Methods for treating lignocellulosic materials

• US 9,650,687 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2014
• Issued: 05/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Virdia Ltd
• Original Assignee: Virdia, Inc. (Stora Enso Oyj)
• Inventors: Jansen, Robert, Carden, Adam, Gregoire, Claire, Travisano, Philip, Madsen, Lee, Matis, Neta, Har-Tal, Yael Miriam, Eliahu, Shay, Lawson, James Alan, Lapidot, Noa, Eyal, Aharon M., Bauer, Timothy Allen, McWilliams, Paul, Zviely, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Mayes, Melvin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): COHEN, STEFANIE J
• Application Number:
  US14/537,494
• Publication Number:
  US 20150144126A1
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 15/1821 Simulated moving beds
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 15/1828 characterized by process features
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 15/362 Cation-exchange
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2215/023 Simulated moving beds
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 39/26 Cation exchangers for chromatographic processes
• CPC Class Codes: C07G 1/00 Lignin; Lignin derivatives
• CPC Class Codes: C08B 37/0057 beta-D-Xylans, i.e. xylosaccharide, e.g. arabinoxylan, arabinofuronan, pentosans; (beta-1,3)(beta-1,4)-D-Xylans, e.g. rhodymenans; Hemicellulose; Derivatives thereof
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: C13K 1/00 Glucose separation from invert sugar C13K3/00; Glucose-containing syrups
• CPC Class Codes: C13K 1/02 obtained by saccharification of cellulosic materials manufacture of fodder A23K10/32
• CPC Class Codes: C13K 11/00 Fructose separation from invert sugar C13K3/00
• CPC Class Codes: C13K 13/00 Sugars not otherwise provided for in this class
• CPC Class Codes: C13K 13/002 Xylose
• CPC Class Codes: C13K 13/007 Separation of sugars provided for in subclass C13K C13K3/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D21C 11/0042 Fractionating or concentration of spent liquors by special methods concentration by evaporation D21C11/10
• CPC Class Codes: D21C 11/005 Treatment of liquors with ion-exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/10 Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 30/20 using bio-feedstock

Abstract

The present invention relates to methods of processing lignocellulosic material to obtain hemicellulose sugars, cellulose sugars, lignin, cellulose and other high-value products. Also provided are hemicellulose sugars, cellulose sugars, lignin, cellulose, and other high-value products.

Claims

1. A hemicellulose sugar mixture comprising:

xylose in a ratio to total dissolved sugars >

0.40 weight/weight;

fructose in a ratio to total dissolved sugars <

0.10 weight/weight; and

one or more of the following;

galactose in a ratio to total dissolved sugars <

0.05 weight/weight; and

mannose in a ratio to total dissolved sugars <

0.05 weight/weight.

2. The mixture of claim 1, further comprising oligosaccharides in a ratio to total dissolved sugars of <

0.10 weight/weight.

3. The mixture of claim 1, wherein the ratio of the xylose to total dissolved sugars is >

0.60 weight/weight.

4. The mixture of claim 1, wherein the ratio of the xylose to total dissolved sugars is >

0.80 weight/weight.

5. The mixture of claim 1, further comprising furfurals in an amount up to 0.01% weight/weight.

6. The mixture of claim 1, further comprising phenols in an amount up to 500 ppm.

7. The mixture of claim 3, comprising:

furfurals in an amount up to 0.01% weight/weight;

phenols in an amount up to 500 ppm; and

hexanol in an amount up to 0.1% weight/weight.

24. The mixture of claim 1, further comprising hexanol in an amount up to 0.1% weight/weight.

27. The mixture of claim 1, further comprising arabinose in a ratio to total dissolved sugars <

0.10 weight/weight.

28. The mixture of claim 1, further comprising glucose and fructose in a ratio to total dissolved sugars <

0.25 weight/weight.

29. The mixture of claim 1, comprising galactose in a ratio to total dissolved sugars <

0.05 weight/weight.

30. The mixture of claim 1, comprising mannose in a ratio to total dissolved sugars <

0.05 weight/weight.

31. The mixture of claim 3, comprising:

oligosaccharides in a ratio to total dissolved sugars <

0.10 weight/weight;

arabinose in a ratio to total dissolved sugars <

0.10 weight/weight;

galactose in a ratio to total dissolved sugars <

0.05 weight/weight;

glucose and fructose in a ratio to total dissolved sugars <

0.25 weight/weight;

mannose in a ratio to total dissolved sugars <

0.05 weight/weight;

furfurals in an amount up to 0.01% weight/weight; and

phenols in an amount up to 500 ppm.

32. The mixture of claim 31, further comprising hexanol in an amount up to 0.1% weight/weight.

33. The mixture of claim 31, wherein the mixture has not been purified by crystallization.

39. The mixture of claim 1, further comprising 2-ethylhexanol.

8. A hemicellulose sugar mixture comprising:

monosaccharides in a ratio to total dissolved sugars >

0.50 weight/weight;

glucose in a ratio to the monosaccharides <

0.25 weight/weight;

xylose in a ratio to the monosaccharides >

0.18 weight/weight;

fructose in a ratio to the monosaccharides between 0.01 and 0.10 weight/weight; and

one or more of the following;

furfurals in an amount up to 0.01% weight/weight;

one or more phenols in an amount up to 500 ppm; and

hexanol in an amount up to 0.1% weight/weight.

9. The mixture of claim 8, wherein the ratio of the monosaccharides to total dissolved sugars is >

0.90 weight/weight.

10. The mixture of claim 8, wherein the ratio of the glucose to the monosaccharides is <

0.15 weight/weight.

11. The mixture of claim 8, wherein the ratio of the xylose to the monosaccharides is >

0.50 weight/weight.

12. The mixture of claim 8, wherein the ratio of the xylose to the monosaccharides is >

0.70 weight/weight.

13. The mixture of claim 8, wherein the ratio of the fructose to the monosaccharides is >

0.02 weight/weight.

14. The mixture of claim 8, comprising furfurals in an amount up to 0.01% weight/weight.

15. The mixture of claim 8, comprising phenols in an amount up to 500 ppm.

16. The mixture of claim 8, further comprising:

metals or inorganics selected from the group consisting of Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, S and P in an amount up to 100 ppm each relative to total dissolved sugars;

lignocellulose degradation products selected from the group consisting of furfural, levulinic acid, and formic acid in an amount up to 1.5% weight/weight; and

acetic acid in an amount up to 0.035% weight/weight.

25. The mixture of claim 8, comprising hexanol in an amount up to 0.1% weight/weight.

34. The mixture of claim 8, comprising:

furfurals in an amount up to 0.01% weight/weight;

phenols in an amount up to 500 ppm; and

hexanol in an amount up to 0.1% weight/weight.

40. The mixture of claim 8, further comprising 2-ethylhexanol.

17. A hemicellulose sugar mixture comprising:

oligosaccharides in a ratio to total dissolved sugars >

0.15 weight/weight;

the sum of glucose and fructose in a ratio to total dissolved sugars >

0.10 weight/weight;

xylose in a ratio to total dissolved sugars <

0.40 weight/weight; and

one or more of the following;

mannose in a ratio to total dissolved sugars >

0.01 weight/weight;

fructose in a ratio to total dissolved sugars <

0.10 weight/weight;

furfurals in an amount up to 0.01% weight/weight;

phenols in an amount up to 500 ppm; and

hexanol in an amount up to 0.1% weight/weight.

18. The mixture of claim 17, wherein the ratio of the oligosaccharides to total dissolved sugars is >

0.20 weight/weight.

19. The mixture of claim 17, wherein the ratio of the sum of the glucose and the fructose to total dissolved sugars is >

0.20 weight/weight.

20. The mixture of claim 17, comprising furfurals in an amount up to 0.01% weight/weight.

21. The mixture of claim 17, comprising phenols in an amount up to 500 ppm.

22. The mixture of claim 17, wherein the ratio of the xylose to total dissolved sugars is <

0.30 weight/weight.

23. The mixture of claim 17, wherein the ratio of the xylose to total dissolved sugars is <

0.10 weight/weight.

26. The mixture of claim 17, comprising hexanol in an amount up to 0.1% weight/weight.

35. The mixture of claim 17, further comprising arabinose in a ratio to total dissolved sugars >

0.02 weight/weight.

36. The mixture of claim 17, further comprising galactose in a ratio to total dissolved sugars >

0.02 weight/weight.

37. The mixture of claim 17, comprising:

arabinose in a ratio to total dissolved sugars >

0.02 weight/weight;

galactose in a ratio to total dissolved sugars >

0.02 weight/weight;

fructose in a ratio to total dissolved sugars <

0.10 weight/weight;

furfurals in an amount up to 0.01% weight/weight; and

phenols in an amount up to 500 ppm.

38. The mixture of claim 37, further comprising hexanol in an amount up to 0.1% weight/weight.

41. The mixture of claim 17, further comprising 2-ethylhexanol.