Processing biomass

• US 9,920,335 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2016
• Issued: 03/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Xyleco, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Xyleco, Inc.
• Inventors: Medoff, Marshall, Masterman, Thomas Craig
• Primary Examiner(s): Mondesi, Robert B
• Assistant Examiner(s): Meah, Mohammad Y
• Application Number:
  US15/387,391
• Publication Number:
  US 20170166933A1
• Time in Patent Office: 454 Days
• Field of Search: 435135, 435 41, 4352891, 435136, 435162, 435140
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1612 CO2-separation and sequestration, i.e. long time storage
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1665 to alcohols, e.g. methanol or ethanol
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1681 with biological plants, e.g. involving bacteria, algae, fungi
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/04 acyclic
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/065 with microorganisms other than yeasts
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/10 substrate containing cellulosic material
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/14 Multiple stages of fermentation; Multiple types of microorganisms or re-use of microorganisms
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/40 containing a carboxyl group including Peroxycarboxylic acids
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/46 Dicarboxylic acids having four or less carbon atoms, e.g. fumaric acid, maleic acid
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/54 Acetic acid vinegar C12J
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/56 Lactic acid
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/62 Carboxylic acid esters
• CPC Class Codes: C13K 1/02 obtained by saccharification of cellulosic materials manufacture of fodder A23K10/32
• CPC Class Codes: C13K 1/06 obtained by saccharification of starch or raw materials containing starch
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/10 Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/678 Aviation using fuels of non-fossil origin

Abstract

Carbon-containing materials, such as biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) or coal are processed to produce useful products, such as fuels, carboxylic acids and equivalents thereof (e.g., esters and salts). For example, systems are described that can use feedstock materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials and/or starchy materials, to produce ethanol, butanol or organic acids (e.g., acetic or lactic acid), salts of organic acids or mixtures thereof. If desired, organic acids can be converted into alcohols, such as by first converting the acid, salt or mixtures of the acid and its salt to an ester, and then hydrogenating the formed ester. Acetogens or homoacetogens which are capable of utilizing a syngas from a thermochemical conversion of coal or biomass can be utilized to produce the desired product.

Claims

1. A method of processing lignocellulosic biomass to a product selected from the group consisting of an alcohol, a carboxylic acid, a salt of a carboxylic acid, and an ester of a carboxylic acid, the method comprising:

treating the lignocellulosic biomass to reduce its recalcitrance, thereby producing treated biomass;

saccharifying a first portion of the treated biomass, thereby producing saccharified material;

fermenting the saccharified material in a vessel by utilizing a microorganism or a mixture of microorganisms to produce the product;

thermochemically converting a second portion of the treated biomass to produce syngas; and

feeding the syngas into the vessel during fermenting;

wherein the first portion and the second portion of the treated biomass are of identical composition.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the product is an alcohol selected from the group consisting of:

n-propanol, butanol, ethanol, 1,4-butanediol and 1,3-propanediol.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the product is an ester of a carboxylic acid selected from the group consisting of:

a proprianate ester, a butyrate ester, a succinate ester and 3-hydroxyproprianate ester.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the product is a carboxylic acid selected from the group consisting of:

propionic acid, butyric acid, succinic acid and 3-hydroxypropionic acid.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the product is a salt of a carboxylic acid selected from the group consisting of:

a salt of propionic acid, a salt of butyric acid, a salt of succinic acid and a salt of 3-hydroxypropionic acid.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein treating the lignocellulosic biomass is by size reduction, sonication, oxidation, pyrolysis, steam explosion, radiation or by a combination of any of the foregoing.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein treating the lignocellulosic biomass is by radiation.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the radiation comprises ultraviolet radiation, gamma radiation, microwave radiation, electron beam radiation, ion particle beam radiation, X-rays or a combination of any of the foregoing.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the radiation comprises a beam of electrons.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the beam of electrons delivers electrons with energies of 4-10 MeV.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the lignocellulosic biomass comprises material selected from the group consisting of paper, paper products, wood, wood-related materials, particle board, grasses, rice hulls, bagasse, cotton, jute, hemp, flax, bamboo, sisal, abaca, straw, corn cobs, rice hulls, coconut hair, algae, seaweed and mixtures of any of the foregoing.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein saccharifying is by acid hydrolysis.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein saccharifying is by enzymatic hydrolysis.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the microorganism is bacterial or the mixture of microorganisms comprises bacteria.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the microorganism is a yeast or the mixture of microorganisms comprises yeast.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the microorganism is a recombinant microorganism or the mixture of microorganisms comprises recombinant microorganisms.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the microorganism is an anaerobe or the mixture of microorganisms comprises anaerobes.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the microorganism is of the genus Clostridium or the mixture of microorganisms comprises bacteria of the genus Clostridium.

19. The method of claim 1 further comprising contacting the treated biomass with one or more enzymes that degrade cellulose.

20. The method of claim 1 further comprising capturing CO₂ from fermenting.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising injecting the CO₂ into a geological formation capable of maintaining the CO₂ in place.

22. The method of claim 20 further comprising fixing the CO₂ in the form of a carbohydrate and/or a lipid, utilizing a microorganism.

23. The method of claim 20 further comprising fixing the CO₂ in the form of a lipid, utilizing a microorganism, the method further comprising converting the lipid to an ester of a carboxylic acid.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises exposing the product to a reducing agent.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the product is exposed to hydrogen under a pressure of greater than about 25 bar in the presence of a catalyst.