Fuel compositions containing lignocellulosic biomass fermentation process syrup

• US 9,873,846 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2014
• Issued: 01/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sustainable Technology Corporation
• Original Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (Corteva, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hill, Kenneth Miles, Swearingen, Steven H
• Primary Examiner(s): WEISS, PAMELA HL
• Application Number:
  US14/510,142
• Publication Number:
  US 20150101242A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,202 Days
• Field of Search: 44550, 44560, 44605
• CPC Class Codes: C05D 9/00 Other inorganic fertilisers
• CPC Class Codes: C05F 5/008 Waste from biochemical processing of material, e.g. fermentation, breweries
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 13/02 Organic and inorganic ingredients
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2200/0469 Renewables or materials of biological origin
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2230/14 for improving storage or transport of the fuel
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2290/02 Combustion or pyrolysis
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2290/06 Heat exchange, direct or indirect
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2290/08 Drying or removing water
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2290/10 Recycling of a stream within the process or apparatus to reuse elsewhere therein
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2290/24 Mixing, stirring of fuel components
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2290/26 Composting, fermenting or anaerobic digestion fuel components or materials from which fuels are prepared
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2290/28 Cutting, disintegrating, shredding or grinding
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2290/30 Pressing, compressing or compacting
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2290/543 Distillation, fractionation or rectification for separating fractions, components or impurities during preparation or upgrading of a fuel
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2290/547 Filtration for separating fractions, components or impurities during preparation or upgrading of a fuel
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 5/02 Solid fuels such as briquettes consisting mainly of carbonaceous materials of mineral or non-mineral origin peat briquettes C10F
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 5/04 Raw material of mineral origin to be used; Pretreatment thereof pretreatment of fuels of non-mineral origin C10L5/40
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 5/14 with organic binders
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 5/363 Pellets or granulates
• 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 9/10 : by using additives
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 2203/00 : Fermentation products obtained from optionally pretreated or hydrolyzed cellulosic or lignocellulosic material as the carbon source
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/10 : substrate containing cellulosic material
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/20 : Fertilizers of biological origin, e.g. guano or fertilizers made from animal corpses
• 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

A solid lignocellulosic fuel composition is produced from combining the syrup co-product of a lignocellulosic biomass fermentation process and an additional fuel component. The syrup is an excellent binder for a powdery fuel material that is not readily handled. The fuel composition is further processed to form briquettes, pellets and the like.

Claims

1. A solid lignocellulosic fuel composition comprising a lignocellulosic syrup and at least one additional fuel component, wherein the lignocellulosic syrup comprises:

a) from 40% to 70% solids;

b) from 10 g/l to 30 g/l of acetamide;

c) at least 40 g/l of sugars;

wherein the lignocellulosic syrup has a density of 1 to 2 g/cm³ and a viscosity of less than 500 SSU at 100°

F. (38°

C.).

2. The solid lignocellulosic fuel composition of claim 1 wherein the lignocellulosic syrup is the product of a process for the production of ethanol from a lignocellulosic biomass.

3. The solid lignocellulosic fuel composition of claim 2 wherein the lignocellulosic biomass is selected from the group consisting of corn cobs, corn stover, grasses, wheat straw, barley straw, hay, rice straw, switchgrass, waste paper, sugar cane bagasse, sorghum plant material, soybean plant material, woody plants, vegetables, fruits, flowers, empty palm fruit bunch, and energy cane.

4. The solid lignocellulosic fuel composition of claim 3 wherein the lignocellulosic biomass is corn stover.

5. The solid lignocellulosic fuel composition of claim 1 wherein the at least one additional fuel component is coal fines.

6. The solid lignocellulosic fuel composition of claim 1 wherein the at least one additional fuel component is a filter cake.

7. The solid lignocellulosic fuel composition of claim 6 wherein the filter cake is the product of a process for the production of ethanol from a lignocellulosic biomass.

8. The solid lignocellulosic fuel composition of claim 1 wherein the additional fuel component is at least one of petcoke and size-reduced biomass.

9. The solid lignocellulosic fuel composition of claim 1 wherein the solid lignocellulosic fuel composition comprises the lignocellulosic syrup in an amount of from 10% to 50% of the solid lignocellulosic fuel composition.

10. The solid lignocellulosic fuel composition of claim 9 wherein the solid lignocellulosic fuel composition comprises the lignocellulosic syrup in an amount of from 20% to 40% of the solid lignocellulosic fuel composition.

11. The solid lignocellulosic fuel composition of claim 1 having 10% to 40% moisture.

12. The solid lignocellulosic fuel composition of claim 1 wherein the lignocellulosic syrup is a co-product of a process for the production of alcohol from a lignocellulosic biomass which employs ammonia for the pretreatment of the lignocellulosic biomass, and the lignocellulosic syrup contains at least 5 g/l of ammonia.

13. A process for the production of a solid lignocellulosic fuel composition comprising mixing a lignocellulosic syrup with at least one additional fuel component to produce a solid lignocellulosic fuel composition, wherein the lignocellulosic syrup comprises:

a) from 40% to 70% solids;

b) from 10 g/l to 30 g/l of acetamide;

c) at least 40 g/l of sugars;

wherein the lignocellulosic syrup has a density of 1 to 2 g/cm³ and a viscosity of less than 500 SSU at 100°

F. (38°

C.).

14. The process of claim 13 wherein the lignocellulosic syrup is the product of a process for the production of ethanol from a lignocellulosic biomass.

15. The process of claim 13 wherein the at least one additional fuel component is coal fines.

16. The process of claim 15 wherein the lignocellulosic syrup is mixed with the fuel component to a final ratio of coal fines to syrup of 5:

1.

17. The process of claim 15 wherein the lignocellulosic syrup is mixed with the fuel component to a final ratio of coal fines to syrup of 4:

1.

18. The process of claim 13 wherein the solid lignocellulosic fuel composition comprises the lignocellulosic syrup in an amount of from 10% to 50% of the solid lignocellulosic fuel composition.

19. The process of claim 13 wherein the at least one additional fuel component is a filter cake.

20. The process of claim 13 wherein the lignocellulosic syrup is a co-product of a process for the production of alcohol from a lignocellulosic biomass which employs ammonia for the pretreatment of the lignocellulosic biomass, and the lignocellulosic syrup contains at least 5 g/l of ammonia.