Processing biomass

• US 9,556,496 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2014
• Issued: 01/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xyleco, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Xyleco, Inc.
• Inventors: Medoff, Marshall, Masterman, Thomas Craig, Paradis, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Mayes, Melvin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): CALL, DOUGLAS BRYANT
• Application Number:
  US14/242,221
• Publication Number:
  US 20140209093A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,036 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/087 Particle radiation, e.g. electron-beam, alpha or beta radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/082 Gamma-radiation only
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/085 Electron beams only
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/12 employing electromagnetic waves
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/123 Ultraviolet light
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/125 X-rays
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/22 in the form of endless belts
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0869 Feeding or evacuating the reactor
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0871 Heating or cooling of the reactor
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0879 Solid
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/12 Processes employing electromagnetic waves
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/1203 Incoherent waves
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 27/04 Load carriers other than helical or spiral channels or conduits
• CPC Class Codes: C08H 8/00 Macromolecular compounds derived from lignocellulosic materials pretreatment thereof B27N
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 19/00 Heating of coke ovens by electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 53/02 of cellulose-containing material production of pyroligneous acid C10C5/00
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 1/02 by distillation
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 32/04 by particle radiation
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2200/0469 Renewables or materials of biological origin
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2290/24 Mixing, stirring of fuel components
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2290/28 : Cutting, disintegrating, shredding or grinding
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2290/36 : Applying radiation such as microwave, IR, UV
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2290/52 : Hoppers
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 5/403 : on paper and paper waste
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 5/442 : Wood or forestry waste
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 5/445 : Agricultural waste, e.g. corn crops, grass clippings, nut shells or oil pressing residues
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 5/46 : on sewage, house, or town refuse C10L5/403, C10L5/406 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 2201/00 : Pretreatment of cellulosic or lignocellulosic material for subsequent enzymatic treatment or hydrolysis
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/10 : substrate containing cellulosic material
• CPC Class Codes: C13K 1/02 : obtained by saccharification of cellulosic materials manufacture of fodder A23K10/32
• CPC Class Codes: C13K 13/002 : Xylose
• CPC Class Codes: D21B 1/02 : Pretreatment of the raw materials by chemical or physical means removal of bark B27L
• CPC Class Codes: G21F 3/00 : Shielding characterised by its physical form, e.g. granules, or shape of the material
• CPC Class Codes: G21K 5/04 : with beam-forming means
• CPC Class Codes: G21K 5/10 : with provision for relative movement of beam source and object to be irradiated
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/2002 : Controlling environment of sample
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/202 : Movement
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 33/04 : Windows
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/20 : Means for supporting or positioning the objects or the material; Means for adjusting diaphragms or lenses associated with the support introducing the objects H01J37/18
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/317 : for changing properties of the objects or for applying thin layers thereon, e.g. for ion implantation H01J37/36 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 5/18 : Windows permeable to X-rays, gamma-rays, or particles
• 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: Y02P 20/145 : the feedstock being materials of biological origin
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/87 : Re-use of by-products of food processing for fodder production

Abstract

Methods and systems are described for processing cellulosic and lignocellulosic materials into useful intermediates and products, such as energy and fuels. For example, conveying systems and methods, such as highly efficient vibratory conveyors, are described for the processing of the cellulosic and lignocellulosic materials.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

depositing a controlled stream of a biomass material, in particulate form, on a covered vibratory conveyor using a spreader;

exposing the biomass material on the vibratory conveyor to ionizing radiation in the form of a scanning electron beam through an opening in the conveyor cover, and

during exposure to the electron beam, causing the vibratory conveyor to vibrate the particles of the biomass material during irradiation,

wherein the biomass material defines a substantially uniform average bed thickness across the width of the vibratory conveyor of between about 0.125 to 0.5 inches on the conveyor as it is being exposed to the ionizing radiation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein 75% or more of the biomass material is distributed to be at the level of the average bed thickness.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising comminuting the biomass prior to exposing the biomass to the ionizing radiation.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein comminuting is selected from the group consisting of shearing, chopping, grinding, hammermilling and combinations thereof.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein comminuting produces a biomass material with particles, and more than 80% of the particles have at least one dimension that is less than about 0.25 inches.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein comminuting produces a biomass material with particles, and no more than 5% of the particles are less than 0.03 inches in their greatest dimension.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the biomass is irradiated with 10 to 200 Mrad of radiation.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the biomass material comprises a cellulosic or lignocellulosic material.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the cellulosic or lignocellulosic material comprises a lignocellulosic material selected from the group consisting of wood, paper, paper products, cotton, grasses, grain residues, bagasse, jute, hemp, flax, bamboo, sisal, abaca, corn cobs, corn stover, coconut hair, algae, seaweed, straw, wheat straw and mixtures thereof.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the opening in the cover includes a window foil that allows passage of the ionizing radiation through the window foil and onto the biomass material.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the biomass material is conveyed at a rate of at least about 1000 lb/hr.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the spreader comprises a drop spreader.