Treatment of fibrous lignocellulosic biomass by high shear forces in a turbulent couette flow to make the biomass more susceptible to hydrolysis
First Claim
1. A method of treating a fibrous lignocellulosic biomass to make it more susceptible to hydrolysis, comprising the following steps:
- (a) reducing the particle size of the lignocellulosic biomass to produce a dry flour;
(b) mixing the flour with water to produce a slurry ranging up to about 60% solids; and
(c) subjecting the slurry to high-shear forces by injecting the slurry cross currently into a turbulent Couette flow created in a high-frequency, rotor-stator device under conditions to microcavitate the slurry to shatter the fibrous structure of the biomass in the slurry creating a sheared slurry, said device comprising a chamber containing a fixed stator equipped with coaxial toothed rings meshing with opposing coaxial toothed rings coupled to a rotor that is coupled to a rotatable shaft.
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Accused Products
Abstract
High-shear, microcavitation is used to shred and disintegrate fibrous lignocellulose-containing biomass to make the biomass more susceptible to hydrolysis. This process is preferably done with the biomass particles dispersed in a slurry created using only water. The process can be performed on slurries created with other liquids such as liquid ammonia, aqueous solutions of acid or alkali reagents, or enzyme solutions containing cellulase. High-shear microcavitation is carried out by subjecting the slurry to high-shear forces by injecting the slurry cross currently into a turbulent Couette flow created in a high-frequency, rotor-stator device. This microcavitation shatters the fibrous structure of the biomass in the slurry thereby creating a sheared slurry. The device has a chamber containing a fixed stator equipped with coaxial toothed rings meshing with opposing coaxial toothed rings coupled to a rotor that is coupled to a rotatable shaft.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method of treating a fibrous lignocellulosic biomass to make it more susceptible to hydrolysis, comprising the following steps:
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(a) reducing the particle size of the lignocellulosic biomass to produce a dry flour; (b) mixing the flour with water to produce a slurry ranging up to about 60% solids; and (c) subjecting the slurry to high-shear forces by injecting the slurry cross currently into a turbulent Couette flow created in a high-frequency, rotor-stator device under conditions to microcavitate the slurry to shatter the fibrous structure of the biomass in the slurry creating a sheared slurry, said device comprising a chamber containing a fixed stator equipped with coaxial toothed rings meshing with opposing coaxial toothed rings coupled to a rotor that is coupled to a rotatable shaft. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of treating lignocellulosic biomass to make it more susceptible to hydrolysis, comprising the steps of:
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(a) mixing a lignocellulosic biomass flour with water to produce a slurry; and (b) subjecting the slurry to high-shear forces by injecting the slurry cross currently into a turbulent Couette flow created in a high-frequency, rotor-stator device under conditions to microcavitate the slurry to shatter the fibrous structure of the biomass in the slurry creating a sheared slurry, said device comprising a chamber containing a fixed stator equipped with coaxial toothed rings meshing with opposing coaxial toothed rings coupled to a rotor that is coupled to a rotatable shaft. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of treating lignocellulosic biomass to make it more susceptible to hydrolysis, comprising the following steps:
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(a) mixing a lignocellulosic biomass flour with water, an enzyme capable of converting cellulose and hemicellulose to sugars, and a surfactant to form a slurry; and (b) subjecting the slurry to high-shear forces by injecting the slurry cross currently into a turbulent Couette flow created in a high-frequency, rotor-stator device under conditions to microcavitate the slurry to shatter the fibrous structure of the biomass in the slurry creating a sheared slurry, said device comprising a chamber containing a fixed stator equipped with coaxial toothed rings meshing with opposing coaxial toothed rings coupled to a rotor that is coupled to a rotatable shaft. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of treating lignocellulosic biomass to make it more susceptible to hydrolysis, comprising the following steps:
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(a) mixing a lignocellulosic biomass flour with water, an enzyme capable of converting cellulose and hemicellulose to sugars, and a surfactant to form a slurry; (b) subjecting the slurry using high-shear forces by injecting the slurry cross currently into a turbulent Couette flow created in a high-frequency, rotor-stator device under conditions to microcavitate the slurry to shatter the fibrous structure of the biomass in the slurry creating a sheared slurry, said device comprising a chamber containing a fixed stator equipped with coaxial toothed rings meshing with opposing coaxial toothed rings coupled to a rotor that is coupled to a rotatable shaft; and (c) mixing the sheared slurry from step (b) with the slurry from step (a) and repeating step (b).
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Specification