Process for hydrolysis of wet fiber and method for producing fermentation products from wet fiber

• US 8,658,405 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2011
• Issued: 02/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Grain Processing Corporation (The Kent Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Grain Processing Corporation (The Kent Corp.)
• Inventors: Johal, Sarjit, Ramsden, Steven L., Halloran, Zachary J., Pollmeier, Albert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Weber, Jon P
• Assistant Examiner(s): JOHNSON, KARA D
• Application Number:
  US13/028,908
• Publication Number:
  US 20110201061A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,105 Days
• Field of Search: 435/161, 435/15, 435/41, 162/26
• US Class Current: 435/161
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/10 substrate containing cellulosic material
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/18 polyhydric
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/46 Dicarboxylic acids having four or less carbon atoms, e.g. fumaric acid, maleic acid
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/52 Propionic acid; Butyric acids
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/58 Aldonic, ketoaldonic or saccharic acids uronic acids C12P19/00
• CPC Class Codes: C13K 1/02 obtained by saccharification of cellulosic materials manufacture of fodder A23K10/32
• CPC Class Codes: C13K 1/06 obtained by saccharification of starch or raw materials containing starch
• CPC Class Codes: D21C 1/02 with water or steam
• CPC Class Codes: D21C 1/04 with acid reacting compounds
• CPC Class Codes: D21C 5/00 Other processes for obtaining cellulose, e.g. cooking cotton linters obtaining fibres for spinning D01C; Processes characterised by the choice of cellulose-containing starting materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/10 Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel

Abstract

Disclosed are a method of hydrolysis of wet fiber and a method for preparing ethanol. Generally, an agricultural plant material, such as corn hulls, distiller'"'"'s dried grains, or spent germ, is treated to at least partially hydrolyze the fiber. The process may include a maceration step followed by a shearing operation in the presence of steam to yield a treated product, in which, in many embodiments, saccharides will be released and unbound from fibrous portions of the agricultural product. In some embodiments, the process includes macerating the material to provide a slurry having a solids content of at least 10 percent and jet cooking the slurry. A mixture of saccharides prepared in this fashion may be fermented to yield ethanol and/or biochemicals.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a wet fiber material having a water content of about 20 to about 70 percent;

macerating the wet fiber material under acidic conditions in a first processing unit to provide a slurry having a solids content of at least about 10 percent after maceration and a viscosity suitable for pumping, the solids content being greater than preparing the wet fiber under acidic conditions without macerating;

pumping the slurry to a second processing unit; and

shearing the slurry in the presence of steam in the second processing unit.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising decreasing the average particle size of the wet fiber material to 100 to about 1000 microns prior to macerating the wet fiber material.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the wet fiber material is macerated in an acid solution having a pH of about 0.5 to about 2.0.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the wet fiber material is macerated in an acid solution having a pH of about 1.0 to about 1.9.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein macerating further comprises decreasing the average particle size of the slurry prior to shearing the slurry in the presence of steam.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein macerating is carried out at about 30°

C. to about 95°

C.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein macerating is carried out at about 45°

C. to about 90°

C.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the wet fiber material has a water content of about 40 to about 60 percent.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the wet fiber material is an agricultural plant material selected from the group consisting of wet corn hulls, distiller'"'"'s dried grains, spent germ, and combinations thereof.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the wet fiber material is wet corn hull fiber.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein macerating is carried out by use of at least one device selected from the group consisting of colloidal mill, dispersing grinder, and high volume shearing pump.

12. The method of claim 1, said shearing comprising jet cooking the slurry.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein slurry is jet cooked to a temperature between about 140°

C. to about 160°

C. under a pressure of about 35 to about 105 psig.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein macerating is conducted until about 25 to about 35 percent of total bound hemicellulose of the wet fiber material is released.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the acid is selected from the group consisting of sulfuric, hydrochloric, citric, phosphoric, and combinations thereof.

16. A method comprising:

providing a wet fiber material having a water content of about 20 to about 70 percent;

macerating the wet fiber material under acidic conditions and under grinding, shredding and/or shearing in a first processing unit to provide a slurry having a solids content of at least about 10 percent after maceration and a viscosity suitable for pumping;

pumping the slurry to a second processing unit; and

shearing the slurry in the presence of steam in the second processing unit.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the wet fiber material is an agricultural plant material selected from the group consisting of wet corn hulls, distiller'"'"'s dried grains, spent germ, and combinations thereof.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the wet fiber material is wet corn hull fiber.

19. A method comprising:

providing a wet fiber material having a moisture content of at least about 20 wt %;

decreasing the average particle size of the wet fiber material to 100 to about 1000 microns;

macerating the wet fiber material under acidic conditions and under grinding, shredding and/or shearing in a first processing unit to provide a slurry, the slurry having a solids content of at least about 10% and a viscosity suitable for pumping; and

pumping the slurry to a second processing unit; and

shearing the slurry in the presence of steam in the second processing unit.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the slurry has a viscosity in the range of about 400 to about 680 cp.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the wet fiber material is an agricultural plant material selected from the group consisting of wet corn hulls, distiller'"'"'s dried grains, spent germ, and combinations thereof.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the wet fiber material is wet corn hull fiber.