Cooling and processing materials

• US 8,733,676 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2013
• Issued: 05/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Xyleco, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Xyleco, Inc.
• Inventors: Medoff, Marshall
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosenbaum, Mark
• Application Number:
  US13/787,025
• Publication Number:
  US 20130183721A1
• Time in Patent Office: 447 Days
• Field of Search: 241/21, 241/30, 241 65- 67, 241/DIG.37, 241/23, 585/242, 585/240, 585/14, 127/2, 446/05
• US Class Current: 241/21
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 11/08 Cooling, heating, ventilating, conditioning with respect to temperature or water content conditioning grain before milling B02B1/08; air-conditioning or ventilating in general F24F
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 19/18 Use of auxiliary physical effects, e.g. ultrasonics, irradiation, for disintegrating
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 19/186 Use of cold or heat for disintegrating B02C4/44, B02C7/17, B02C11/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 2019/183 Crushing by discharge of high electrical energy
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 4/44 Cooling or heating rollers or bars
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 7/17 Cooling or heating of discs
• CPC Class Codes: C08H 8/00 Macromolecular compounds derived from lignocellulosic materials pretreatment thereof B27N
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2397/02 Lignocellulosic material, e.g. wood, straw or bagasse
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 3/28 Treatment by wave energy or particle radiation
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 1/00 Production of liquid hydrocarbon mixtures from oil-shale, oil-sand, or non-melting solid carbonaceous or similar materials, e.g. wood, coal mechanical winning of oil from oil-shales, oil-sand, or the like B03B
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/1014 of vegetal origin
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/1033 Oil well production fluids
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 5/00 Solid fuels produced by solidifying fluid fuels C10L7/00
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 5/44 on vegetable substances
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 19/02 Monosaccharides 2-ketogulonic acid C12P7/60
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 2201/00 Pretreatment of cellulosic or lignocellulosic material for subsequent enzymatic treatment or hydrolysis
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/10 substrate containing cellulosic material
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/14 Multiple stages of fermentation; Multiple types of microorganisms or re-use of microorganisms
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/16 Butanols
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/10 Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/30 : Fuel from waste, e.g. synthetic alcohol or diesel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 30/20 : using bio-feedstock

Abstract

Systems and methods for cooling and processing materials are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

irradiating a biomass before adding the water to the biomass;

adding water to the biomass material to swell the biomass material;

cooling the swollen biomass material to or below about 273 degrees Kelvin; and

comminuting and/or grinding the cooled swollen biomass.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the biomass is irradiated with an electron beam device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the biomass material receives a dose of radiation of from about 10 Mrad to about 100 Mrad.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the biomass material receives a dose of radiation of from about 30 Mrad to about 90 Mrad.

5. A method comprising:

adding water to a biomass material to swell the biomass material;

irradiating the biomass after adding the water to the biomass;

cooling the swollen biomass material to or below about 273 degrees Kelvin; and

comminuting and/or grinding the cooled swollen biomass.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

performing additional rounds of irradiating, cooling and comminuting and/or grinding.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the biomass is irradiated with an electron beam device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the biomass material receives a dose of radiation of from about 10 Mrad to about 100 Mrad.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the biomass material receives a dose of radiation of from about 30 Mrad to about 90 Mrad.

10. A method comprising:

adding water to a biomass material to swell the biomass material;

cooling the swollen biomass material to or below about 273 degrees Kelvin; and

comminuting and/or grinding the cooled swollen biomass and irradiating the biomass after comminution of the cooled swollen biomass.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

performing multiple rounds of cooling, comminution and/or grinding, and irradiating.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the biomass is irradiated with an electron beam device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the biomass material receives a dose of radiation of from about 10 Mrad to about 100 Mrad.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the biomass material receives a dose of radiation of from about 30 Mrad to about 90 Mrad.