Treating biomass

• US 9,659,748 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2013
• Issued: 05/23/2017
• 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, Peters, Anthony, Ip, Kenny Kin-Chui
• Primary Examiner(s): Tai, Xiuyu
• Application Number:
  US14/434,682
• Publication Number:
  US 20150279618A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,321 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/085 Electron beams only
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0871 Heating or cooling of the reactor
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0879 Solid
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/02 essentially based on components consisting of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen only
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2200/0469 Renewables or materials of biological origin
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2290/36 Applying radiation such as microwave, IR, UV
• 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: 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 2237/202 Movement
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/3165 Changing chemical properties
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 33/04 Windows
• 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: H01J 7/26 by flow of fluid through passages associated with tube or lamp
• 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

Abstract

Methods and systems are described for processing cellulosic and lignocellulosic materials and useful intermediates and products, such as energy and fuels. For example, irradiating methods and systems are described to aid in the processing of the cellulosic and lignocellulosic materials. The electron beam accelerator has multiple windows foils and these foils are cooled with cooling gas. In one configuration a secondary foil is integral to the electron beam accelerator and in another configuration the secondary foil is part of the enclosure for the biomass conveying system.

Claims

1. A method of producing a treated biomass material, the method comprising:

irradiating a biomass material by passing an electron beam through multiple windows into the biomass material, wherein the multiple windows comprise at least

a primary single-type window foil communicating with a high vacuum side of a scanning horn of an electron beam accelerator and

a secondary single-type window foil positioned on an atmospheric side of the scanning horn, wherein the distance of the secondary window to the biomass material is more than 0.1 cm and the biomass material is selected from the group consisting of cellulosic material, lignocellulosic material, and starchy material;

exposing the secondary window to atmospheric pressure; and

providing the biomass material in an open environment adjacent the secondary window.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of the windows is in the form of a metallic foil.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein irradiating the biomass material reduces the recalcitrance of the biomass material.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the multiple window foils comprise a system of gas cooled window foils.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the system of gas cooled window foils define a gap between the primary and secondary window and

a first flow path providing cooling to the primary window foil;

and

a second flow path providing cooling to the secondary window foil.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the system of gas cooled window foils further comprises where both the primary window foil and the secondary window foil are part of the scanning horn of the electron beam accelerator, where

at least one inlet, which allows a cooling gas to enter the gap defined between the primary and the secondary window and

at least one outlet, to extract the cooling gas from the gap defined between the primary and secondary window.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the system of gas cooled window foils further comprises a cooling chamber, wherein the cooling chamber comprises four walls and the interior volume is approximately rectangular prism in shape.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the system further comprises a treatment enclosure with a cover surface, where the enclosure is positioned on a side of the secondary single-type window foil opposite the electron beam accelerator.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the secondary single-type window foil is mounted on the cover surface and is integral to the treatment enclosure.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the cover surface is perpendicular to the electron beam accelerator.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the treatment enclosure has a first opening.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

conveying the biomass material through the first opening;

positioning the biomass material under the secondary single-type window foil; and

irradiating the biomass material.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the treatment enclosure comprises a second opening.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

conveying the treated biomass material out of the treatment enclosure through the second opening.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising purging the treatment enclosure with an inert gas.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising purging the treatment enclosure with a reactive gas.

17. The method of claim 4, wherein the primary single-type window foil is made from an element selected from the group consisting of:

titanium, scandium, vanadium, chromium, nickel, zirconium, niobium, molybdenum, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, hafnium, tantalum, tungsten, rhenium, platinum, iridium, and alloys or mixtures of any of these.

18. The method of claim 4, wherein the secondary single-type window foil is made from an element selected from the group consisting of:

titanium, scandium, vanadium, chromium, nickel, zirconium, niobium, molybdenum, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, hafnium, tantalum, tungsten, rhenium, platinum, iridium, beryllium, aluminum, silicon, and alloys or mixtures of any of these.

19. The method of claim 4, wherein the primary single-type window foil and the secondary single-type window foil are made of the same element, alloy, or mixture.

20. The method of claim 4, wherein the primary single-type window foil and the secondary single-type window foil are made of different elements, alloys, or mixtures.

21. The method of claim 4, wherein the primary single-type window foil or the secondary single-type window foil or both are made from a low Z element.

22. The method of claim 4, wherein the primary single-type window foil is made from a high Z element and the secondary single-type window foil is made from a low Z element.

23. The method of claim 4, wherein the primary single-type window foil is from 10 to 50 microns thick.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the primary single-type window foil is from 15 to 40 microns thick.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the primary single-type window foil is from 20 to 30 microns thick.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the secondary single-type window foil is from 5 to 30 microns thick.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the secondary single-type window foil is from 8 to 25 microns thick.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein the secondary single-type window foil is from 10 to 20 microns thick.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein the primary single-type window foils are the same thickness.

30. The method of claim 23, wherein the single-type window foils are different thicknesses.

31. The method of claim 1, wherein the biomass is selected from the group consisting of paper, paper products, paper waste, wood, particle board, sawdust, agricultural waste, sewage, silage, grasses, wheat straw, rice hulls, bagasse, cotton, jute, hemp, flax, bamboo, sisal, abaca, straw, corn cobs, corn stover, alfalfa, hay, coconut hair, seaweed, algae, and mixtures thereof.

32. The method of claim 1, wherein the biomass is treated with between 10 and 200 Mrad of radiation.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the biomass is treated with between 10 and 75 Mrad of radiation.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the biomass is treated with between 15 and 50 Mrad of radiation.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein the biomass is treated with between 20 and 35 Mrad of radiation.

36. The method of claim 1, wherein the electron beam comprises electrons having an energy of about 0.5-10 MeV.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the electron beam comprises electrons having an energy of about 0.8-5 MeV.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein the electron beam comprises electrons having an energy of about 0.8-3 MeV.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein the electron beam comprises electrons having an energy of about 1-3 MeV.

40. The method of claim 36, wherein the electron beam comprises electrons having an energy of about 1 MeV.

41. The method of claim 1, wherein the electron beam has a beam current of at least about 50 mA.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the electron beam has a beam current of at least about 60 mA.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein the electron beam has a beam current of at least about 70 mA.

44. The method of claim 41, wherein the electron beam has a beam current of at least about 80 mA.

45. The method of claim 41, wherein the electron beam has a beam current of at least about 90 mA.

46. The method of claim 41, wherein the electron beam has a beam current of at least about 100 mA.

47. The method of claim 41, wherein the electron beam has a beam current of at least about 125 mA.

48. The method of claim 41, wherein the electron beam has a beam current of at least about 150 mA.

49. The method of claim 4, wherein the electron beam comprises electrons having an energy of about 1 MeV, and the spacing between the primary single-type window foil and the secondary single-type window foil is less than 30 centimeters.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the electron beam comprises electrons having an energy of about 1 MeV, and the spacing between the primary single-type window foil and the secondary single-type window foil is less than 20 centimeters.

51. The method of claim 49, wherein the electron beam comprises electrons having an energy of about 1 MeV, and the spacing between the primary single-type window foil and the secondary single-type window foil is less than 10 centimeters.

52. The method of claim 4, wherein the electron beam comprises electrons having an energy of about 5 MeV, and the spacing between the primary single-type window foil and the secondary single-type window foil is less than 75 centimeters.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein the electron beam comprises electrons having an energy of about 5 MeV, and the spacing between the primary single-type window foil and the secondary single-type window foil is less than 60 centimeters.

54. The method of claim 52, wherein the electron beam comprises electrons having an energy of about 5 MeV, and the spacing between the primary single-type window foil and the secondary single-type window foil is less than 50 centimeters.

55. The method of claim 52, wherein the electron beam comprises electrons having an energy of about 5 MeV, and the spacing between the primary single-type window foil and the secondary single-type window foil is less than 40 centimeters.

56. The method of claim 52, wherein the electron beam comprises electrons having an energy of about 5 MeV, and the spacing between the primary single-type window foil and the secondary single-type window foil is less than 30 centimeters.

57. The method of claim 52, wherein the electron beam comprises electrons having an energy of about 5 MeV, and the spacing between the primary single-type window foil and the secondary single-type window foil is less than 20 centimeters.

58. The method of claim 4, where the method further comprises a beam stop.

59. The method of claim 58, where the beam stop is moveable to absorb different amounts of the electron beam.

60. The method of claim 58, where the beam stop absorbs at least 20% of the incident electrons.

61. The method of claim 58, where the beam stop absorbs at least 40% of the incident electrons.

62. The method of claim 58, where the beam stop absorbs at least 60% of the incident electrons.

63. The method of claim 58, where the beam stop absorbs at least 80% of the incident electrons.