Process for oxidizing and hydrolyzing plant organic matter particles to increase the digestability thereof by ruminants

• US 3,939,286 A
• Filed: 10/21/1974
• Issued: 02/17/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: James W. Jelks
• Original Assignee: James W. Jelks
• Inventors: Jelks, James W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yudkoff, Norman
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ribando, Curtis P.
• Application Number:
  US05/516,596
• Time in Patent Office: 484 Days
• Field of Search: 426/312, 426/373, 426/374, 426/372, 426/807, 426/635, 426/636, 127/36, 127/37, 260/209 R
• US Class Current: 426/312
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 10/32 from hydrolysates of wood or straw
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/87 Re-use of by-products of food processing for fodder production
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 426/807 Poultry or ruminant feed

Abstract

A process for treating plant organic matter particles to increase the digestability thereof by ruminants including mixing the organic particles with water, a nontoxic acid catalyst to produce a Ph lower than 3.0, and a metallic catalyst of either iron or manganese, oxidizing the mixture under elevated pressure and temperature to fragment the cellulose molecules and break the lignin-cellulose bond, and hydrolizing the oxidized mixture under elevated pressure and temperature to convert at least a portion of the cellulose molecules to saccharides and saccharide acids.

Claims

1. A process for treating cellulosic plant matter particles to increase the digestability thereof by ruminants comprising:

a. mixing said particles with (1) water, (2) an acid catalyst selected from the group consisting of carbonic, sulfuric, phosphoric, hydrochloric and acetic acids to produce a pH of less than 3, and (3) a metal catalyst selected from the group consisting of elemental iron, ferric chloride, ferric sulfate, ferric nitrate, elemental manganese and the non-toxic salts of manganese;

b. subjecting the resulting mixture to an oxygen partial pressure of from about 20 to 30 psig at an elevated temperature of approximately 105°

C to approximately 110°

C for 12 to 20 minutes;

to effect an exothermic reaction of oxygen with the cellulose in said particles whereby at least a portion of the lignin-cellulose bonds of said particles are broken and at least a portion of the cellulose molelcules are fragmented; and

c. blowing off resulting gases of oxidation; and

d. hydrolyzing the resulting oxidized mixture in the presence of the acid and metal catalysts added in step (a);

at elevated temperature and pressure of between about 135°

C and about 150°

C under saturated steam conditions to convert at least a portion of the cellulose into saccharides and saccharide acids.

2. The process of claim 1 in which in step (a) the amount of metal catalyst is about 0.4% dry weight of the dry weight of plant organic particles.

3. The process of claim 1 in which in step (a) the mixture is about 40% by weight of dry matter to about 60% by weight of solution.

4. The process of claim 1 in which in step (b) the amount of oxygen reacted equals about 3.75 to 5% by weight of the dry weight of the plant organic matter.

5. The process of claim 1 in which in step (b) the desired temperature of reaction is achieved by the admission of steam into the reaction mixture.

6. The process of claim 1 in which in step (d) the temperature of the reaction is about 180°

C.

7. The process of claim 1 including step (e) in which the hydrolyzed mixture is neutralized sufficiently to raise the Ph thereof to over 4.

8. The process of claim 7 including step (f) in which the neutralized mixture is dried.