PROCESSING BIOMASS

• US 20130065286A1
• Filed: 11/05/2012
• Published: 03/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xyleco, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Xyleco, Inc.
• Inventors: Medoff, Marshall, Masterman, Thomas Craig
• Granted Patent: US 9,388,432 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/135
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1612 CO2-separation and sequestration, i.e. long time storage
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1665 to alcohols, e.g. methanol or ethanol
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1681 with biological plants, e.g. involving bacteria, algae, fungi
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/04 acyclic
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/065 with microorganisms other than yeasts
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/10 substrate containing cellulosic material
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/14 Multiple stages of fermentation; Multiple types of microorganisms or re-use of microorganisms
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/40 containing a carboxyl group including Peroxycarboxylic acids
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/46 Dicarboxylic acids having four or less carbon atoms, e.g. fumaric acid, maleic acid
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/54 Acetic acid vinegar C12J
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/56 Lactic acid
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/62 Carboxylic acid esters
• CPC Class Codes: C13K 1/02 obtained by saccharification of cellulosic materials manufacture of fodder A23K10/32
• CPC Class Codes: C13K 1/06 obtained by saccharification of starch or raw materials containing starch
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/10 Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/678 Aviation using fuels of non-fossil origin

Abstract

Carbon-containing materials, such as biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) or coal are processed to produce useful products, such as fuels, carboxylic acids and equivalents thereof (e.g., esters and salts). For example, systems are described that can use feedstock materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials and/or starchy materials, to produce ethanol, butanol or organic acids (e.g., acetic or lactic acid), salts of organic acids or mixtures thereof. If desired, organic acids can be converted into alcohols, such as by first converting the acid, salt or mixtures of the acid and its salt to an ester, and then hydrogenating the formed ester. Acetogens or homoacetogens which are capable of utilizing a syngas from a thermochemical conversion of coal or biomass can be utilized to produce the desired product.

Claims

1. A method of making a product, the method comprising:

reducing the recalcitrance of a lignocellulosic material,

saccharifying the reduced recalcitrance lignocellulosic material with an enzyme, and

fermenting the saccharified material utilizing a microorganism to produce a carboxylic acid.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the recalcitrance of the lignocellulosic material is reduced with a method selected from the group consisting of radiation, sonication, pyrolysis, oxidation, steam explosion, and combinations thereof.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising converting the carboxylic acid to an ester.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the ester is a butyrate ester.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising hydrogenating the ester to one or more alcohols.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein hydrogenating the ester comprises exposing the ester to hydrogen under a pressure of between about 25 and 700 Bar in the presence of a catalyst.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein at least one of the alcohols is butanol.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the carboxylic acid is selected from the group consisting of acetic acid, lactic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, succinic acid, 3-hydroxypropionic acid, a salt of any of these acids and a mixture of any of these acids and respective salts.

9. The method of claim 2 wherein reducing the recalcitrance of the lignocellulosic material comprises treating the material with radiation wherein the radiation comprises a beam of electrons.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising irradiating the material with at least 10 Mrad of radiation.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the lignocellulosic material is selected from the group consisting of paper, paper products, wood, wood-related materials, particle board, grasses, rice hulls, bagasse, cotton, jute, hemp, flax, bamboo, sisal, abaca, straw, corn cobs, rice hulls, coconut hair, algae, seaweed or mixtures of any of these.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the enzyme comprises a cellulase.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the microorganism comprises a homoacetogen or a heteroacetogen.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the microorganism is selected from the genus Clostridium.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the microorganism is an anaerobic bacteria.