RECONFIGURABLE PROCESSING ENCLOSURES

• US 20190316294A1
• Filed: 06/03/2019
• Published: 10/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Xyleco, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Xyleco, Inc.
• Inventors: MEDOFF, Marshall, MASTERMAN, Thomas Craig, PARADIS, Robert
• Application Number:
  US16/429,360
• Publication Number:
  US 20190316294A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 15/02 with moving adsorbents
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/32 by electrical effects other than those provided for in group B01D61/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/44 Ion-selective electrodialysis
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/445 with bipolar membranes; Water splitting
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/085 Electron beams only
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0002 Plants assembled from modules joined together
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0869 Feeding or evacuating the reactor
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0879 Solid
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0886 Gas-solid
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 27/00 Jigging conveyors
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 53/04 Conveying materials in bulk pneumatically through pipes or tubes; Air slides
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 53/40 Feeding or discharging devices
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 29/149 with hydrogen or hydrogen-containing gases
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 31/12 containing four carbon atoms
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 37/004 by obtaining phenols from plant material or from animal material
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 39/06 Alkylated phenols
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 1/00 Production of liquid hydrocarbon mixtures from oil-shale, oil-sand, or non-melting solid carbonaceous or similar materials, e.g. wood, coal mechanical winning of oil from oil-shales, oil-sand, or the like B03B
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 1/02 by distillation
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/023 for spark ignition
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/026 for compression ignition
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2200/0469 : Renewables or materials of biological origin
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2200/0476 : Biodiesel, i.e. defined lower alkyl esters of fatty acids first generation biodiesel
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2290/36 : Applying radiation such as microwave, IR, UV
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 9/08 : by heat treatments, e.g. calcining
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 23/42 : Integrated assemblies, e.g. cassettes or cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 35/02 : Electrical or electromagnetic means, e.g. for electroporation or for cell fusion
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 45/07 : by electrical or electromagnetic forces
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 47/00 : Means for after-treatment of the produced biomass or of the fermentation or metabolic products, e.g. storage of biomass filters in general B01D24/00 - B01D41/00
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 47/10 : Separation or concentration of fermentation products bioreactors combined with means for distillation or extraction of liquid fuel C12M43/02
• 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 2203/00 : Fermentation products obtained from optionally pretreated or hydrolyzed cellulosic or lignocellulosic material as the carbon source
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/04 : acyclic
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/06 : Ethanol, i.e. non-beverage
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/10 : substrate containing cellulosic material
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/52 : Propionic acid; Butyric acids
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/56 : Lactic acid
• CPC Class Codes: C13K 1/02 : obtained by saccharification of cellulosic materials manufacture of fodder A23K10/32
• CPC Class Codes: C13K 13/00 : Sugars not otherwise provided for in this class
• CPC Class Codes: C13K 13/002 : Xylose
• CPC Class Codes: D21C 1/04 : with acid reacting compounds
• CPC Class Codes: D21C 1/06 : with alkaline reacting compounds
• CPC Class Codes: D21C 3/02 : with inorganic bases or alkaline reacting compounds, e.g. sulfate processes
• CPC Class Codes: D21C 3/04 : with acids, acid salts or acid anhydrides D21C3/003 and D21C3/222 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D21C 5/02 : Working-up waste paper mechanical part D21B1/08, D21B1/32
• CPC Class Codes: D21C 9/007 : by mechanical or physical means
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/92 : Protection against other undesired influences or dangers buildings providing protection against external dangers E04H9/00; shielding against dangerous radiation G21F
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2001/925 : Protection against harmful electro-magnetic or radio-active radiations, e.g. X-rays
• CPC Class Codes: G21F 3/04 : Bricks; Shields made up therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: G21F 7/00 : Shielded cells or rooms
• CPC Class Codes: G21K 5/10 : with provision for relative movement of beam source and object to be irradiated
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/202 : Movement
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/31 : Processing objects on a macro-scale
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/3165 : Changing chemical properties
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/317 : for changing properties of the objects or for applying thin layers thereon, e.g. for ion implantation H01J37/36 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/10 : Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/30 : Fuel from waste, e.g. synthetic alcohol or diesel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/16 : Mechanical energy storage, e.g. flywheels or pressurised fluids
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/133 : Renewable energy sources, e.g. sunlight
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 10/33 : using wind energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 10/37 : using solar energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/64 : Paper recycling

Abstract

Biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) or other materials are processed to produce useful intermediates and products, such as energy, fuels, foods or materials. For example, systems and methods are described that can be used to treat feedstock materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials, in a vault in which the walls and optionally the ceiling include discrete units. Such vaults are re-configurable.

Claims

1. A treatment facility, the facility comprising:

a vault, having walls, ceiling, and a foundation; and

within the vault, a material conveying system configured to convey biomass under an electron beam.

2. The facility as in claim 1, wherein each of the walls comprise a plurality of discrete units.

3. The facility as in claim 1, wherein the ceiling comprises a plurality of discrete units.

4. The facility as in claim 1, wherein the vault is re-configurable.

5. The facility as in claim 1, further comprising an electron irradiation device supported by the ceiling of the vault and disposed to irradiate biomass conveyed by the conveying system.

6. The facility as in claim 5, wherein the irradiation device weighs at least 5 Tons.

7. The facility as in claim 5, wherein the irradiation device weighs at least 10 tons.

8. The facility as in claim 5, wherein the irradiation device weighs between about 5 and about 20 tons.

9. The facility as in claim 1, wherein the foundation comprises a concrete slab.

10. The facility as in claim 1, wherein the walls comprise interlocking blocks.

11. The facility as in claim 1, wherein the walls support a network of I-beams and the network of I-beams supports ceiling panels.

12. The facility as in claim 1, wherein the walls, ceiling and foundation are at least about 4 feet thick.

13. The facility as in claim 1, wherein the walls, ceiling and foundation are at least about 5 feet thick

14. The facility as in claim 1, wherein the walls, ceiling and foundation are between about 5 and about 10 feet thick.

15. The facility as in claim 1, wherein the walls, ceiling and foundation include concrete and the concrete is selected from the group consisting of regular concrete, high density concrete, pre-tensioned concrete, lead containing concrete, rebar containing concrete and combinations thereof.

16. The facility as in claim 1, wherein the vault further comprises a substantially radiation opaque door.

17. The facility as in claim 16, wherein the door comprises a steel interior in contact with a front and back layer comprising lead.

18. The facility as in claim 1, further comprising an opening for continuously supplying biomass into the vault and to the conveyor, and openings for a continuous loop conveyor for continuously removing biomass from the conveyor and out of the vault.

19. A method of treating a biomass material, the method comprising;

irradiating a lignocellulosic biomass with an electron beam, in a vault having a foundation, walls and a ceiling,

wherein each of the walls comprise a plurality of discrete units.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the ceiling comprises a plurality of discrete units.