System and method for extraction of chemicals from lignocellulosic materials

• US 9,365,525 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2013
• Issued: 06/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Agency For Science Technology and Research (Government of Singapore)
• Original Assignee: Agency For Science Technology and Research (Government of Singapore)
• Inventors: Manesh, Ali, Hemyeri, Reza, Mohapatra, Susanta, Guenther, John, Zoborowski, Edwin, Manesh, Mohammad Ali
• Primary Examiner(s): Drodge, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US13/764,181
• Publication Number:
  US 20140227161A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,219 Days
• Field of Search: 443/05, 443/07, 443/13, 446/05, 127/36, 127/42, 127/43, 127/46.1, 162/14, 210/634, 210/639, 210/774, 210/805, 435/161, 435163-165, 530/500, 530/507, 560/179, 560/265, 560/607, 585/240, 585/242, 544/106
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 11/0488 Flow sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 11/0492 Applications, solvents used
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 27/00 Processes involving the simultaneous production of more than one class of oxygen-containing compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 41/01 Preparation of ethers
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 41/50 by reactions producing groups
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 43/04 Saturated ethers
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 43/303 having acetal carbon atoms bound to acyclic carbon atoms
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 45/00 Preparation of compounds having >C = O groups bound only to carbon or hydrogen atoms; Preparation of chelates of such compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 51/00 Preparation of carboxylic acids or their salts, halides or anhydrides of acids by hydrolysis of oils, fats or waxes C11C
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 67/00 Preparation of carboxylic acid esters
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 67/08 by reacting carboxylic acids or symmetrical anhydrides with the hydroxy or O-metal group of organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 69/14 of monohydroxylic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 69/716 Esters of keto-carboxylic acids or aldehydo-carboxylic acids
• CPC Class Codes: C07D 265/30 not condensed with other rings
• CPC Class Codes: C08B 30/04 Extraction or purification
• CPC Class Codes: C08B 37/0003 General processes for their isolation or fractionation, e.g. purification or extraction from biomass
• CPC Class Codes: C08H 6/00 Macromolecular compounds derived from lignin, e.g. tannins, humic acids
• CPC Class Codes: C08H 8/00 Macromolecular compounds derived from lignocellulosic materials pretreatment thereof B27N

Abstract

An organosolv process for producing bio-products by decomposing lignocellulosic materials comprises providing an initial lignin solvent with water, an acid, and a lignin dissolving chemical comprising at least one of an organic ester, butyl acetate, an organic furan, and furfural. The process also includes placing the lignin solvent in contact with a biomass to form a circulation solvent, and recycling at least a portion of the circulation solvent by circulating the circulation solvent back into contact with the biomass. The circulating of the circulation solvent occurs for a period of time, after which, the process then includes separating material such as chemicals and lignin from the circulation solvent. The chemicals can be recycled as new solvent or sold while lignin can be used as natural and renewable colorant for polymers such as poly lactic acid.

Claims

1. An organosolv process for producing bio-products by decomposing lignocellulosic materials comprising:

providing an initial lignin solvent comprising;

water,

an acid, and

a lignin dissolving chemical comprising butanol;

placing the intial lignin solvent in contact with a biomass to form a circulation solvent comprising butanol, butyl acetate, and furfural; and

recycling at least a portion of the circulation solvent by circulating the circulation solvent back into contact with the biomass for a period of time; and

after the period of time, separating material from the circulation solvent.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein separating material comprises dividing an organic material portion, water insoluble lignin, and an aqueous solution portion from the circulation solvent.

3. The process of claim 2 comprising reusing at least a part of the organic material portion in an initial lignin solvent for a new biomass.

4. The process of claim 2 comprising reusing at least a part of the aqueous solution portion in an initial lignin solvent for a new biomass.

5. The process of claim 2 comprising mixing the lignin with one or more polymers to produce a polymeric object.

6. The process of claim 2 comprising mixing the lignin with one or more polymers as a colorant for a polymeric object.

7. The process of claim 1 comprising reusing at least part of the separated material in an initial lignin solvent for a new biomass without fermenting the part.

8. The process of claim 1 wherein the lignin dissolving chemical in the initial lignin solvent also comprises an organic ester.

9. The process of claim 1 wherein the lignin dissolving chemical in the initial lignin solvent also comprises butyl acetate.

10. The process of claim 1 wherein the lignin dissolving chemical in the initial lignin solvent also comprises an organic furan.

11. The process of claim 1 wherein the lignin dissolving chemical in the initial lignin solvent also comprises furfural.

12. The process of claim 1 wherein the lignin dissolving chemical in the initial lignin solvent also comprises butyl acetate and furfural.

13. The process of claim 1 comprising reusing at least butyl acetate and furfural in an organic material portion separated from a previously used circulation solvent.

14. The process of claim 1 comprising forming a pulp having fibers comprising cellulose.

15. The process of claim 1 wherein the acid in the initial lignin solvent comprises sulfuric acid.

16. The process of claim 1 wherein the acid in the initial lignin solvent comprises acetic acid.

17. The process of claim 1 wherein the time period is at least approximately 30minutes.

18. The process of claim 1 comprising contacting the solvent with the biomass in an atmosphere at an initial pressure above atmospheric pressure.

19. The process of claim 1 wherein the biomass comprises dry lignocellulosic material provided at a 1:

5 ratio or higher with the solvent.

20. The process of claim 1 comprising heating the solvent in contact with the biomass in a reactor to a reactor cooking temperature of at least approximately 178°

C.

21. The process of claim 1 comprising heating the solvent in contact with the biomass in a reactor to a high reactor cooking temperature approximately 225°

C. to simultaneously fractionate the biomass and hydrolyze the fiber into sugar.

22. The process of claim 1 comprising adding H₂O₂ to the initial lignin solvent to produce butyltoxy materials.

23. The process of claim 1 comprising maintaining the contact between the initial lignin solvent and the biomass at a cooking pressure of about 100 psi and above.

24. The process of claim 1 comprising maintaining the contact between the initial lignin solvent and the biomass at a cooking temperature of about 178 degrees Celsius and above and forming a pulp with fibers from the biomass, and at least partially hydrolyzing the fibers.

25. The process of claim 1 comprising a solvent-to-dry biomass ratio of about 8:

1 and above.

26. The process of claim 1 wherein the acid comprises acetic acid.

27. The process of claim 1 comprising placing the lignin solvent in contact with the biomass within an atmosphere comprising oxygen.

28. The process of claim 1 comprising forming carbonic acid by placing the solvent in contact with the biomass within a carbon dioxide atmosphere.

29. The process of claim 1 wherein the biomass comprises at least one of:

grass,

corn stover,

bark, and

bagasse.

30. An organosolv process for producing bio-products by decomposing lignocellulosic materials comprising:

providing an initial lignin solvent comprising;

water,

an acid, and

a lignin dissolving chemical comprising butanol, butyl ester, and furan;

placing the initial lignin solvent in contact with a biomass to form a circulation solvent comprising butanol, butyl acetate, and furfural; and

recycling at least a portion of the circulation solvent by circulating the circulation solvent back into contact with the biomass for a period of time; and

after the period of time, separating material from the circulation solvent.

31. The process of claim 30 wherein the lignin dissolving chemical in the initial lignin solvent comprises approximately ⅓

each of butanol, a butyl ester, and an organic furan by weight.

32. An organosolv process for producing bio-products by decomposing lignocellulosic materials comprising:

providing a first initial lignin solvent comprising;

water,

an acid comprising acetic acid, sulfuric acid, or both, and

a lignin dissolving chemical comprising butanol;

placing the first initial lignin solvent in contact with a first biomass to form a circulation solvent comprising butanol, butyl ester, and furfural; and

recycling at least a portion of the circulation solvent by circulating the circulation solvent back into contact with the biomass for a period of time;

after the period of time, dividing the circulation solvent into an aqueous portion, an organic material portion, and lignin; and

reusing at least a portion of the aqueous portion, the organic material portion, or both in an initial lignin solvent to be placed in contact with a new biomass.

33. The process of claim 32 wherein the circulation solvent is approximately ⅓

butanol, ⅓

butyl ester, and ⅓

furfural by weight.

34. The process of claim 32 the butyl ester or furfural or both are derived from the organic material portion, and the butanol is added from a separate source.

35. The process of claim 32 wherein the first initial lignin solvent also comprises butyl ester.

36. The process of claim 32 where in the first initial lignin solvent also comprises furfural.

37. The process of claim 32 wherein the first initial lignin solvent also comprises butyl ester and furfural.