Processing biomass

• US 9,290,780 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2015
• Issued: 03/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xyleco, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Xyleco, Inc.
• Inventors: Medoff, Marshall, Masterman, Thomas Craig
• Primary Examiner(s): Ariani, Kade
• Application Number:
  US14/813,702
• Publication Number:
  US 20150329879A1
• Time in Patent Office: 236 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: C07H 3/02 Monosaccharides
• CPC Class Codes: C07H 3/04 Disaccharides
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 1/20 Bacteria; Culture media therefor
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 1/38 Chemical stimulation of growth or activity by addition of chemical compounds which are not essential growth factors; Stimulation of growth by removal of a chemical compound C12N1/34 takes precedence
• 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 2203/00 Fermentation products obtained from optionally pretreated or hydrolyzed cellulosic or lignocellulosic material as the carbon source
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 5/02 acyclic C12P5/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/04 acyclic
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/06 Ethanol, i.e. non-beverage
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/10 substrate containing cellulosic material
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/16 Butanols
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/18 polyhydric
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/20 Glycerol
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/40 containing a carboxyl group including Peroxycarboxylic acids
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/42 Hydroxy-carboxylic acids
• 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 7/54 Acetic acid vinegar C12J
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/56 Lactic acid
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/58 : Aldonic, ketoaldonic or saccharic acids uronic acids C12P19/00
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/6409 : Fatty acids
• 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

Biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) is processed to produce useful products, such as fuels. For example, systems can use feedstock materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials, to proceed ethanol and/or butanol, e.g., by fermentation.

Claims

1. A mixture comprising:

(a) a low molecular weight sugar,

(b) a treated cellulosic or lignocellulosic material having a porosity of at least 35% and comprising a plurality of saccharide units arranged in a molecular chain, wherein from about 1 out of every 2 to about 1 out of every 250 saccharide units includes a carboxylic acid functional group,

(c) water, and

(d) a fermenting microorganism, wherein

the treated cellulosic or lignocellulosic material comprises a cellulosic or lignocellulosic material that has been irradiated with at least 5 Mrad of electron beam radiation, and the carboxylic acid functional groups act as bonding sites for the microorganism.

2. The mixture of claim 1 wherein the material has been irradiated to provide a first level of radicals and subsequently quenched in an oxidizing medium to an extent that the radicals are at a second level lower than the first level.

3. The mixture of claim 2 wherein the carboxylic acid functional groups are generated by oxidizing the cellulosic or lignocellulosic material.

4. The mixture of claim 1 wherein the microorganism is a yeast.

5. The mixture of claim 4 wherein the yeast is selected from the group consisting of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Pichia stipitis.

6. The mixture of claim 1 wherein the microorganism is a bacteria selected from the group consisting of Zymomonas mobilis and Clostridium thermocellum.

7. The mixture of claim 1 wherein the low molecular weight sugar is glucose or xylose.

8. The mixture of claim 1 wherein the treated cellulosic or lignocellulosic material has a bulk density of less than about 0.5 g/cm3.

9. The mixture of claim 1, wherein the cellulosic or lignocellulosic material is selected from the group consisting of paper, paper waste, wood, particle board, agricultural waste, sewage, silage, grasses, and mixtures thereof.

10. The mixture of claim 1 further comprising an alcohol selected from the group consisting of methanol, ethanol, propanol, isopropanol, butanol, and mixtures thereof.

11. The mixture of claim 1 wherein the cellulosic or lignocellulosic material has a porosity of at least 35%.

12. The mixture of claim 1 wherein the treated cellulosic or lignocellulosic material is in the form of a sheet.

13. The mixture of claim 9 wherein the grasses comprise switchgrass.

14. The mixture of claim 9 wherein the agricultural waste comprises corn stover, corn cobs, or mixtures thereof.

15. The mixture of claim 9 wherein the agricultural waste is selected from the group consisting of rice hulls, bagasse, coconut hair, and mixtures thereof.