Methods and systems for solvent purification

• US 9,115,467 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2011
• Issued: 08/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Virdia Ltd
• Original Assignee: Virdia, Inc. (Stora Enso Oyj)
• Inventors: Jansen, Robert, Eyal, Aharon
• Primary Examiner(s): Mayes, Melvin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, COLETTE B
• Application Number:
  US13/195,721
• Publication Number:
  US 20120167874A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,485 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 11/0284 Multistage extraction
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 11/0288 Applications, solvents
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 11/0488 Flow sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 11/0492 Applications, solvents used
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 3/00 Materials not provided for elsewhere
• CPC Class Codes: C13K 1/02 obtained by saccharification of cellulosic materials manufacture of fodder A23K10/32
• CPC Class Codes: D21C 11/0007 Recovery of by-products, i.e. compounds other than those necessary for pulping, for multiple uses or not otherwise provided for volatile compounds obtained by decomposition of spent liquors in order to regenerate them D21C11/125; compounds obtained by fractionating the liquors in order to regenerate them D21C11/0042
• CPC Class Codes: D21C 3/04 with acids, acid salts or acid anhydrides D21C3/003 and D21C3/222 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D21C 3/20 with organic solvents or in solvent environment

Abstract

A method including: (a) contacting lime with an extract including an S1 solvent carrying a contaminant load to form a lime treated extract; and (b) reducing the contaminant load by removing solids.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

(a) contacting lime with an extract carrying a contaminant load comprising an S1 solvent, to form a lime treated extract and solids;

(b) reducing said contaminant load by removing at least a portion of said solids from said lime treated extract and solids;

(c) carbonating said removed solids or said lime with CO₂ gas to form a slurry comprising calcium carbonate; and

(d) contacting said slurry comprising calcium carbonate with additional lime.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said contaminant load is reduced by more than 20% (wt/wt).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises prior to step (a) contacting an extractant comprising said S1 solvent with an acid hydrolyzate of a lignocellulosic substrate to produce an acid-carrying extract;

and de-acidifying said acid-carrying extract to produce said extract carrying a contaminant load.

4. A method comprising:

(a) cyclically contacting a first portion of an extractant comprising Si solvent with an acid hydrolyzate of a lignocellulosic substrate to produce an acid-reduced hydrolyzate and an extract comprising acid and S1 solvent carrying a contaminant load;

(b) de-acidifying said extract to form a de-acidified extract with S1 solvent carrying the contaminant load; and

(c) cyclically routing a second portion of said extractant comprising S1 solvent carrying a contaminant load to a decontamination module which applies a contaminant reduction process to said second portion to produce an extractant with a reduced contaminant load.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said contaminant reduction process comprises treatment of said second portion of said extractant with lime.