Method of separating components from a gas stream
First Claim
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1. A method of removing at least one gas component of a gas stream to produce a conditioned cellulosic material, comprising:
- sending a feed gas stream comprised of a water soluble gas component having a Henry'"'"'s Law constant (KH) at 25°
C. of at least 0.002 mole/L-atm and a water insoluble gas component having a Henry'"'"'s Law constant (KH) at 25°
C. of less than 0.002 mole/L-atm to contact cellulosic material within a vessel;
retaining at least a portion of the water soluble gas component within the vessel, as the water insoluble gas component of the feed gas stream is flowed through the vessel, to produce a conditioned cellulosic material having increased enzyme digestibility, wherein the conditioned cellulosic material having increased enzyme digestibility is a cellulosic material that is more readily converted to its constituent sugar components by hydrolytic enzymes relative to that of the cellulosic material initially supplied to the vessel;
collecting an effluent stream from the vessel depleted in concentration of the water soluble gas component;
ceasing collection of the effluent gas stream and sending a purge gas stream different in composition from that of the feed gas stream to the vessel to remove at least a portion of the water soluble gas component retained within the vessel; and
removing the conditioned cellulosic material from the vessel.
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Abstract
This invention provides methods for separating gas components from a gas stream. The methods are particularly advantageous in that an environmentally friendly biomass absorbent is used to assist in the separation process. The invention is particularly suited to separate water soluble gas components from a gas stream. The water soluble gas components can be used to condition the biomass for additional use, such as a conditioned feed for a biofuel. In general, the conditioned biomass will have increased enzyme digestibility, making the conditioned biomass highly suitable as feedstock for biofuel production.
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13 Claims
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1. A method of removing at least one gas component of a gas stream to produce a conditioned cellulosic material, comprising:
- sending a feed gas stream comprised of a water soluble gas component having a Henry'"'"'s Law constant (KH) at 25°
C. of at least 0.002 mole/L-atm and a water insoluble gas component having a Henry'"'"'s Law constant (KH) at 25°
C. of less than 0.002 mole/L-atm to contact cellulosic material within a vessel;
retaining at least a portion of the water soluble gas component within the vessel, as the water insoluble gas component of the feed gas stream is flowed through the vessel, to produce a conditioned cellulosic material having increased enzyme digestibility, wherein the conditioned cellulosic material having increased enzyme digestibility is a cellulosic material that is more readily converted to its constituent sugar components by hydrolytic enzymes relative to that of the cellulosic material initially supplied to the vessel;
collecting an effluent stream from the vessel depleted in concentration of the water soluble gas component;
ceasing collection of the effluent gas stream and sending a purge gas stream different in composition from that of the feed gas stream to the vessel to remove at least a portion of the water soluble gas component retained within the vessel; and
removing the conditioned cellulosic material from the vessel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
- sending a feed gas stream comprised of a water soluble gas component having a Henry'"'"'s Law constant (KH) at 25°
Specification