Process for the treatment of lignocellulosic biomass
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A process for the treatment of a plant biomass, the process comprising:
- (a) performing an ammonia treatment process comprising;
(i) contacting a lignocellulosic plant biomass, which has been ground and which contains varying moisture contents, with a source of ammonia comprising at least one of anhydrous ammonia in the liquid state, anhydrous ammonia in the vapor state, a concentrated ammonia;
water mixture in the liquid state, and a concentrated ammonia;
water mixture in the vapor state, thereby forming a mixture in which the ratio of ammonia (as NH3) to dry plant biomass is between about 0.1;
1 and 0.75;
1 and the ratio of water to dry plant biomass is between about 0.2;
1 and 1.5;
1;
(ii) maintaining the mixture in a closed vessel at temperatures between about 50°
C. and 140°
C. for a period of time;
(iii) maintaining the ammonia in contact with the lignocellulosic plant biomass and increasing an amount of the ammonia in the liquid state by managing a headspace volume of the closed vessel; and
(iv) rapidly releasing pressure from the vessel by releasing ammonia from the vessel to form a treated biomass, the treated biomass having an increased reactivity of plant polymers comprising hemicellulose and cellulose; and
(b) removing the treated plant biomass which has increased reactivity from the vessel.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A process for the treatment of biomass to render structural carbohydrates more accessible and/or digestible using concentrated ammonium hydroxide with or without anhydrous ammonia addition, is described. The process preferably uses steam to strip ammonia from the biomass for recycling. The process yields of monosaccharides from the structural carbohydrates are good, particularly as measured by the enzymatic hydrolysis of the structural carbohydrates. The monosaccharides are used as animal feeds and energy sources for ethanol production.
-
Citations
15 Claims
-
1. A process for the treatment of a plant biomass, the process comprising:
-
(a) performing an ammonia treatment process comprising; (i) contacting a lignocellulosic plant biomass, which has been ground and which contains varying moisture contents, with a source of ammonia comprising at least one of anhydrous ammonia in the liquid state, anhydrous ammonia in the vapor state, a concentrated ammonia;
water mixture in the liquid state, and a concentrated ammonia;
water mixture in the vapor state, thereby forming a mixture in which the ratio of ammonia (as NH3) to dry plant biomass is between about 0.1;
1 and 0.75;
1 and the ratio of water to dry plant biomass is between about 0.2;
1 and 1.5;
1;(ii) maintaining the mixture in a closed vessel at temperatures between about 50°
C. and 140°
C. for a period of time;(iii) maintaining the ammonia in contact with the lignocellulosic plant biomass and increasing an amount of the ammonia in the liquid state by managing a headspace volume of the closed vessel; and (iv) rapidly releasing pressure from the vessel by releasing ammonia from the vessel to form a treated biomass, the treated biomass having an increased reactivity of plant polymers comprising hemicellulose and cellulose; and (b) removing the treated plant biomass which has increased reactivity from the vessel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A process for the treatment of a plant biomass, the process comprising:
-
(a) performing an ammonia treatment process comprising; (i) contacting a lignocellulosic plant biomass, which has been ground and which contains varying moisture contents, with a source of ammonia comprising at least one of anhydrous ammonia in the liquid state, anhydrous ammonia in the vapor state, a concentrated ammonia;
water mixture in the liquid state, and a concentrated ammonia;
water mixture in the vapor state, thereby forming a mixture in which the ratio of ammonia (as NH3) to dry plant biomass is between about 0.1;
1 and 1.2;
1 and the ratio of water to dry plant biomass is between about 0.2;
1 and 1.5;
1;(ii) maintaining the mixture in a closed vessel at temperatures between about 50°
C. and 140°
C. for a period of time;(iii) introducing nitrogen under pressure into a headspace volume of the vessel to increase the fraction of the total ammonia that is in the liquid phase in the closed vessel and in contact with the lignocellulosic plant biomass; and (iv) rapidly releasing pressure from the vessel by releasing ammonia from the vessel to form a treated biomass, the treated biomass having an increased reactivity of plant polymers comprising hemicellulose and cellulose; and (b) removing the treated plant biomass which has increased reactivity from the vessel. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
Specification