Treatment method for fibrous lignocellulosic biomass using fixed stator device having nozzle tool with opposing coaxial toothed rings 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) providing a ground fibrous lignocellulosic biomass;
b) mixing said ground biomass with water to produce a slurry; and
c) subjecting said slurry to high-shear forces by injecting said 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 a nozzle tool containing concentric rings having bore holes 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 performed 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, cellobiase or a combination thereof. 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 a nozzle tool containing concentric rings having bore holes meshing with opposing coaxial tooth rings coupled to a rotor that is coupled to a rotatable shaft.
95 Citations
30 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) providing a ground fibrous lignocellulosic biomass; b) mixing said ground biomass with water to produce a slurry; and c) subjecting said slurry to high-shear forces by injecting said 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 a nozzle tool containing concentric rings having bore holes 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, 7, 24)
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8. A method for treating lignocellulosic biomass to make it more susceptible to hydrolysis, comprising the steps of:
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a) mixing a ground lignocellulosic biomass with water to produce a slurry; and b) subjecting said slurry to high-shear forces by injecting said slurry cross-currently into a turbulent Couette flow created in a high-frequency, rotor-stator device under conditions to microcavitate said 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 a nozzle tool containing concentric rings having bore holes meshing with opposing coaxial toothed rings coupled to a rotor that is coupled to a rotatable shaft. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of treating lignocellulosic biomass to make it more susceptible to hydrolysis, comprising the following steps:
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a) providing a ground fibrous lignocellulosic biomass; b) mixing said ground biomass with water in a medium-shear, mixer-grinder-pump to produce a slurry; c) holding said slurry in residence at a temperature of about 90°
C. for about 30 minutes;d) titrating the pH of said slurry to pH of about 5; e) subjecting said slurry to high-shear forces by injecting said 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 a nozzle tool containing concentric rings having bore holes meshing with opposing coaxial toothed rings coupled to a rotor that is coupled to a rotatable shaft; cooling said sheared slurry to a temperature of about 50°
C.;g) mixing said sheared slurry with an enzyme, selected from the group cellulase, cellobiase, and a combination of cellulase and cellobiase, and a surfactant to form a first mixture; h) subjecting said first mixture to said high-shear forces created by said device; i) separating said first mixture producing a filtrate and a retentate; j) adding the retentate to a newly formed sheared slurry from step (c) forming a second mixture; and k) simultaneously adding an enzyme, selected from the group cellulase, cellobiase, and a combination of cellulase and cellobiase, and a surfactant to said second mixture and subjecting said second mixture to said high-shear forces created by said device. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. A method of hydrolyzing lignocellulosic biomass, comprising the following steps:
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a) mixing a ground lignocellulosic biomass, water, an enzyme capable of converting cellulose and hemicellulose to sugars, and a surfactant to form a slurry; b) subjecting said slurry to high-shear forces by injecting said slurry cross-currently into a turbulent Couette flow created in a high-frequency, rotor-stator device under conditions to microcavitate said 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 a nozzle tool containing concentric rings having bore holes meshing with opposing coaxial toothed rings coupled to a rotor coupled to a rotatable shaft. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A method of treating lignocellulosic biomass to make it more susceptible to hydrolysis, comprising the following steps:
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a) providing a ground lignocellulosic biomass; b) mixing said ground biomass with liquid ammonia to produce a slurry; c) subjecting said slurry to high-shear forces by injecting said slurry cross-currently into a turbulent Couette flow created in a high-frequency, rotor-stator device under conditions to microcavitate said 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 a nozzle tool containing concentric rings having bore holes meshing with opposing coaxial toothed rings coupled to a rotor coupled to a rotatable shaft; and d) removing said liquid ammonia from said slurry to form a particulate substrate. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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25. A method of treating a fibrous lignocellulosic biomass to make it more susceptible to hydrolysis, comprising the following steps.
a) providing a ground fibrous lignocellulosic biomass; -
b) mixing said ground biomass with an alkali solution containing from 1% to 10% alkali by weight to produce a slurry; c) holding said slurry in residence for a period of time sufficient to swell said biomass; and d) subjecting said slurry to high-shear forces by injecting said 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 a nozzle tool containing concentric rings having bore holes meshing with opposing coaxial toothed rings coupled to a rotor that is coupled to a rotatable shaft. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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28. A method of treating a fibrous lignocellulosic biomass to make it more susceptible to hydrolysis, comprising the following steps:
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a) providing a ground fibrous lignocellulosic biomass; b) mixing said ground biomass with from about 1% to 4% concentrated acid by weight to form a slurry; c) maintaining the pH of said slurry in a range from a pH of about 1.8 to a pH of about 5.2; d) holding said slurry in residence for a period of time sufficient to swell said biomass; e) subjecting said slurry to high-shear forces by injecting said 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 a nozzle tool containing concentric rings having bore holes meshing with opposing coaxial toothed rings coupled to a rotor that is coupled to a rotatable shaft; and f) centrifuging said sheared slurry to separate said acid from said biomass. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
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Specification