Integration of alternative feedstreams for biomass treatment and utilization
First Claim
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1. A method of treating biomass composed of integrated feedstocks, said method comprising:
- a) providing biomass;
b) adding to the biomass of a) at least one alternative feedstream to produce an integrated feedstock;
c) for a period of time up to about 25 hours, contacting the integrated feedstock of b) with an aqueous solution comprising ammonia to form an integrated feedstock-aqueous ammonia mixture, wherein the ammonia is present at a concentration at least sufficient to maintain alkaline pH of the integrated feedstock-aqueous ammonia mixture, wherein said ammonia is present at 12 weight percent or less relative to dry weight of integrated feedstock, and further wherein the dry weight of integrated feedstock is at a solids concentration of about 15 weight percent or more relative to the weight of the integrated feedstock-aqueous ammonia mixture, to produce a pretreated integrated feedstock product; and
d) contacting the product of c) with a saccharification enzyme consortium comprising one or more hemicellulose-hydrolyzing glycosidase, under suitable conditions to produce a fermentable sugar product, wherein said fermentable sugar product provides a carbohydrate source for a biocatalyst for a fermentation process.
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Abstract
The present invention provides a method for treating biomass composed of integrated feedstocks to produce fermentable sugars. One aspect of the methods described herein includes a pretreatment step wherein biomass is integrated with an alternative feedstream and the resulting integrated feedstock, at relatively high concentrations, is treated with a low concentration of ammonia relative to the dry weight of biomass. In another aspect, a high solids concentration of pretreated biomass is integrated with an alternative feedstream for saccharifiaction.
72 Citations
37 Claims
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1. A method of treating biomass composed of integrated feedstocks, said method comprising:
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a) providing biomass; b) adding to the biomass of a) at least one alternative feedstream to produce an integrated feedstock; c) for a period of time up to about 25 hours, contacting the integrated feedstock of b) with an aqueous solution comprising ammonia to form an integrated feedstock-aqueous ammonia mixture, wherein the ammonia is present at a concentration at least sufficient to maintain alkaline pH of the integrated feedstock-aqueous ammonia mixture, wherein said ammonia is present at 12 weight percent or less relative to dry weight of integrated feedstock, and further wherein the dry weight of integrated feedstock is at a solids concentration of about 15 weight percent or more relative to the weight of the integrated feedstock-aqueous ammonia mixture, to produce a pretreated integrated feedstock product; and d) contacting the product of c) with a saccharification enzyme consortium comprising one or more hemicellulose-hydrolyzing glycosidase, under suitable conditions to produce a fermentable sugar product, wherein said fermentable sugar product provides a carbohydrate source for a biocatalyst for a fermentation process. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 36, 37)
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11. A method of treating biomass composed of integrated feedstocks, said method comprising:
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a) providing biomass; b) subjecting the biomass of a) to a pretreatment process to produce a pretreated biomass product, wherein said pretreatment process comprises the step of for a period of time up to about 25hours, contacting the biomass of a) with an aqueous solution comprising ammonia to form a biomass-aqueous ammonia mixture, wherein the ammonia is present at a concentration at least sufficient to maintain alkaline pH of the biomass-aqueous ammonia mixture, wherein said ammonia is present at 12weight percent or less relative to dry weight of biomass, and further wherein the dry weight of biomass is at a solids concentration of about 15 weight percent or more relative to the weight of the biomass-aqueous ammonia mixture; c) adding to the pretreated biomass product of b) at least one alternative feedstream to produce a first and optionally a second integrated feedstock; and d) contacting the first or, if present, the second integrated feedstock of c) with a saccharification enzyme consortium comprising one or more hemicellulose-hydrolyzing glycosidase, under suitable conditions, to produce a fermentable sugar product wherein said fermentable sugar product provides a carbohydrate source for a biocatalyst for a fermentation process. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 35)
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Specification