INTEGRATED PROCESSES FOR CONVERSION OF LIGNOCELLULOSIC BIOMASS TO BIOPRODUCTS AND SYSTEMS AND APPARATUS RELATED THERETO

• US 20140227757A1
• Filed: 04/14/2014
• Published: 08/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The Board of Trustees of Michigan State University (Michigan State University)
• Original Assignee: The Board of Trustees of Michigan State University (Michigan State University)
• Inventors: Balan, Venkatesh, Dale, Bruce E., Jin, Mingjie
• Application Number:
  US14/251,921
• Publication Number:
  US 20140227757A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/165
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 21/12 for producing fuels or solvents C12M21/04 takes precedence; liquid carbonaceous fuels C10L1/00, solid fuels C10L5/00
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 23/58 Reaction vessels connected in series or in parallel combinations of bioreactors with other apparatus, C12M43/00
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 45/04 Phase separators; Separation of non fermentable material; Fractionation
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 45/09 by enzymatic treatment
• 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 7/10 substrate containing cellulosic material
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/10 Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/10 Process efficiency

Abstract

An integrated biological process for cellulosic bioproduct production is provided, which, in one embodiment, results in high ethanol productivity, enzyme recycling and reuse of yeast cells. The integrated process can be an integrated separate hydrolysis and fermentation (SHF) process or an integrated fast simultaneous saccharification and co-fermentation (FSSCF) process. The methods described herein can result in high bioproduct productivity through enzyme recycling and reuse of yeast cells.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

performing a first hydrolyzing cycle on lignocellulosic biomass containing an easily digestible portion and a non-easily digestible portion, to produce a slurry containing digested solids and unhydrolyzed solids, respectively; and

producing a solids residue and a liquid coproduct from the slurry.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising recycling at least a portion of the solids residue through a second hydrolyzing cycle, wherein an amount of the undigested solids in the solids residue is converted to digested solids.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising performing additional hydrolyzing cycles to produce increasing amounts of digested solids.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein substantially all the new easily digestible portion produced after the first cycle is substantially hydrolyzed after the second cycle and/or the digested solids are comprised predominantly of hydrolyzed solids.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the hydrolyzed solids are hydrolyzed sugars selected from monomeric sugars, oligomeric sugars, xylo-oligomeric sugars and combinations thereof

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the easily digestible portion comprises hemicellulose, and the non-easily digestible portion comprises lignin and/or cellulose.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the lignocellulosic biomass is selected from corn stover (CS), switchgrass, rice straw and combinations thereof.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the pretreatment is an ammonia pretreatment process.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the ammonia pretreatment process is ammonia fiber expansion process.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein enzyme loading is reduced by at least 1% up to 39%, including any range there between.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein fermentation is completed in less than 24 hours.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein a yeast inoculation level is at least 10 times up to about 40 times higher as compared to a conventional non-integrated hydrolysis process with no recycle steps.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the yeast inoculation level (OD₆₀₀) is greater than 2.

14. A system comprising:

a first vessel for performing a first hydrolyzing cycle on lignocellulosic biomass containing an easily digestible portion and a non-easily digestible portion to produce a slurry containing digested solids and unhydrolyzed solids, respectively; and

a second vessel for producing solids residue and a liquid coproduct from the slurry; and

a bioproduct production facility connected to the integrated hydrolysis system and configured to perform either separate hydrolysis and fermentation (SHF) or simultaneous saccharification and co-fermentation (SSCF).

15. The system of claim 14 comprising an integrated hydrolysis system which further comprises a recycling system configured to perform recycling of the solids residue through a second hydrolyzing cycle, wherein an amount of the undigested solids in the solids residue can be converted to digested solids.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the bioproduct production facility is a biofuel or biochemical production facility.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the biofuel production facility is an alcohol production facility.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the alcohol production facility is a butanol or ethanol production facility.

19. The system of claim 14 wherein an additional hydrolyzing cycle is performed in the first vessel to produce increasing amounts of digested solids.

20. An apparatus comprising:

integrated hydrolysis equipment configured to perform a first hydrolyzing cycle on lignocellulosic biomass containing an easily digestible portion and a non-easily digestible portion to produce a slurry containing digested solids and unhydrolyzed solids, respectively, wherein the equipment is further configured to perform a production step, in which solids residue and a liquid coproduct are produced from the slurry, and a recycling step, in which the solids are recycled through a second hydrolyzing cycle, wherein an amount of the undigested solids in the solids residue is converted to digested solids.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the integrated hydrolysis equipment includes one or more vessels, at least one fermenter and at least one saccharification tank.

22. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the integrated hydrolysis equipment includes an equal number of fermenters and saccharification tanks.