METHOD FOR HEATING A FEEDSTOCK
First Claim
1. A method for producing a pretreated or hydrolyzed lignocellulosic feedstock comprising:
- (i) feeding a lignocellulosic feedstock to a plug formation device and forming a feedstock plug therein;
(ii) feeding the plug or segments thereof into an elongate chamber having at least a portion thereof that is cylindrical, said chamber having steam addition means for direct steam addition and a rotating shaft mounted therein having one or more disintegrating elements arranged thereon;
(iii) producing disintegrated feedstock particles in said elongate chamber by said disintegrating elements;
(iv) heating the disintegrated feedstock particles by contacting the particles with steam introduced through said steam addition means, wherein the operating pressure in the chamber is at least about 90 psia; and
thereafter(v) pretreating or hydrolyzing the disintegrated feedstock particles in a reactor to produce the pretreated or hydrolyzed lignocellulosic feedstock.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a method for producing a pretreated or hydrolyzed lignocellulosic feedstock. The method comprises feeding a lignocellulosic feedstock to a plug formation device and forming a feedstock plug therein. The plug or segments thereof are fed into an elongate chamber that comprises steam addition means for direct steam addition and a rotating shaft mounted co-axially within the chamber having one or more disintegrating elements mounted on it. Disintegrated feedstock particles are produced in the elongate chamber by the disintegrating elements. The disintegrated feedstock particles are heated by contact with the steam introduced through the steam addition means. The disintegrated feedstock particles are then treated in a reactor to produce the pretreated or hydrolyzed lignocellulosic feedstock. Further provided is a feedstock composition comprising disintegrated feedstock particles. Also provided are methods for reducing erosion on equipment by maintaining the discharge consistency from the plug formation device below 35 wt %.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method for producing a pretreated or hydrolyzed lignocellulosic feedstock comprising:
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(i) feeding a lignocellulosic feedstock to a plug formation device and forming a feedstock plug therein; (ii) feeding the plug or segments thereof into an elongate chamber having at least a portion thereof that is cylindrical, said chamber having steam addition means for direct steam addition and a rotating shaft mounted therein having one or more disintegrating elements arranged thereon; (iii) producing disintegrated feedstock particles in said elongate chamber by said disintegrating elements; (iv) heating the disintegrated feedstock particles by contacting the particles with steam introduced through said steam addition means, wherein the operating pressure in the chamber is at least about 90 psia; and
thereafter(v) pretreating or hydrolyzing the disintegrated feedstock particles in a reactor to produce the pretreated or hydrolyzed lignocellulosic feedstock. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for producing a pretreated or hydrolyzed lignocellulosic feedstock comprising:
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(i) feeding a lignocellulosic feedstock to a plug formation device and forming a feedstock plug therein; (ii) feeding the plug or segments thereof from the plug formation device into an elongate chamber having at least a portion thereof that is cylindrical, said chamber having steam addition means for direct steam addition and a rotating shaft mounted therein having one or more disintegrating elements arranged thereon, wherein the disintegrating elements are arranged on said shaft so as to sweep the inner surface of at least a region of the chamber; (iii) producing disintegrated feedstock particles in said elongate chamber by said disintegrating elements; (iv) heating the disintegrated feedstock by contacting the particles with steam introduced through said steam addition means, wherein the operating pressure in the chamber is at least about 90 psia; and
thereafter(v) pretreating or hydrolyzing the disintegrated feedstock particles in a pretreatment reactor to produce the pretreated or hydrolyzed lignocellulosic feedstock.
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14. A lignocellulosic feedstock composition comprising:
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(i) disintegrated lignocellulosic feedstock particles; (ii) about 15 to about 35 wt % undissolved solids, wherein the undissolved solids comprise between about 20 and about 60 wt % cellulose and between about 10 and about 30 wt % xylan; and (iii) a mineral or organic acid; wherein said feedstock particles are not primarily derived from wood chips or pulp, and wherein the pH of the feedstock composition is between about 0.5 and about 4.5. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for producing an alcohol from a lignocellulosic feedstock comprising:
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(i) feeding a lignocellulosic feedstock in the form of a slurry to a plug formation device and forming a feedstock plug therein, wherein the plug or segments thereof exiting the plug formation device have an undissolved dry solids content between about 20 wt % and about 35 wt %; (ii) pretreating the lignocellulosic feedstock after step (i) to produce a pretreated lignocellulosic feedstock having an undissolved dry solids content of between about 15 and 25 wt %; (iii) enzymatically hydrolyzing the pretreated lignocellulosic feedstock to produce a solution comprising at least glucose; and (iv) fermenting at least the glucose to produce the alcohol, wherein the lignocellulosic feedstock is selected from cultivated crops, sugar processing residues and agricultural residues having an ash content of greater than 0.5% (w/w). - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 27)
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24. A method for producing a pretreated or hydrolyzed lignocellulosic feedstock comprising:
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(i) soaking a lignocellulosic feedstock with an aqueous solution to produce a soaked lignocellulosic feedstock, wherein said lignocellulosic feedstock does not primarily contain wood chips or pulp; (ii) feeding the soaked lignocellulosic feedstock to a plug formation device and forming a feedstock plug therein, wherein the plug or segments thereof exiting the plug formation device have an undissolved dry solids content between about 20 wt % and about 35 wt %; (iii) disintegrating the plug or segments thereof to produce disintegrated feedstock particles and heating the disintegrated feedstock particles; and
thereafter(iv) pretreating or hydrolyzing the disintegrated feedstock particles in a reactor to produce the pretreated or hydrolyzed lignocellulosic feedstock. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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Specification