Systems and processes for cellulosic ethanol production

• US 7,662,617 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2009
• Issued: 02/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Stephen L. Rush
• Original Assignee: Stephen L. Rush
• Inventors: Rush, Stephen L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Weber; Jon P
• Assistant Examiner(s): Srivastava; Kailash C
• Application Number:
  US12/419,891
• Publication Number:
  US 20090181440A1
• Time in Patent Office: 315 Days
• Field of Search: 435/135, 435/161, 435/170, 435/171, 435/195, 435/243, 435/254.2, 435/257.1, 435/289.1
• US Class Current: 435/289.1
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/026 for compression ignition
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/10 substrate containing cellulosic material
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/649 Biodiesel, i.e. fatty acid alkyl esters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/10 Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel

Abstract

A cellulosic ethanol production system. Implementations may include a feed stage that may produce a raw cellulose stream from a waste cellulose stream and an algae cellulose stream. A hydrolysis stage may produce a hydrolyzed cellulose stream. A liquefaction stage may produce a formed sugars stream and one or more liquefaction byproduct streams. A fermentation stage may react the formed sugars stream with a yeast feed in at least one fermenter to produce a raw ethanol stream. A separation stage may separate ethanol from the raw ethanol stream and to produce a fuel ethanol stream. An algae generation stage may include at least one algae bioreactor and may react the one or more liquefaction byproduct streams with algae in the at least one algae bioreactor to produce an algae stream. A biodiesel production stage may produce a biodiesel stream and the algae cellulose stream.

Claims

1. An integrated cellulosic ethanol and biodiesel production system comprising:

a feed stage that receives a waste cellulose stream and an algae cellulose stream, and produces a raw cellulose stream from the combination thereof;

a hydrolysis stage coupled with the feed stage that hydrolyzes the raw cellulose stream from the feed stage to produce a hydrolyzed cellulose stream wherein the hydrolysis stage further comprises one or more hydrolysis inputs and wherein the one or more hydrolysis inputs comprise one or more compounds to;

reduce the concentration of auxin in the row cellulose stream;

assist in dehydrogenation of the raw cellulose stream;

modify the pH of the raw cellulose stream;

or any combination thereof;

a liquefaction stage coupled with the hydrolysis stage that liquefies the hydrolyzed cellulose stream from the hydrolysis stage to produce a formed sugars stream and one or more liquefaction byproduct streams;

a fermentation stage coupled with the liquefaction stage wherein the formed sugars stream from the liquefaction stage is reacted with a yeast feed in at least one fermenter to produce a raw ethanol stream;

a separation stage coupled with the fermentation stage that separates ethanol from the raw ethanol stream from the fermentation stage to produce a fuel ethanol stream;

an algae generation stage also coupled to the liquefaction stage comprising at least one algae bioreactor wherein the one or more liquefaction byproduct streams are reacted with algae in the at least one algae bioreactor to produce an algae stream;

a biodiesel production stage coupled with the algae generation stage that produces from the algae stream of the algae generation stage a biodiesel stream using a transesterification process, and an algae cellulose stream, wherein the algae cellulose stream is coupled to the feed stage.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more hydrolysis input compounds is one of capsaicin, quercetin, genistien, ethanol, and any combination thereof.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein additionally the one or more hydrolysis input compounds is one or more enzymes selected from the group consisting of dehydrogenase, alcohol dehydrogenase E, and any combination thereof.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the one or more liquefaction byproduct streams includes xylitol.