulosic solids output stream.

11. A biorefining system for recovering lignin derivatives from lignocellulosic feedstocks, the system comprising:

a pulping unit configured to receive and process a lignocellulosic feedstock with an organic solvent to separate therefrom a cellulosic solids stream and a spent solvent black liquor stream comprising solubilized plant components;

a black liquor processing unit configured to receive and process the black liquor stream for separation and recovery therefrom of a plurality of lignin derivatives, a portion of the organic solvent, and at least a partially de-lignified stillage; and

a gasification unit configured to receive and gasify the cellulosic solids stream and to recover therefrom a syngas stream.

1. A process for concurrent recovery of lignin derivatives and syngas from a lignocellulosic feedstock, the process comprising the steps of:

perfusing and cooking the lignocellulosic feedstock with an organic solvent for a suitable period of time thereby producing a cellulosic solids output stream and a spent liquid solvent stream, said spent liquid solvent stream comprising solubilized lignin derivatives and other organic compounds;

separating said cellulosic solids output stream and said spent liquid solvent stream;

recovering lignin derivatives from the spent liquid solvent stream thereby producing at least a partially de-lignified spent liquid solvent stream;

recovering a portion of the organic solvent from the at least partially de-lignified spent liquid solvent stream thereby producing a stillage; and

gasifying the cellulosic solids output stream thereby producing a combustible syngas.

2. A process according to claim 1, wherein the stillage is concurrently gasified with the cellulosic solids output stream.

3. A process according to claim 1, wherein the at least partially de-lignified solids output stream is further processed to remove therefrom at least one furfurals, acetic acid, sugar syrups, phenolic compounds and terpenoids, thereby producing a processed stillage waste stream.

5. A process according to claim 1, wherein the combustible syngas is further processed to recover therefrom a short-chain alcohol.

6. A process according to claim 5, wherein the short-chain alcohol is one of methanol, ethanol, and butanol.

7. A process according to claim 5, wherein further processing of the combustible syngas is one of a chemical reaction and a fermentation.

8. A process according to claim 7, wherein said chemical reaction comprises at least one reaction step of contacting the syngas with a suitable catalyst.

9. A process according to claim 1, wherein the combustible syngas is further processed to recover therefrom at least one of alkanes, olefins, oxygenates and biodiesel.

10. A process according to claim 9, wherein the further processing comprises at least one Fischer-Tropsch reaction.

12. A biorefining system according to claim 11, additionally configured to recycle the recovered portion of the organic solvent into the pulping unit.

13. A biorefining system according to claim 11, wherein the black liquor processing unit is additionally configured for recovery from the de-lignified stillage of at least one of furfurals, acetic acid, sugar syrups, phenolic compounds and terpenoids, thereby producing a de-lignified stillage waste stream.

14. A biorefining system according to claim 11, additionally configured to recycle the recovered portion of the de-lignified stillage into the gasification unit.

15. A biorefining system according to claim 13, additionally configured to recycle the recovered portion of the e-lignified stillage waste stream into the gasification unit.

16. A biorefining system according to claim 11, wherein the gasification unit is additionally configured to convert a portion of the syngas stream into a short-chain alcohol.

17. A biorefining system according to claim 16, wherein the gasification unit is configured for purification of the syngas stream.

16-2. A biorefining system according to claim 11, wherein the gasification unit is additionally configured to convert a portion of the syngas stream into one of alkanes, olefins, oxygenates and biodiesel by a Fischer-Tropsch reaction.

17-3. A biorefining system according to claim 11, wherein the gasification unit is configured for concurrent conversion of a portion of the syngas stream into a short-chain alcohol and one of lkanes, olefins, oxygenates and biodiesel.

18. A biorefining system according to claim 16, wherein the gasification unit is configured for conversion of the syngas stream into a short-chain alcohol by at least one catalyzed chemical reaction.

19. A modular biorefining system according to claim 18, additionally provided with a fourth module configured for receiving and processing therein a portion of the cellulosic solids stream from the first module.

18-1. A biorefining system according to claim 16, wherein the gasification unit is configured for conversion of the syngas stream into a short-chain alcohol by a fermentation process.

18-4. A modular biorefining system for recovering lignin derivatives from lignocellulosic feedstocks, the system comprising:

a first module comprising a pulping unit configured to receive and process a lignocellulosic feedstock with an organic solvent to separate therefrom a cellulosic solids stream and a black liquor stream comprising solubilized plant components;

a second module comprising a black liquor processing unit configured to receive and process the black liquor stream to separate and recover therefrom a plurality of lignin derivatives, a portion of the organic solvent, and a de-lignified stillage; and

a third module comprising a gasification unit configured to receive and gasify the cellulosic solids stream and to recover therefrom a syngas stream.