Method to separate lignin-rich solid phase from acidic biomass suspension at an acidic pH
First Claim
1. A method of separating a lignin-rich solid phase from an aqueous suspension comprising a lignocellulosic biomass having an acidic pH and aromatic components, the method comprising:
- dividing the aqueous suspension comprising the lignocellulosic biomass having the acidic pH and the aromatic components into a residual lignocellulosic biomass and a suspension comprising soluble components having colloidal material and primarily lignin containing particles, said suspension having a pH less than about 4, using a pretreatment fluid;
flocculating said suspension using a sufficient amount of polyethylene oxide (PEO) as a flocculating agent, substantially without added cofactors;
adding to said suspension a precipitated calcium carbonate to raise the pH to between about 5 to 7.5; and
separating the flocculated suspension to remove agglomerates to achieve a reduction in turbidity of about 99.5%.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of separating a lignin-rich solid phase from a solution suspension, by pretreating a lignocellulosic biomass with a pretreatment fluid having remove soluble components, colloidal material and primarily lignin containing particles; separating the pretreated lignocellulosic biomass from the pretreatment fluid with soluble components, colloidal material and primarily lignin containing particles; flocculating the separated pretreatment fluid with soluble components, colloidal material and primarily lignin containing particles using polyethylene oxide (i.e., PEO) or cationic Poly acrylamide (i.e., CPAM) as a flocculating agent; and filtering the flocculated separated pretreatment fluid with soluble components, colloidal material and primarily lignin containing particles to remove agglomerates.
-
Citations
23 Claims
-
1. A method of separating a lignin-rich solid phase from an aqueous suspension comprising a lignocellulosic biomass having an acidic pH and aromatic components, the method comprising:
-
dividing the aqueous suspension comprising the lignocellulosic biomass having the acidic pH and the aromatic components into a residual lignocellulosic biomass and a suspension comprising soluble components having colloidal material and primarily lignin containing particles, said suspension having a pH less than about 4, using a pretreatment fluid; flocculating said suspension using a sufficient amount of polyethylene oxide (PEO) as a flocculating agent, substantially without added cofactors; adding to said suspension a precipitated calcium carbonate to raise the pH to between about 5 to 7.5; and separating the flocculated suspension to remove agglomerates to achieve a reduction in turbidity of about 99.5%. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A method for treating lignocellulosic biomass comprising:
-
treating the lignocellulosic biomass with an extractant to extract a suspension comprising soluble components having colloidal material and primarily lignin containing particles from the lignocellulosic biomass, yielding a residual biomass and the suspension having a pH less than about 4; separating the suspension from the residual biomass; adding a flocculating agent to the suspension to form a flocculated suspension, wherein the flocculating agent comprises polyethylene oxide (PEO) in an amount sufficient to achieve a 99.5% reduction in turbidity after separation; adding to the suspension a precipitated calcium carbonate to raise the pH between about 5 and 7.5; and separating a flocculated portion of the flocculated suspension from a non-flocculated portion of the flocculated suspension to produce a fermentable solution from the lignocellulosic biomass. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
-
-
13. A method of separating a lignin-rich solid phase from a suspension comprising:
-
dividing a lignocellulosic biomass into a residual lignocellulosic biomass and a suspension comprising soluble components having colloidal material and primarily lignin containing particles, the suspension having a pH less than about 4, using a pretreatment fluid; treating the suspension with a polymer flocculating agent comprising a sufficient amount of polyethylene oxide (PEO) and precipitated calcium carbonate to raise the pH to between about 5 and 7.5 and said polymer flocculating agent, being substantially without additional cofactors; and separating the flocculated suspension to remove agglomerates to achieve a reduction in turbidity of about 99.5%. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
-
Specification