PROCESSING BIOMASS

• US 20140147907A1
• Filed: 01/31/2014
• Published: 05/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xyleco, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Xyleco, Inc.
• Inventors: Medoff, Marshall, Masterman, Thomas Craig
• Granted Patent: US 9,109,241 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/252.1
• CPC Class Codes: C07H 3/02 Monosaccharides
• CPC Class Codes: C07H 3/04 Disaccharides
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 1/20 Bacteria; Culture media therefor
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 1/38 Chemical stimulation of growth or activity by addition of chemical compounds which are not essential growth factors; Stimulation of growth by removal of a chemical compound C12N1/34 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 19/02 Monosaccharides 2-ketogulonic acid C12P7/60
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 2201/00 Pretreatment of cellulosic or lignocellulosic material for subsequent enzymatic treatment or hydrolysis
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 2203/00 Fermentation products obtained from optionally pretreated or hydrolyzed cellulosic or lignocellulosic material as the carbon source ethanol C12P7/10
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 5/02 acyclic C12P5/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/04 acyclic
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/06 Ethanol, i.e. non-beverage
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/10 substrate containing cellulosic material
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/16 Butanols
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/18 polyhydric
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/20 Glycerol
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/40 containing a carboxyl group including Peroxycarboxylic acids
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/42 Hydroxy-carboxylic 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 7/52 Propionic acid; Butyric acids
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/54 Acetic acid vinegar C12J
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/56 Lactic acid
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/58 : Aldonic, ketoaldonic or saccharic acids uronic acids C12P19/00
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/6409 : Fatty acids
• 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

Biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) is processed to produce useful products, such as fuels. For example, systems can use feedstock materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials, to proceed ethanol and/or butanol, e.g., by fermentation.

Claims

1. A mixture comprising:

a low molecular weight sugar,

a microorganism,

a solvent, and

a treated lignocellulosic material comprising a plurality of saccharide units arranged in a molecular chain, wherein from about 1 out of every 2 to about 1 out of every 250 saccharide units includes a functional group acting as receptor sites for the microorganism.

2. The mixture of claim 1, wherein the functional group is selected from the group consisting of carboxylic acid groups, carboxylate esters, carboxylate salts, nitro groups, nitroso groups, nitrile groups, enol groups, aldehyde groups, amino groups, alkyl amino groups, alkyl groups and chloroalkyl groups.

3. The mixture of claim 1, wherein the treated lignocellulosic material comprises a lignocellulosic material that has been irradiated with ionizing radiation to provide a first level of radicals and subsequently quenched in a functionalizing medium to an extent that the radicals are at a second level lower than the first level, and the lignocellulosic material is functionalized with the functional group.

4. The mixture of claim 3, wherein the functionalizing medium is an oxidizing medium and the lignocellulosic material is oxidized to an extent that carboxylic acid groups are generated.

5. The mixture of claim 1, wherein the radiation is provided by electron beam irradiation.

6. The mixture of claim 1, wherein the ionizing radiation provides a total dosage of at least 5 Mrad of radiation to the lignocellulosic material.

7. The mixture of claim 1, wherein the microorganism is a yeast.

8. The mixture of claim 4, wherein the yeast is selected from the group consisting of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Pichia stipitis.

9. The mixture of claim 1, wherein the microorganism is a bacteria.

10. The mixture of claim 1, wherein the low molecular weight sugar is glucose or xylose.

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

12. The mixture of claim 1, wherein the treated lignocellulosic material comprises a lignocellulosic material that has been sheared and interior cellulosic fibers of the lignocellulosic material have been substantially exposed.

13. The mixture of claim 1, wherein the porosity of the treated lignocellulosic material is greater than 20%.

14. The mixture of claim 1, wherein the BET surface area of the treated lignocellulosic material is greater than 0.1 m²/g.

15. The mixture of claim 1, wherein the BET surface area of the treated lignocellulosic material is greater than 0.25 m²/g.

16. The mixture of claim 1, wherein the treated lignocellulosic material has a bulk density of less than about 0.5 g/cm³.

17. The mixture of claim 1, further comprising a compound selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alcohols, organic acids, hydrocarbons, proteins and mixtures thereof.

18. The mixture of claim 1, further comprising an alcohol.

19. The mixture of claim 1, further comprising an organic acid.

20. The mixture of claim 1, further comprising a protein.