Methods of hydrolyzing pretreated densified biomass particulates and systems related thereto

• US 8,945,245 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2012
• Issued: 02/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Board of Trustees of Michigan State University (Michigan State University), The Michigan Biotechnology Institute
• Original Assignee: The Board of Trustees of Michigan State University (Michigan State University), The Michigan Biotechnology Institute
• Inventors: Bals, Bryan, Teymouri, Farzaneh, Campbell, Tim, Dale, Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): Toomer, Cephia D
• Application Number:
  US13/458,830
• Publication Number:
  US 20130196398A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: 445/89, 445/93, 445/94, 445/95, 445/96, 446/05, 435/72, 435/99
• US Class Current: 44/589
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 19/02 Monosaccharides 2-ketogulonic acid C12P7/60
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 19/14 produced by the action of a carbohydrase (EC 3.2.x), e.g. by alpha-amylase , e.g. by cellulase, hemicellulase
• 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: Y02E 50/10 Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/30 Fuel from waste, e.g. synthetic alcohol or diesel

Abstract

A method is provided in which pretreated and densified cellulosic biomass particulates can be hydrolyzed at a high solids loading rate as compared with the solids loading rate of loose hydrolysable cellulosic biomass fibers. The resulting high concentration sugar-containing stream can be easily converted to biofuels or an entire suite of other useful bioproducts.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

hydrolyzing one or more hydrolysable densified biomass particulates to produce a convertible sugar-containing stream, wherein said densified biomass particulates are produced by;

subjecting a quantity of plant biomass fibers to a pretreatment to cause at least a portion of lignin and/or hemicellulose contained within each fiber to move to an outer surface of said fiber to produce a quantity of pretreated tacky plant biomass fibers; and

densifying the quantity of pretreated tacky plant biomass fibers to produce the one or more hydrolysable densified biomass particulates wherein said biomass fibers is densified without using added binder.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the solids loading is between about 12% and about 35%.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the hydrolysis is an enzymatic hydrolysis.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said biomass fibers are corn stover fibers, switchgrass fibers, wood fibers, prairie cord grass fibers, or combinations thereof.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the pretreatment and the densifying step are performed as an integrated process at a single location.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the pretreatment is an ammonia pretreatment or a sodium hydroxide pretreatment.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the ammonia pretreatment is liquid ammonia fiber expansion (AFEX) pretreatment or a gaseous AFEX pretreatment.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the method further comprises adding water and/or steam during the pretreatment.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the convertible sugar-containing stream is fermented to produce a bioproduct.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the bioproduct is biofuel.

11. A product produced according to the method of claim 1.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the solids loading is between about 12% and about 20%.

21. The method of claim 9 wherein fermentation rates are improved as compared to fermentation rates achieved using non-densified plant biomass.

12. A system comprising:

a hydrolyzing facility for hydrolyzing one or more hydrolysable densified biomass particulates to produce a convertible sugar-containing stream, wherein said densified biomass particulates are produced by;

subjecting a quantity of plant biomass fibers to a pretreatment to cause at least a portion of lignin and/or hemicellulose contained within each fiber to move to an outer surface of said fiber to produce a quantity of pretreated tacky plant biomass fibers; and

densifying the quantity of pretreated tacky plant biomass fibers to produce the one or more hydrolysable densified biomass particulates wherein said biomass fibers is densified without using added binder.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the hydrolyzing facility is part of a bioproduct production facility, and the convertible sugar-containing stream is fermented in the bioproduct production facility to produce a bioproduct.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the bioproduct production facility is an ethanol production facility.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said biomass fibers are corn stover fibers.

16. The system of claim 12 further comprising:

a pretreatment facility for the subjecting step; and

a densifying facility for the densifying step.

17. The system of claim 12 wherein the pretreatment is an ammonia pretreatment or a sodium hydroxide pretreatment.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the ammonia pretreatment is liquid ammonia fiber expansion (AFEX) pretreatment or a gaseous pretreatment.

19. The system of claim 16 wherein the pretreatment facility and densifying facility are co-located.

22. The system of claim 12 wherein the solids loading is between about 12% and about 35%.

23. The system of claim 12 wherein the solids loading is between about 12% and about 20%.