Integrated wood processing and sugar production

• US 9,499,635 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2013
• Issued: 11/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apalta Tehnoloogia Ou
• Original Assignee: SweetWater Energy, Inc
• Inventors: Chesonis, Arunas, Horton, Jerry W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ware, Debbie K
• Assistant Examiner(s): Srivastava, Kailash C
• Application Number:
  US14/050,244
• Publication Number:
  US 20140038244A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,140 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: C08B 1/003 Preparation of cellulose solutions, i.e. dopes, with different possible solvents, e.g. ionic liquids solutions used in the manufacture of monocomponent artificial filaments or cellulose or derivatives thereof D01F2/02
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 21/18 Apparatus specially designed for the use of free, immobilized or carrier-bound enzymes
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 43/02 Bioreactors or fermenters combined with devices for liquid fuel extraction; Biorefineries
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 45/02 by mechanical forces; Stirring; Trituration; Comminuting crushing, pulverizing, disintegrating in general B02C
• 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: C13K 1/02 obtained by saccharification of cellulosic materials manufacture of fodder A23K10/32

Abstract

Provided is a system for localizing and optimizing harvesting of woody biomass by providing a plurality of portable pretreatment units at harvesting or mill sites. The sugars derived from woody waste products can be transported to plants for processing or processing directly by plants located at mill sites to generate biofuels and other chemicals.

Claims

1. A method for producing sugar from woody feedstock, at one or more portable feedstock processing units, each of which is located at or near a woody feedstock provider, and the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a woody feedstock comprising cellulose, hemicellulose, or lignocellulose;

(b) processing the cellulose, hemicellulose, or lignocellulose of the woody feedstock at the one or more portable feedstock processing units, each of which is located at or near the woody feedstock provider, to produce sugar in a solution;

wherein the processing comprises;

(i) reducing the size of the woody feedstock to uniform 0.2 mm or smaller pieces;

(ii) adding water to the woody feedstock to produce a slurry of 10-30% w/v solids;

(iii) treating the slurry for no more than 20 minutes at 120°

C. −

180°

C. to produce a first liquid fraction containing C5 sugars and a first solid fraction;

(iv) removing and concentrating the first liquid fraction;

(v) hydrolyzing the first liquid fraction with at least one hemicellulase enzyme;

(vi) treating the first solid fraction at a temperature greater than 190°

C. for greater than 5 minutes in a 1-3% acid solution to produce a mixture;

(vii) neutralizing the mixture;

(viii) hydrolyzing the mixture with cellulase enzymes to produce a second liquid fraction containing C6 sugars and a second solid fraction; and

(ix) separating the second liquid fraction from the second solid fraction;

(c) concentrating the sugar in the solution; and

(d) transporting the concentrated sugar to a centralized plant for processing the concentrated sugar into biofuels or chemicals.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the woody feedstock comprises wood chips, slash, wood, bark, sawdust, paper, poplars, willows, pulp, waste, or a combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the woody feedstock provider is a timber harvesting site or a mill.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing is performed at a plurality of portable feedstock processing units.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the plant for processing the concentrated sugar into biofuels or chemicals is centrally located relative to the plurality of portable feedstock processing units.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the sugar comprises glucose.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the sugar comprises xylose.