MATERIALS AND METHODS FOR CONVERTING BIOMASS TO BIOFUEL

• US 20140024084A1
• Filed: 09/27/2013
• Published: 01/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Edeniq, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Edeniq, Inc.
• Inventors: Galvez, Adriano III, Richards, Glenn
• Application Number:
  US14/040,356
• Publication Number:
  US 20140024084A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/99
• CPC Class Codes: C08H 8/00 Macromolecular compounds derived from lignocellulosic materials pretreatment thereof B27N
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 19/02 Monosaccharides 2-ketogulonic acid C12P7/60
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 19/14 produced by the action of a carbohydrase (EC 3.2.x), e.g. by alpha-amylase , e.g. by cellulase, hemicellulase
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 2201/00 Pretreatment of cellulosic or lignocellulosic material for subsequent enzymatic treatment or hydrolysis
• 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: 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

This disclosure provides for materials and methods for converting biomass to biofuels. The materials include a colloid mill with or without cellulase enzymes, and the methods include the use of a colloid mill and optionally cellulose enzymes to pretreat biomass for use in a biomass to biofuel production process.

Claims

1. A method of generating sugar from biomass, the method comprising,

a) providing a biomass/water mixture, where in the biomass comprises starch, sugar, and/or cellulose components;

b) pretreating the biomass/water mixture with a high shear/milling mixing device comprising a rotor and a stator, wherein the high shear/milling mixing device has a gap setting between the rotor and stator of between 0.104 and 0.728 millimeters, thereby reducing the size of biomass particles in the biomass/water mixture and rendering a greater percentage of the biomass available compared to pretreatment of the biomass with a hammer mill alone; and

c) contacting the biomass/water mixture with enzymes, thereby converting components of the biomass to sugar.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the enzymes are selected from a gluconase, a cellulase, a beta-glucosidase, a xylanase, a ligninase, a peroxidase, a magnesium peroxidase, an endoglucanase and a mixture thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the enzymes are selected from an alpha amylase and a beta amylase.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising fermenting the sugars, thereby producing alcohol.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising separating particles from the biomass / water mixture after the contacting.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the high shear/milling mixing device is a colloid mill.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the gap between the rotor and stator is adjustable.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the gap setting can be dynamically adjusted.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the biomass is grain and the mixture comprises at least 40% bone dry solids (BDS).

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the biomass is cellulosic biomass and the mixture comprises at least 15% bone dry solids (BDS).

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the mixture comprises 21-46% bone dry solids (BDS).

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the biomass is grain, comprising corn or corn and cellulose mixtures.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the pretreating of the biomass improves the separation of corn oil from spent distillation liquid.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the gap setting is 0.2-0.3 mm and the biomass comprises grains.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the biomass comprises hammer milled corn kernels.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more enzyme comprises an alpha amylase.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more enzyme comprises a cellulase.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the enzymes are contacted to the biomass before the pretreating of the biomass/water mixture with a high shear/milling mixing device.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the enzymes comprise an alpha amylase.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the enzymes comprise a cellulase.

21. The method of claim 18, after the pretreating of the biomass/water mixture with a high shear/milling mixing device, further comprising contacting the biomass with one or more additional enzyme.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said enzymes comprise alpha amylase and said one or more additional enzyme comprises a cellulase and/or gluco-amylase.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the enzymes are contacted to the biomass after the pretreating of the biomass/water mixture with a high shear/milling mixing device.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the enzymes comprise a cellulase.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the enzymes comprise a gluconase.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the enzymes include a cellulase and the cellulase is incubated with the pre-treated biomass at a temperature of about 30°

C. to about 55°

C. for about 24 hours to about 72 hours.