Reactor pump for catalyzed hydrolytic splitting of cellulose

• US 7,815,876 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Issued: 10/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: David A. Olson
• Original Assignee: David A. Olson
• Inventors: Olson, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Griffin; Walter D
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HUY TRAM
• Application Number:
  US11/931,436
• Publication Number:
  US 20080107574A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,084 Days
• Field of Search: 422/232, 422/233, 208/164, 127/37, 127/43, 127/63, 127/65, 127/67, 127/71, 127/1, 127/2, 127/23, 127/24, 127/25, 127/27, 127/28, 123/66
• US Class Current: 422/232
• CPC Class Codes: C08B 15/00 Preparation of other cellulose derivatives or modified cellulose , e.g. complexes
• CPC Class Codes: C08H 8/00 Macromolecular compounds derived from lignocellulosic materials pretreatment thereof B27N
• CPC Class Codes: C13K 1/02 obtained by saccharification of cellulosic materials manufacture of fodder A23K10/32
• CPC Class Codes: D21C 1/00 Pretreatment of the finely-divided materials before digesting of waste paper D21C5/02
• CPC Class Codes: D21C 3/00 Pulping cellulose-containing materials digesters D21C7/00
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 15/02 the fluids being viscous or non-homogeneous
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/10 Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel

Abstract

The reactor pump for hydrolytic splitting of cellulose is configured to pump cellulose, under high pressure, with low availability of sugar into a reactor. The reactor has an upstream transition segment connected to a downstream reaction chamber. The transition segment has an inlet that is smaller than the outlet. The inner walls taper outward. The chamber has an inlet that is larger than the discharge outlet. The inner walls taper inward. The transition segment outlet has an area that is substantially the same as the area of the chamber inlet. Back pressure in the chamber forms a cellulose plug within the inlet of the transition segment. The plug stops cellulose from escaping out the inlet. High pressure pumping forms a cellulose plug within the discharge outlet of the chamber. The plug slows downstream movement of the cooking cellulose giving the cellulose time to cook. Cooking cellulose begins to breakdown under heat and the injection of acid, if required. The outer surface of the plug is cooked faster than the inner core and in the process the faster cooking portion of the plug becomes a liquefied slurry. The slurry lies between the inwardly tapering chamber walls and the less cooked inner core. The slurry slides faster towards the discharge outlet than does the inner core. As the slurry moves downstream in the chamber, the surface of the inner core moves to the walls and in turn is liquefied. Cellulose may be pre-treated prior to entry in the reactor by the addition of water and a weak acid such as sulfuric or ammonium. The cellulose may be granulated to provide more surface area to assist break down in the reactor.

Claims

1. A reactor pump for catalyzed hydrolytic splitting of cellulose, comprising:

(a) a pump comprised of (i) a pumping chamber having a feedstock opening for receiving feedstock;

(ii) a cylinder configured to extend from an upstream opening to a downstream end of the pumping chamber;

(iii) the extending cylinder configured to compress the feedstock in the pumping chamber against compressed feedstock in a reactor;

(iv) the cylinder, upon reaching the downstream end, configured to retract from the downstream end to the upstream opening; and

(v) the cylinder configured to cyclically continue its extension and retraction;

(b) a reactor comprised of a transition segment and a reaction chamber, (i) the transition segment located between the downstream end of the pumping chamber and the inlet of a reaction chamber;

(ii) the transition segment having an inlet smaller than the outlet;

(iii) the reaction chamber having an inlet substantially the same size as the outlet of the transition segment and a discharge outlet smaller than the inlet of the reaction chamber;

(iv) the reactor having a means for heating the compressed feedstock in the reaction chamber; and

(c) whereby the compressed feedstock in the transition segment and the reaction chamber forms a feedstock plug, the feedstock plug cooks as the plug moves downstream under pumping pressure of the pump, and the cooked portion of the plug exits the discharge outlet as a liquefied slurry.

2. The reactor pump of claim 1, also comprising a means for injecting a reagent into the feedstock and/or into the feedstock plug in the reaction chamber, the reagent selected from the group consisting of acid, steam, or a combination thereof.

3. A reactor pump for catalyzed hydrolytic splitting of cellulose, comprising:

(a) a pump comprised of (i) a pumping chamber having a feedstock opening for receiving feedstock;

(ii) a gate upstream from the downstream end of the pumping chamber, the gate configured to cyclically open and close;

(iii) a cylinder configured to cyclically extend and retract from an upstream opening of the pumping chamber to the downstream end of the pumping chamber;

(iv) the cylinder configured to compress feedstock in the pumping chamber against the closed gate;

(v) the gate configured to open upon the occurrence of an event, the event selected from the group consisting of a pre-set level of pressure on the closed gate, a pre-set position of the extending cylinder within the pumping chamber, expiration of a pre-set period of time, or any combination of the foregoing;

(vi) the cylinder configured to compress the feedstock against compressed feedstock in a transition segment and the reaction chamber;

(vii) the cylinder configured to retract when the gate closes;

(b) a reactor comprised of a transition segment and a reaction chamber, (i) the transition segment, located between the downstream end of the pumping chamber and the inlet of a reaction chamber;

(ii) the transition segment having an inlet smaller than the outlet;

(iii) the reaction chamber having an inlet substantially the same size as the outlet of the transition segment and a discharge outlet smaller than the inlet of the reaction chamber;

(iv) the reactor having a means for heating the compressed feedstock in the reaction chamber; and

(c) whereby the compressed feedstock in the transition segment and the reaction chamber forms a feedstock plug, the feedstock plug cooks as the plug moves downstream under pumping pressure of the pump, and the cooked portion of the plug exits the discharge outlet as a liquefied slurry.

4. The reactor of claim 3, wherein the interior of the reactor is comprised of one or more segments selected from the group consisting of a straight segment, inwardly tapered segment, outwardly tapered segment, convex segment, U-elbow segment, concave segment, exit plug segment, or any combination of the foregoing segments.

5. The reactor pump of claim 3, comprising a charging chamber opening into the feedstock opening.

6. The reactor pump of claim 3, wherein the feedstock is comprised of (a) cellulose material selected from the group consisting of wood, logs, wood chips, lumber, newspaper, cardboard, corn fiber, corn cob, sugar cane, straw, switch grass, or any combination thereof, (b) water;

and (c) acid.

7. The reactor pump of claim 3, comprising an adjustable pressure relief valve on the reaction chamber discharge outlet for automatic discharge of cooked feedstock when a pre-set pressure level within the reaction chamber is reached.

8. The reactor pump of claim 3, comprising a throttle valve for changing the cook time 16 of the feedstock.

9. The reactor pump of claim 3, also comprising a means for injecting a reagent into the feedstock plug in the reaction chamber, the reagent selected from the group consisting of acid, steam, water, or a combination thereof.

10. The reactor pump of claim 3, configured for continuous discharge of a liquefied slurry of conversion product.

11. A reactor for catalyzed hydrolytic splitting of cellulose, comprising:

(a) a means for high pressure pumping of feedstock into a reactor; and

(b) a reactor comprised of a transition segment and a reaction chamber, (i) the transition segment, located between the downstream end of the pumping chamber and the inlet of a reaction chamber;

(ii) the transition segment having an inlet smaller than the outlet;

(iii) the reaction chamber having an inlet substantially the same size as the outlet of the transition segment and a discharge outlet smaller than the inlet of the reaction chamber;

(iv) the reactor having a means for heating the compressed feedstock in the reaction chamber;

whereby the compressed feedstock in the transition segment and the reaction chamber forms a feedstock plug, the feedstock plug cooks as the plug moves downstream under pumping pressure of the pump, and the cooked portion of the plug exits the discharge outlet as a liquefied slurry.

12. A reactor pump, comprising a means for compressing cellulose into a reactor and a means for catalyzed hydrolytic splitting of the compressed cellulose in the reactor, wherein

(a) the means for compressing cellulose material is a pump comprising (i) a pumping chamber having an opening for receiving the cellulose;

(ii) a ram configured to compress the cellulose within the pumping chamber and the reactor during an extension stroke;

(iii) the ram configured to retract to allow cellulose to fill the pumping chamber; and

(iv) continuation of the extension and retraction of the ram;

(b) the reactor comprises (i) an inlet and a discharge outlet each of which has a smaller cross-sectional area than the cross-sectional area of the interior of the reactor;

(ii) the cellulose formed into a plug by compression of the cellulose in the reactor;

(iii) the cellulose plug forced downstream within the reactor by compression on the cellulose in the reactor;

(iv) the pressure and heat within the reactor progressively cooking the cellulose plug to a liquid slurry during its downstream movement towards the discharge outlet;

(v) the liquid slurry discharged out the discharge outlet; and

(c) the reactor comprises a reaction chamber having a discharge outlet smaller than the inlet of the reaction chamber.

13. The reactor pump of claim 12, comprising inputs selected from the group consisting of (i) pressure for maintaining plug density, moving the plug downstream, and breaking the plug down to a liquid slurry, (ii) acid and/or steam for breaking the plug down to a liquid slurry, (iii) water for reducing friction between the interior walls of the reactor and the plug, or (iv) any combination of the foregoing.

14. The reactor pump of claim 12, wherein the liquefied slurry is discharged when pressure in the reactor reaches a pre-set level.

15. The reactor pump of claim 12, comprising a means for changing the time that the cellulose plug cooks.