Processing biomass and petroleum containing materials

• US 9,409,140 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2015
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xyleco, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Xyleco, Inc.
• Inventors: Medoff, Marshall
• Primary Examiner(s): MCCAIG, BRIAN A
• Application Number:
  US14/879,051
• Publication Number:
  US 20160038905A1
• Time in Patent Office: 306 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/08 Processes employing the direct application of electric or wave energy, or particle radiation; Apparatus therefor application of shock waves B01J3/08
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/081 employing particle radiation or gamma-radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/085 Electron beams only
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/08 Processes employing the direct application of electric or wave energy, or particle radiation; Apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0879 Solid
• CPC Class Codes: C08B 1/00 Preparatory treatment of cellulose for making derivatives thereof , e.g. pre-treatment, pre-soaking, activation
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 11/00 Catalytic cracking, in the absence of hydrogen, of hydrocarbon oils cracking in direct contact with molten metals or salts C10G9/34
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 15/10 by particle radiation
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/1011 Biomass
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 3/00 Production of liquid hydrocarbon mixtures from oxygen-containing organic materials, e.g. fatty oils, fatty acids production from non-melting solid oxygen-containing carbonaceous materials C10G1/00
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 47/00 Cracking of hydrocarbon oils, in the presence of hydrogen or hydrogen- generating compounds, to obtain lower boiling fractions C10G15/00 takes precedence; destructive hydrogenation of non-melting solid carbonaceous or similar materials C10G1/06
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/02 essentially based on components consisting of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen only
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/04 essentially based on blends of hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2200/0469 Renewables or materials of biological origin
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2270/02 for internal combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2270/04 for turbines, planes, power generation
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2290/02 Combustion or pyrolysis
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2290/06 Heat exchange, direct or indirect
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2290/26 Composting, fermenting or anaerobic digestion fuel components or materials from which fuels are prepared
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2290/34 Applying ultrasonic energy
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2290/36 : Applying radiation such as microwave, IR, UV
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2290/543 : Distillation, fractionation or rectification for separating fractions, components or impurities during preparation or upgrading of a fuel
• 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 2203/00 : Fermentation products obtained from optionally pretreated or hydrolyzed cellulosic or lignocellulosic material as the carbon source ethanol C12P7/10
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 5/00 : Preparation of hydrocarbons or halogenated hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 5/02 : acyclic C12P5/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 5/023 : Methane
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/02 : containing a hydroxy group
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/04 : acyclic
• 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: H01M 8/1007 : with both reactants being gaseous or vaporised H01M8/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1013 : Other direct alcohol fuel cells [DAFC]
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/16 : Biochemical fuel cells, i.e. cells in which microorganisms function as catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/22 : Fuel cells in which the fuel is based on materials comprising carbon or oxygen or hydrogen and other elements; Fuel cells in which the fuel is based on materials comprising only elements other than carbon, oxygen or hydrogen
• 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: Y02E 60/50 : Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 30/20 : using bio-feedstock
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/678 : Aviation using fuels of non-fossil origin

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 and/or starchy materials, to produce ethanol and/or butanol, e.g., by fermentation.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

processing a cellulosic or lignocellulosic material that has been exposed to irradiation by a plurality of charged particles comprising ions performed under an oxidizing environment, to produce a product or intermediate;

the irradiation providing a dose of greater than 10 Mrad to the cellulosic or lignocellulosic material.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the oxidizing environment comprises a fluid having been introduced into the path of the charged particles.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the fluid is selected from the group consisting of air, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, argon, helium, ozone, oxides of nitrogen and mixtures of these.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the reactive gases comprises ozone and/or oxides of nitrogen.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the fluid comprises hydrogen peroxide.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the fluid comprises an aqueous alkaline solution, the solution comprising one or more alkali or alkaline earth hydroxides.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the fluid further comprises a reactive gas.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the fluid provides for selective removal of lignin from lignocellulosic material.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the irradiation dose is provided at a dose rate of about 1 Mrad/s to about 10 Mrad/s.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the cellulosic or lignocellulosic material is selected from the group consisting of:

plant waste, agricultural waste, forestry waste, yard waste, animal waste, municipal waste, sewage, synthetic celluloses, paper, paper products, paper waste, wood, wood pulp, particle board, sawdust, silage, alfalfa, hay, switchgrass, bagasse, cotton, jute, hemp, flax, bamboo, sisal, abaca, straw, rice, rice hulls, oat hulls, corn cobs, corn fiber, corn stover, soybean stover, rice hulls, coconut hair, cotton, microbial biomass, seaweed, algae, plankton, bacteria, yeast, and mixtures of these.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the straw is selected from the group consisting of barley straw, wheat straw, canola straw and oat straw.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the cellulosic or lignocellulosic material also comprises a starch or a starchy material.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the cellulosic or lignocellulosic material is mechanically treated before irradiation.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the charged particles comprise positively charged ions.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the charged particles comprise two or more different types of ions.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the charged particles comprise at least one of protons, hydride ions, carbon ions, oxygen ions, nitrogen ions, halogen ions, noble gas ions, silicon ions, phosphorus ions, and metal ions.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the charged particles have an energy of 10 MeV/u or more.

18. A method comprising:

accelerating a plurality of charged particles comprising ions through a fluid to be incident on a cellulosic or lignocellulosic material, the fluid having been introduced into the path of the charged particles to provide an oxidizing environment, wherein the charged particles impart a radiation dose of greater than 10 Mrad to the cellulosic or lignocellulosic material.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the fluid is selected from the group consisting of air, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, argon, helium, ozone, oxides of nitrogen, and mixtures of these.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the reactive gases comprises ozone and/or oxides of nitrogen.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the fluid comprises hydrogen peroxide.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the fluid comprises an aqueous alkaline solution, the solution comprising one or more alkali or alkaline earth hydroxides.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the fluid further comprises a reactive gas.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein the fluid provides for selective removal of lignin from lignocellulosic material.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein the irradiation dose is provided at a dose rate of about 1 Mrad/s to about 10 Mrad/s.

26. The method of claim 18, wherein the cellulosic or lignocellulosic material is selected from the group consisting of:

plant waste, agricultural waste, forestry waste, yard waste, animal waste, municipal waste, sewage, synthetic celluloses, paper, paper products, paper waste, wood, wood pulp, particle board, sawdust, silage, alfalfa, hay, switchgrass, bagasse, cotton, jute, hemp, flax, bamboo, sisal, abaca, rice straw, barley straw, wheat straw, canola straw, oat straw, rice hulls, oat hulls, corn cobs, corn fiber, corn stover, soybean stover, rice hulls, coconut hair, cotton, microbial biomass, seaweed, algae, plankton, bacteria, yeast, and mixtures of these.

27. The method of claim 18, wherein the cellulosic or lignocellulosic material also comprises a starch or a starchy material.

28. The method of claim 18, wherein the cellulosic or lignocellulosic material mechanically treated before irradiation.

29. The method of claim 18, wherein the charged particles comprise positively charged ions.

30. The method of claim 18, wherein the charged particles comprise two or more different types of ions.

31. The method of claim 18, wherein charged particles comprise at least one of protons, hydride ions, carbon ions, oxygen ions, nitrogen ions, halogen ions, noble gas ions, silicon ions, phosphorus ions, and metal ions.

32. The method of claim 18, wherein the charged particles have an energy of 10 MeV/u or more.

33. A method comprising:

processing a cellulosic or lignocellulosic material that has been exposed to irradiation by a plurality of charged particles performed under an oxidizing environment, to produce a product or intermediate;

the irradiation providing a dose of greater than 10 Mrad to the cellulosic or lignocellulosic material, wherein the charged particles have an energy of 10 MeV/u or more.