Classifications

• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
  • C10G—CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION; RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES
  • C10G1/00—Production of liquid hydrocarbon mixtures from oil-shale, oil-sand, or non-melting solid carbonaceous or similar materials, e.g. wood, coal
  • C10G1/002—Production of liquid hydrocarbon mixtures from oil-shale, oil-sand, or non-melting solid carbonaceous or similar materials, e.g. wood, coal in combination with oil conversion- or refining processes
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
  • C07G—COMPOUNDS OF UNKNOWN CONSTITUTION
  • C07G1/00—Lignin; Lignin derivatives
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08B—POLYSACCHARIDES; DERIVATIVES THEREOF
  • C08B37/00—Preparation of polysaccharides not provided for in groups C08B1/00 - C08B35/00; Derivatives thereof
  • C08B37/0006—Homoglycans, i.e. polysaccharides having a main chain consisting of one single sugar, e.g. colominic acid
  • C08B37/0057—Homoglycans, i.e. polysaccharides having a main chain consisting of one single sugar, e.g. colominic acid beta-D-Xylans, i.e. xylosaccharide, e.g. arabinoxylan, arabinofuronan, pentosans; (beta-1,3)(beta-1,4)-D-Xylans, e.g. rhodymenans; Hemicellulose; Derivatives thereof
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08H—DERIVATIVES OF NATURAL MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS
  • C08H6/00—Macromolecular compounds derived from lignin, e.g. tannins, humic acids
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08H—DERIVATIVES OF NATURAL MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS
  • C08H8/00—Macromolecular compounds derived from lignocellulosic materials
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D21—PAPER-MAKING; PRODUCTION OF CELLULOSE
  • D21C—PRODUCTION OF CELLULOSE BY REMOVING NON-CELLULOSE SUBSTANCES FROM CELLULOSE-CONTAINING MATERIALS; REGENERATION OF PULPING LIQUORS; APPARATUS THEREFOR
  • D21C1/00—Pretreatment of the finely-divided materials before digesting
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D21—PAPER-MAKING; PRODUCTION OF CELLULOSE
  • D21C—PRODUCTION OF CELLULOSE BY REMOVING NON-CELLULOSE SUBSTANCES FROM CELLULOSE-CONTAINING MATERIALS; REGENERATION OF PULPING LIQUORS; APPARATUS THEREFOR
  • D21C3/00—Pulping cellulose-containing materials
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
  • C10G—CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION; RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES
  • C10G2300/00—Aspects relating to hydrocarbon processing covered by groups C10G1/00 - C10G99/00
  • C10G2300/10—Feedstock materials
  • C10G2300/1011—Biomass
  • C10G2300/1014—Biomass of vegetal origin
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02P—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
  • Y02P30/00—Technologies relating to oil refining and petrochemical industry
  • Y02P30/20—Technologies relating to oil refining and petrochemical industry using bio-feedstock

Definitions

• Fossil fuels are a finite natural resource, with the depletion of readily available oil reserves across the globe; the supply chain has shifted to more complex and environmentally risky production technologies. A reduction in the use and conservation of fossil fuels is clearly needed. Some alternatives to fossil fuels, like solar power, wind power, geothermal power, hydropower, and nuclear power, are used to a degree. However, a more efficient use of renewable resources is always being sought.
• biomass As a stable and independent alternative to fossil fuels, biomass has emerged as a potentially inexhaustible resource for the production of energy, transportation fuels, and chemicals.
• biomass consists essentially of plant biomass, including agricultural biomass, woody biomass, and cultivated plant biomass.
• Biomass can be freshly harvested, stored, recovered, or recycled. Biomass can be employed as a sustainable source of energy and is a valuable alternative to fossil fuels in the production of chemicals. More specifically, the biorefining of biomass into derivative products typically produced from petroleum could help to lessen the dependence on foreign crude oil. Biomass can become a key resource for chemical production in much of the world.
• biomass unlike petroleum, is renewable. Biomass can provide sustainable substitutes for petrochemically derived feedstocks used in existing markets.
• a method for biorefining may include the steps of providing biomass and treating the biomass to provide a plurality of component streams.
• the method may further include producing derivative products from the plurality of component streams.
• the method for biorefining comprising the steps of: providing biomass; processing the biomass to provide a plurality of component streams; and producing derivative products from the plurality of component streams.
• the biomass comprises plant biomass.
• plant biomass comprises woody biomass, agricultural biomass, and cultivated plant biomass.
• woody biomass comprises at least one softwood biomass of softwood trees, softwood shrubs, and softwood bushes.
• woody biomass comprises at least one hardwood biomass of hardwood trees, hardwood shrubs, and hardwood bushes.
• woody biomass comprises at least one hybrid biomass of hybrid trees, hybrid shrubs, and hybrid bushes.
• woody biomass comprises at least one forest biomass of forest trees, forest shrubs, and forest bushes.
• woody biomass comprises at least one biomass of recycled wood, recovered wood, recycled wood products, and recovered wood products.
• agricultural biomass comprises at least one agricultural biomass of agricultural plants, annual agricultural plants, native annual agricultural plants, hybrid annual agricultural plants, and genetically modified annual agricultural plants.
• agricultural biomass comprises at least one perennial agricultural biomass of perennial agricultural plants, native perennial agricultural plants, hybrid perennial agricultural plants, and genetically modified perennial agricultural plants.
• agricultural biomass comprises at least one biennial agricultural biomass of biennial agricultural plants, native biennial agricultural plants, hybrid biennial agricultural plants, and genetically modified biennial agricultural plants.
• agricultural biomass comprises of at least one agricultural residue of agricultural plants, annual agricultural plants, perennial agricultural plants, biennial agricultural plants, native annual agricultural plants, hybrid annual agricultural plants, genetically modified annual agricultural plants, native perennial agricultural plants, hybrid perennial agricultural plants, genetically modified perennial agricultural plants, native biennial agricultural plants, hybrid biennial agricultural plants, and genetically modified biennial agricultural plants.
• cultivated plant biomass comprises at least one biomass of cultivated plants, cultivated trees, cultivated shrubs, and cultivated bushes.
• cultivated plant biomass comprises at least one cultivated plant of aquatic plants, medicinal plants, fiber plants, ornamental plants, and grassy plants.
• cultivated plant biomass comprises at least one annual cultivated plant of annual cultivated plants, native annual cultivated plants, hybrid annual cultivated plants, and genetically modified annual cultivated plants.
• cultivated plant biomass comprises at least one perennial cultivated plant of perennial cultivated plants, native perennial cultivated plants, hybrid perennial cultivated plants, and genetically modified perennial cultivated plants.
• cultivated plant biomass comprises at least one biennial cultivated plant of biennial cultivated plants, native biennial cultivated plants, hybrid biennial cultivated plants, and genetically modified biennial cultivated plants.
• cultivated plant biomass comprises cultivated plant residues of at least one of cultivated plants, cultivated trees, cultivated shrubs, cultivated bushes, aquatic plants, medicinal plants, fiber plants, ornamental plants, grassy plants, annual cultivated plants, native annual cultivated plants, hybrid annual cultivated plants, genetically modified annual cultivated plants, perennial cultivated plants, native perennial cultivated plants, hybrid perennial cultivated plants, genetically modified perennial cultivated plants, biennial cultivated plants, native biennial cultivated plants, hybrid biennial cultivated plants, and genetically modified biennial cultivated plants.
• the plurality of component streams comprises lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose.
• the step of processing the biomass to provide a plurality of component streams comprises mechanical processing and component separation processing.
• the mechanical processing comprises at least one mechanical process of chopping, chipping, cutting, shredding, debarking, milling, and grinding.
• the biomass is woody biomass and the processing of the woody biomass by the mechanical processing comprises at least one of mechanical process of debarking, chopping, chipping, milling, and grinding.
• the biomass is agricultural biomass or cultivated plant biomass and the processing of the plant biomass by the mechanical processing comprises at least one of chopping, cutting, shredding, milling, and grinding.
• the step of component separation processing further comprises the step of providing cellulose.
• the component separation processing comprises at least one component of lignin and hemicellulose.
• the step of processing the biomass to provide a plurality of component streams further comprises the step of completing a chemical processing during the processing of the biomass.
• the chemical processing comprises at least one treatment of solvent treatment, acidic treatment, basic treatment, and enzymatic treatment.
• the method described further comprises removing extractables from the chemical processing.
• the step of removing extractables from the chemical processing further comprises the step of at least one process of extracting metals from ore, lubricating, cleaning, disinfecting, deodorizing, scenting, and producing biofuels.
• the method further comprises the steps of recovering chemicals from the chemical processing and recycling the chemicals from the chemical processing.
• the method further comprises the step of using a residual chemical removal in the step of processing the biomass.
• the step of using residual chemical removal produces hemicellulose and lignin.
• the step of using residual chemical removal further comprises the steps of adjusting a pH and producing hemicellulose and lignin.
• the method further comprises the steps of recovering at least one chemical from the residual chemical removal and recycling the at least one chemical from the residual chemical removal.
• the step of processing the biomass to provide a plurality of component streams further comprises the step of utilizing an additional treatment during the processing of the biomass.
• the additional treatment comprises at least one treatment of heat treatment, pressure treatment, kraft pulping, sulfite pulping, pyrolysis, steam explosion, ammonia fiber explosion, dilute acid hydrolysis, alkaline hydrolysis, alkaline oxidative treatment, and enzymatic treatment.
• the method further comprises the step of selectively utilizing at least two of the additional treatments during the processing of the biomass.
• the method further comprises the step of removing extractables from the additional treatment.
• the method further comprises the steps of recovering at least one chemical from the additional treatment and recycling at least one chemical from the additional treatment.
• the method further comprises the step of selectively utilizing one of the component streams for producing the derivative products.
• the method further comprises the step of selectively utilizing at least two of the component streams for producing the derivative products.
• the plurality of component streams is a mixture of the component streams.
• At least one component stream of the plurality of component streams is an independent and separate component stream from the plurality of component streams.
• the method includes the step of selectively producing one derivative product from the independent and separate component stream. [0049] In still yet another implementation, the method further comprises the step of selectively producing at least two derivative products from the independent and separate component stream.
• the method further comprises the step of producing at least one derivative product from a residue component stream.
• derivative products comprise at least one product of commodity chemicals, fine chemicals, and specialty chemicals.
• producing derivative products comprises at least one process of chemical processing, biological processing, catalytic processing, and pyrolytic processing.
• one of the component streams is lignin, wherein derivative products from lignin comprise at least one product of aromatic chemicals and fuels.
• derivative products from lignin comprise at least one product of aromatic carboxylic acids, aromatic esters, aromatic aldehydes, aryl alcohols, aryl ketones, styrenes, aryl ethanes, aryl propenes, aryl propanes, cresols, phenols, benzenes, and pyrolytic oils.
• derivative products from lignin comprise at least one product of methyl and ethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate, methyl and ethyl vanillate, methyl and ethyl syringate, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, (4-hydroxyphenyl) acetic acid, vanillic acid, homovanillic acid, syringic acid, homosyringic acid, 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, vanillin, syringaldehyde, 4- hydroxybenzyl alcohol, 2- (4-hydroxyphenyl )ethanol, vanillyl alcohol, homovanillyl alcohol, syringyl alcohol, homosyringyl alcohol, 4-hydroxyacetophenone, acetoguaiacone,
• acetosyringone 4-hydroxystyrene, 3-methoxy-4-hydroxystyrene, 3,5-dimethoxy-4- hydroxystyrene, (4-hydroxyphenyl)- 1-propene, (4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-propene, eugenol, iso- eugenol, syringeugenol, iso-syringeugenol, ethyl phenol, ethyl guaiacol, ethyl syringol, propyl phenol, propyl guaiacol, propyl syringol, cresol, creosol, syringyl creosol, phenol, guaiacol, syringol, benzene, toluene, xylene, ethyl benzene, propyl benzene, biphenyl, and pyrolytic oils.
• one of the components streams is cellulose
• the derivative products from cellulose comprise at least one product of aliphatic chemicals, heterocyclic chemicals, and fuels.
• derivative products from cellulose comprise at least one product of cellulosic esters, aliphatic carboxylic acids, aliphatic esters, polyols, furans, dihydrofurans, tetrahydrofurans, lactones, and ethanol.
• derivative products from cellulose comprise at least one product of cellulose acetate, cellulose propionate, cellulose benzoate, methyl and ethyl adipate, methyl and ethyl levulinate, methyl and ethyl succinate, methyl and ethyl 2,5- furandicarboxylate, adipic acid, levulinic acid, succinic acid, 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid, 3,4- dehydro-y-valerolactone, ⁇ -valerolactone, 2-methyltetrahydrofuran, sorbitol, hexane-l,6-diol, pentane-l,4-diol, butane- 1,4-diol, 2,5-di(hydroxymethyl)furan, 2,5- di(hydroxymethyl)tetrahydrofuran, glyercol, propylene glycol, and ethanol.
• one of the component streams is hemicellulose
• the derivative products from hemicellulose comprise at least one product of aliphatic chemicals, heterocyclic chemicals, and fuels.
• derivative products from hemicellulose comprise at least one product of polyols, furans, dihydrofurans, tetrahydrofurans, lactones, and butenes.
• derivative products from hemicellulose comprise at least one product of furfural, ⁇ -butyrolactone, tetrahydrofuran, ribitol, arabitol, xylitol, glyercol, propylene glycol, and isoprene.
• the plurality of derivative products comprises at least one of product of achiral, racemic, and optically pure products.
• the method further comprises the step of using at least one of the derivative products in the production of other chemicals, materials, and products.
• the biomass has a weight, and a waste product of the biomass is less than 25% of the biomass weight.
• biomass has a weight, and a waste product of the biomass is less than 15% of the biomass weight.
• the method further comprises the step of producing energy utilizing the waste product.
• a method for biorefining comprises the steps of providing biomass, processing the biomass to provide a plurality of component streams resulting in at least one waste product, and utilizing at least one waste product to produce energy.
• the energy is heat or power.
• the method for biorefining comprises the steps of providing woody biomass, agricultural biomass, and cultivated plant biomass; providing the woody biomass comprising at least one biomass of softwood trees, softwood shrubs, softwood bushes, hardwood trees, hardwood shrubs, hardwood bushes, hybrid trees, hybrid shrubs, hybrid bushes, cultivated trees, cultivated shrubs, cultivated bushes, forest trees, forest shrubs, forest bushes; providing the woody biomass comprising of at least one biomass of recycled wood, recovered wood, recycled wood products, and recovered wood products;
• the agricultural biomass comprising at least one biomass of agricultural plants, annual agricultural plants, perennial agricultural plants, biennial agricultural plants, native annual agricultural plants, hybrid annual agricultural plants, genetically modified annual agricultural plants, native perennial agricultural plants, hybrid perennial agricultural plants, genetically modified perennial agricultural plants, native biennial agricultural plants, hybrid biennial agricultural plants, and genetically modified biennial agricultural plants; providing the agricultural biomass comprising at least one agricultural residues of agricultural plants, annual agricultural plants, perennial agricultural plants, biennial agricultural plants, native annual agricultural plants, hybrid annual agricultural plants, genetically modified annual agricultural plants, native perennial agricultural plants, hybrid perennial agricultural plants, genetically modified perennial agricultural plants, native biennial agricultural plants, hybrid biennial agricultural plants, and genetically modified biennial agricultural plants; providing the cultivated plant biomass comprising at least one biomass of cultivated plants, cultivated trees, cultivated shrubs, cultivated bushes, aquatic plants, medicinal plants, fiber plants, ornamental plants, and grassy plants, annual cultivated plants, native annual cultivated plants, hybrid annual cultivated plants, genetically modified annual cultivated plants, perennial cultivated plants, native perennial cultivated plants, hybrid perennial cultivated
• the method described herein provides a method for biorefining that is easy to implement and use.
• FIGURE 1 is a flow diagram schematically illustrating what is disclosed herein.
• FIGURE 2 is a flow diagram schematically illustrating what is disclosed herein.
• FIGURE 3 is a flow diagram schematically illustrating what is disclosed herein.
• FIGURE 4 is a flow diagram schematically illustrating what is disclosed herein.
• FIGURE 5 is a flow diagram schematically illustrating what is disclosed herein.
• FIGURE 6 is a flow diagram schematically illustrating what is disclosed herein.
• FIGURE 7 is a flow diagram schematically illustrating what is disclosed herein.
• Biomass is made up primarily of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. These components, if economically separated from one another, can provide vital sources of chemicals normally derived from petrochemicals. The use of biomass can also be beneficial with plants that are sparsely used and by-products, residues and plant wastes that currently have little or no use. Biomass can provide valuable chemicals and reduce dependence on coal, gas, and fossil fuels, in addition to boosting local and worldwide economies. Biomass can include agricultural biomass, woody biomass, and cultivated plant biomass. Agricultural biomass can be considered to be plants, roots, leaves, stems, stocks, seeds, fruits, nuts, or other products of agriculture.
• Agricultural residues may include stover, straw, hay, bagasse, hulls, straw, nut shells, crop residues, and clippings and prunings from orchards and vineyards.
• Woody biomass may include wood, wood by-products, wood residues, and wood wastes. Cultivated plant biomass can be comprised of plants whose origin or selection is primarily due to intentional human activity.
• Biomass is also plentiful throughout the United States and the world. For example, some estimates of the amount of sustainably harvestable forest biomass in the United States alone are about 370 million dry tons per annum, a small fraction of the total timberlands inventory of more than 20 billion dry tons. Also, some estimates of the agricultural biomass in the United States are about 1 billion tons annually with about 200 million tons of that amount in agricultural residues. Another aspect of biomass is that it is often a by-product, residue or waste product of other processes, such as farming, forestry, landscaping, timber and the pulp and paper industry, and the biomass and biomass residues are underutilized and left to rot or are burned.
• biomass can provide valuable chemicals and reduce dependence on coal, gas, and fossil fuels, in addition to boosting local and worldwide economies. Additionally, there are several other benefits to using biomass. Some of these benefits may include reducing the threat and impact of wildfires on communities, improving recreation and scenic opportunities by thinning overcrowded forests, improving human health through better air quality and reduced wildfire and prescribed fires emissions, providing rural community vitality though the provision of sustainable environments and economies over the long term, providing increased societal awareness by using forest restoration activities as a learning tool to promote wise forest management, and lowering treatment costs by finding new markets for removed residue.
• Some of the ecological and environmental benefits may include decreasing insect and disease outbreaks toward endemic levels, decreasing unnaturally severe fires within forests and grasslands, facilitating the removal of invasive woody species, increasing ability to protect and restore critical wildlife habitat, providing clean air through decreased wildfires size and severity, increasing the longevity of landfills which reduces the amount of land that needs to be converted into new landfills, improving vigor of remaining trees, reducing fire related erosion and maintain healthy watersheds, improving forest health, reducing dependence on fossil fuels, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and reducing atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases through substitution of fossil fuels energy when woody biomass is regrown.
• Economic benefits may include providing new jobs and income through new biomass industries, decreasing energy costs by substituting woody biomass for other fuels, providing private land owners opportunities for carbon market income by growing short rotation woody crops for energy, lessening the potential of wildfire near communities, reducing cost of treatment for land managers, providing employment and economic stability to rural, forest-dependent communities, attracting investments in new industry and markets and stabilizing existing markets including tourism, complementing traditional utilization of higher values wood products, avoiding fire suppression and resource damage costs of wildfires, and increasing capacity to pursue new management incentives and opportunities such as emission reduction credits in energy production.
• separate component streams can be obtained from biomass through at least one known process of kraft pulping, sulfite pulping, steam explosion, ammonia fiber explosion, dilute acid hydrolysis, alkaline hydrolysis, alkaline oxidative treatment, enzymatic hydrolysis, pyrolytic processes, and enzymatic treatment.
• kraft pulping of woody biomass is by far the dominant chemical pulping method practiced across the world today.
• FIGURE 1 shows a flow diagram schematically depicting the general overview for the illustrative flow for a method for treating and processing biomass 10 for production of biobased chemicals 40.
• biomass 10 may be obtained for processing.
• Biomass 10 refers to any plant derived organic matter, whether native, non-native, or hybrid. Biomass 10 may be used for the production of biobased chemicals 40.
• Biomass 10 can include woody biomass, agricultural biomass, cultivated plant biomass, and any plant biomass. Biomass 10 can be received in any number of forms, including loose, bailed, wrapped, pellets, cubes, and briquettes.
• woody biomass 10 may include limbs, tops, needles, leaves, and other woody parts, grown in a forest, woodland, or rangeland environment, that are the by-products of forest management.
• Woody biomass 10 can also include but is not limited to logs, wood chips, wood bark, wood powder, sawdust, pulp products, wood pellet products, sawmill products, salvaged wood products, logging waste, forest products, and wood products.
• Sources of woody biomass 10 can encompass both native and cultivated trees including hybrids.
• the woody biomass 10 may include softwood trees, softwood shrubs, and softwood bushes.
• This woody biomass 10 may include hardwood trees, hardwood shrubs, and hardwood bushes. Additionally, the woody biomass 10 may include hybrid trees, hybrid shrubs, and hybrid bushes. Woody biomass 10 can also include native trees, forest trees, native shrubs, forest shrubs, native bushes, and forest bushes. Woody biomass 10 may also include residential or commercial landscaping trees, shrubs, and bushes. The woody biomass 10 may include recycled and/or recovered wood and wood products. Second, agricultural biomass 10 can include but is not limited to agricultural food and feed crops, whether or not hybrid or genetically modified, agricultural products, and agricultural residues like stover, hay, straw, prunings, and clippings. Agricultural biomass 10 can be considered to contain plants, leaves, stems, stalks, roots, seeds, fruits, nuts, or other products of agriculture.
• agricultural biomass 10 may include agricultural biomass that is annual, biennial, or perennial.
• Agricultural biomass 10 can also contain an agricultural residue product of agricultural biomass. These agricultural residues from the agricultural biomass 10 may include stover, straw, hay, bagasse, hulls, straw, nut shells, crop residues, and clippings and prunings from orchards and vineyards.
• cultivated biomass 10 can include but is not limited to cultivated crop plants like switchgrass, miscanthus and sweet sorghum that may be grown for the production of fuels and chemicals.
• Cultivated plant biomass 10 can be comprised of plants whose origin or selection is primarily due to intentional human activity.
• cultiva plant biomass 10 can include but are not limited to cultivated plants like switchgrass, miscanthus, hemp, King grass, sugarcane, sweet sorghum, duckweed, and a variety of cultivated tree species ranging from eucalyptus to palm oil. Some of this cultivated plant biomass 10 may be grown for the production of fuels and chemicals. Because of their typical higher biomass density per acre, cultivated plant biomass 10 may provide a biomass source where they are utilized, particularly in geographies and/or soils where certain higher value agricultural and woody biomass do not grow as well. In other words, cultivated plant biomass 10 may provide a use for marginal lands where environmental stress is inherent and the land cannot be used for typical agricultural or timber purposes.
• this cultivated plant biomass 10 may be used for the production of biobased chemicals 40.
• the cultivated plant biomass 10 may be considered to include cultivated plants, cultivated trees, cultivated shrubs, and cultivated bushes.
• Sources of cultivated plant biomass 10 can encompass native plants, hybrid plants, and genetically modified plants.
• cultivated plant biomass 10 may include annual cultivated plants, native annual cultivated plants, hybrid annual cultivated plants, genetically modified annual cultivated plants, perennial cultivated plants, native perennial cultivated plants, hybrid perennial cultivated plants, genetically modified perennial cultivated plants, biennial cultivated plants, native biennial cultivated plants, hybrid biennial cultivated plants, and genetically modified biennial cultivated plants.
• Cultivated plant biomass 10 may also include residential landscaping plants and commercial landscaping plants.
• Cultivated plant biomass 10 may include some agricultural plants, medicinal plants, fiber plants, ornamental plants, aquatic plants, and grassy plants.
• the cultivated plant biomass 10 described herein can also be a by-product, residue or waste product of cultivated plants, cultivated trees, cultivated shrubs, cultivated bushes, aquatic plants, medicinal plants, fiber plants, ornamental plants, grassy plants, annual cultivated plants, native annual cultivated plants, hybrid annual cultivated plants, genetically modified annual cultivated plants, perennial cultivated plants, native perennial cultivated plants, hybrid perennial cultivated plants, genetically modified perennial cultivated plants, biennial cultivated plants, native biennial cultivated plants, hybrid biennial cultivated plants, and genetically modified biennial cultivated plants.
• biomass 10 may include any plant based source that can be added to the process to create at least one component stream, typically lignin 34, cellulose 26, and hemicellulose 36, for the production of biobased chemicals 40.
• component stream typically lignin 34, cellulose 26, and hemicellulose 36
• biobased chemicals 40 typically lignin 34, cellulose 26, and hemicellulose 36
• the biomass 10 may undergo a mechanical processing 12 in order to reduce the size of the biomass 10 and prepare it for further processing.
• the biomass 10 can undergo chopping, chipping, cutting, shredding, debarking, milling, and grinding.
• the type of mechanical processing 12 may be dependent upon the type of biomass 10 and its requirements for breaking it down for further treatment.
• the biomass 10 may be subjected to an optional chemical processing 14. This optional chemical processing 14 may serve to further break down the biomass 10 as well as remove fats, oils, resins, pitches, waxes, and other extractables.
• a biomass fractionation 16 can be formed.
• the biomass fractionation 16 may undergo a first filtration 18 if the optional chemical processing 14 is completed.
• the first filtration 18 serves to remove the optional chemical processing 14 from the biomass fractionation 16.
• the fats, oils, resins, pitches, waxes, and other extractables removed in the optional chemical processing 14 can be further separated during the first filtration 18 and marketed as useful products of commerce.
• the chemical used from the optional chemical processing 14 can be recycled under a chemical recycling 38 step. This chemical recycling 38 process will be detailed further in FIGURE 7.
• Using the biomass fractionation 16 step can provide a greener process by utilizing at least three of the component streams of biomass 10.
• These three component streams of biomass 10 may include cellulose 26, hemicellulose 36, and lignin 34.
• the cellulose 26 may be about 39% to about 57%
• the hemicellulose 36 may be about 8% to about 28%
• the lignin 34 may be about 15% to about 28%.
• these ratios can vary.
• the hemicellulose 36 amounts can be higher.
• the lignin 34 amounts and the cellulose 26 amounts can be higher.
• the cellulose 26 may be about 30% to about 42%, the hemicellulose 36 may be about 12% to about 39%, and the lignin 34 may be about 11% to about 29%.
• Different species of agricultural biomass 10, like woody biomass 10, can also vary for these ratios.
• the amounts of cellulose 26, hemicellulose 36, and lignin 34 will vary for different species of cultivated plant biomass 10.
• the amounts of each of the component streams can determine the end products in the production of biobased chemicals 40.
• Either the filtered biomass fractionation 20 from the optional chemical processing 14 or the biomass fractionation 16 from the mechanical processing 12 alone can be broken down even further by component separation processing 22.
• a high pressure and temperature can successfully break down the biomass even further.
• the filtered biomass fractionation 20, or the biomass fractionation 16 from the mechanical processing 12 alone can be broken down with other processes in the component separation processing 22 that may include at least one of kraft pulping, sulfite pulping, pyrolysis, steam explosion, ammonia fiber explosion, dilute acid hydrolysis, alkaline hydrolysis, alkaline oxidative treatment, and enzymatic treatment.
• a second filtration 24 can then be done to separate the cellulose 26 from the lignin and hemicellulose mixture 28.
• This lignin and hemicellulose mixture 28 can then go through both a residual chemical removal 30 and a third filtration 32 in order to separate the lignin and hemicellulose mixture 28 into lignin 34 and hemicellulose 36. Further, an optional pH adjustment 50 may take place prior to the third filtration 32 to effect a more complete separation of lignin 34 and hemicellulose 36. With the separated component streams for cellulose 26, lignin 34, and hemicellulose 36, the production of biobased chemicals 40 can be achieved.
• FIGURE 2 is a flow diagram schematically depicting the process in which biomass 10 may be mechanically and optionally chemically processed to provide both a fractionated and filtered biomass product in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
• the biomass 10 may undergo mechanical processing 12 in order to reduce the size of the biomass 10 and prepare it for further processing.
• the mechanical processing 12 can be delivered for processing.
• the mechanical processing 12 can vary.
• the mechanical processing 12 can include chopping, chipping, cutting, shredding, debarking, milling, and grinding.
• logs and branches of woody biomass may undergo one or more of debarking, chopping, chipping, milling and grinding.
• Sawdust can also undergo additional mechanical processing, but would have been subjected to previous mechanical processing.
• biomass such as corn stover or cultivated plant biomass like miscanthus, switchgrass and sweet sorghum are fibrous materials, and may only require one or more of chopping, cutting, shredding, milling and grinding.
• milling or chopping may be needed in order to reduce size of the material for ease and efficiency of processing.
• the biomass 10 can be milled to various sizes, but the size of the milled biomass is tied to the efficiency of how it is broken down within the subsequent processes. For instance, larger particle sizes of milled biomass may take longer to be broken down in both the optional chemical processing 14 and later processes within the component separation processing 22 due to less surface area in which to react during the breakdown processes.
• Wood and agricultural biomass 10 can typically be milled to a particle diameter of less than 1 ⁇ 2".
• the maximum particle diameter for milling of woody biomass 10 can typically be about 1 ⁇ 4".
• Other sources of biomass 10 such as agricultural stover can be processed using particle sizes longer than 1 ⁇ 2" because the thin fiber widths of such biomass 10 like stover provide greater surface area for reaction than a rounder particle of the same length.
• a uniform particle size or thin fiber length can be reached for ease and consistency of processing during the subsequent processes.
• biomass 10 may be subjected to an optional chemical processing 14.
• Biomass 10 may undergo the optional chemical processing 14 if additional breakdown of the biomass 10 is needed.
• Some biomass 10, like agricultural stover, may not require optional chemical processing 14 since it may be sufficiently broken down with mechanical processing 12 alone.
• Some types of biomass 10, like trees, may benefit from the optional chemical processing 14 in the production of biobased chemicals 40.
• This optional chemical processing 14 may typically be done through a solvent treatment.
• the biomass 10 can be further broken down after the mechanical processing 12.
• the optional chemical processing 14 can be performed in a solvent like ethanol, Besides ethanol, other organic solvents, acids, bases, or enzymes can be used for the optional chemical processing 14.
• the optional chemical processing 14 can also undergo an optional extractables removal 52.
• the optional extractables removal 52 helps to remove any extractables from the biomass 10. Some of these extractables can include fats, oils, resins, pitches, and waxes present in different forms of biomass. Depending on the biomass source, the type and amount of these extractables can vary. The extractables do not have to be taken out, but their removal may allow for a purer end product with the production of biobased chemicals 40 in FIGURE 1. Further, the optional extractables removal 52 may provide products of importance to commerce and for more of a comprehensive utilization of the biomass resource and generation of less waste.
• the extractables removed during the optional extractables removal 52 can be further separated, processed, and marketed as useful products of commerce for at least one of biofuels, lubricants, cleaning agents, disinfectants, deodorant additives, scents, and extraction of metal from ores.
• the biomass fractionation 16 may be formed.
• the biomass fractionation 16 can then filtered to form the filtered biomass fractionation 20 if it was subjected to optional chemical processing 14.
• the optional chemical processing 14 can be partially removed from the biomass fractionation 16.
• the biomass fractionation 16 may be filtered, then washed with additional chemical which is used in the optional chemical processing 14, typically ethanol or another alcohol, and then filtered again to remove some of the chemical from the optional chemical processing 14.
• the wash and first filtration 18 typically about 50% of the chemical may be removed.
• the filtered biomass fractionation 20 may or may not contain some of the chemical from the optional chemical processing 14 step. From this step, either the filtered biomass fractionation 20 or the biomass fractionation 16 will be subjected to the component separation processing 22 as detailed in FIGURE 3.
• the flow diagram schematically depicts the process in which the biomass fractionation 16 or the filtered biomass fractionation 20 may be processed further to obtain a treated biomass fractionation 42 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
• the biomass fractionation 16 or the filtered biomass fractionation 20 can be subjected to a component separation processing 22.
• the component separation processing 22 may include a high pressure and temperature treatment to form the treated biomass fractionation 42.
• the pressure can be generated and controlled by heating in a sealed vessel. The pressure typically ranges from about 100 psi to about 800 psi.
• the temperature can range from about 150 °C to about 300 °C (about 300 °F to about 572 °F), with about 200 °C to about 250 °C (about 392 °F to about 482 °F) typically used.
• the high pressure and temperature treatment can be conducted in a solvent, generally under alkaline conditions. Often, an ethanol and water mixture may be used as the solvent. Other alcohols or water mixtures may also be used in component separation processing 22.
• the high pressure and temperature treatment may serve to breakdown and solubilize the hemicellulose and lignin components of biomass. Because both the hemicellulose and lignin are solubilized, the lignin and hemicellulose mixture 28 can be later separated from the insoluble cellulose 26. Also, extractables may be removed and recovered/recycled from this treatment as well as any chemicals like alcohols.
• a treated biomass fractionation 42 may then be attained.
• the biomass fractionation 16 or filtered biomass fractionation 20 can also be broken down with other processes in the component separation processing 22 that may include at least one of kraft processing, sulfite pulping, pyrolysis, steam explosion, ammonia fiber explosion, dilute acid hydrolysis, alkaline hydrolysis, alkaline oxidative treatment, and enzymatic treatment.
• the biomass can be broken down to the treated biomass fractionation 42 after the component separation processing 22 is completed.
• the hemicellulose component may hydrolyze the easiest whereas cellulose may be the most difficult to hydrolyze.
• the hydrolyzation difference in the method described herein can help to separate the component streams of the biomass. From the hydrolysis, a physical division of the component streams may occur.
• the second filtration 24 can be done on the treated biomass fractionation 42 in order to separate the cellulose 26 from the lignin and hemicellulose mixture 28.
• the second filtration 24 serves to remove the insoluble cellulose 26 from the soluble lignin and hemicellulose mixture 28.
• the insoluble cellulose 26 can be washed with water or a chemical like aqueous ethanol and separated from the wash in the second filtration 24.
• the filtration leaves an aqueous mixture of hemicellulose sugars and solubilized lignin.
• the residual chemical(s) can be removed from this filtrate through concentration or distillation by applying a low to modest temperature and a minimal vacuum which may be sufficient to evaporate the chemical in the residual chemical removal 30 of FIGURE 1.
• the chemical When the chemical is ethanol, this temperature may be about 25 °C to about 40 °C (about 77 °F to about 104 °F) and the pressure typically may vary from about 30 millimeters of mercury to about 70 millimeters of mercury.
• the chemical may then be recycled for reuse. Ideally, 100% of the chemical would be recovered so that it can be recycled back into the process, which reduces costs associated with purchasing additional chemicals. Typically, at least 90% may be recovered for recycling.
• the second filtration 24 also can assist in separating the solubilized lignin and hemicellulose mixture 28 from the insoluble and solid cellulose 26. After this step, the separated cellulose 26 can undergo the production of biobased chemicals 40.
• FIGURE 4 is a flow diagram schematically depicting the process in which the treated biomass fractionation 42 can provide cellulose 26, which may be further processed to produce derivative products in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
• the cellulose 26 can then be processed to allow for the production of biobased chemicals 40.
• the second filtration 24 also may provide a way to obtain the soluble lignin and hemicellulose mixture 28.
• the cellulose 26 can be hydrolyzed, reacted, and purified to provide for the production of biobased chemicals 40, namely cellulosic esters, aliphatic carboxylic acids, aliphatic esters, polyols, furans,
• Some of these biobased chemicals from cellulose 26 can include but are not limited to cellulose acetate, cellulose propionate, cellulose benzoate, methyl and ethyl adipate, methyl and ethyl levulinate, methyl and ethyl succinate, methyl and ethyl 2,5-furandicarboxylate, adipic acid, levulinic acid, succinic acid, 2,5- furandicarboxylic acid, 3,4-dehydro- -valerolactone, ⁇ -valerolactone, 2-methyltetrahydrofuran, sorbitol, hexane-l,6-diol, pentane-l,4-diol, butane- 1,4-diol, 2,5-di(hydroxymethyl)furan, 2,5- di(hydroxymethyl)tetrahydrofuran, glyer
• FIGURE 5 is a flow diagram schematically depicting the treated biomass fractionation 42 which can be further processed to obtain lignin 34 and hemicellulose 36 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
• the treated biomass fractionation 42 is subjected to a second filtration 24, the lignin and hemicellulose mixture 28 may be attained.
• the residual chemical removal 30 can then be completed.
• the residual chemical removal 30 can remove any chemicals carried over from the optional chemical processing 14 shown in FIGURE 2, which may also be recycled back into the process.
• a chemical typically an alcohol like ethanol can be recovered through concentration or distillation by applying a low to modest temperature and a minimal vacuum which may be sufficient to evaporate the alcohol in the residual chemical removal 30.
• this temperature may be about 25 °C to about 40 °C (about 77 °F to about 104 °F) and the pressure typically may vary from about 30 millimeters of mercury to about 70 millimeters of mercury.
• the chemical may then be recovered and recycled for reuse. After a third filtration 32, the mixture can then be separated into lignin 34 and hemicellulose 36.
• the processing may require the optional pH adjustment 50 using an acid to adjust the pH of the solution to a point which the lignin and hemicellulose can be efficiently separated from each other prior to the third filtration 32.
• an acid typically, sulfuric acid can be used in the optional pH adjustment 50, but other acids may be employed.
• the precipitated lignin can be washed with water and separated from the wash in the third filtration 32.
• the hemicellulose 36 can be primarily soluble and may be in an aqueous solution of the filtrate. The optional removal of the water from the hemicellulose 36 provides a concentrated form of hemicellulose sugars.
• Lignin 34 can be a source of aromatic chemicals like aromatic carboxylic acids, aromatic esters, aromatic aldehydes, aryl alcohols, aryl ketones, styrenes, aryl ethanes, aryl propenes, aryl propanes, cresols, phenols, benzenes, and pyrolytic oils.
• Some of the specific biobased chemicals from lignin 34 can include but are not limited to methyl and ethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate, methyl and ethyl vanillate, methyl and ethyl syringate, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, (4-hydroxyphenyl) acetic acid, vanillic acid, homovanillic acid, syringic acid, homosyringic acid, 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, vanillin, syringaldehyde, 4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol, 2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethanol, vanillyl alcohol, homovanillyl alcohol, syringyl alcohol, homosyringyl alcohol, 4-hydroxyacetophenone, acetoguaiacone, acetosyringone, 4-hydroxystyrene, 3-methoxy-4-hydroxystyrene, 3,5- dimethoxy-4-hydroxystyrene, (4-hydroxyphenyl)- 1-propene, (4-hydroxyphenyl)
• Hemicellulose 36 can provide furans, dihydrofurans, tetrahydrofurans, polyols, lactones, and butenes. Some of the specific biobased chemicals from hemicellulose 36 may include but are not limited to furfural, ⁇ -butyrolactone, tetrahydrofuran, ribitol, xylitol, arabitol, glyercol, propylene glycol, and isoprene.
• FIGURE 6 is a diagram schematically depicting the plurality of the component streams and their conversion to derivative biobased products in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. It shows the production of some derivative products from the plurality of component streams, namely cellulose 26, lignin 34, and hemicellulose 36.
• the processes described herein may provide only one independent and separate component stream or a plurality of component streams. These derivative biobased product(s) may be obtained from only one independent and separate component stream or more that one of the component streams.
• Each component stream may provide only one derivative product or more than one derivative product, which may also be used in the production of another chemical or other chemicals.
• a derivative product or a plurality of derivative products may be commodity, fine, and/or specialty chemicals, and be produced through at least one of chemical processing, biological processing, catalytic processing, and/or pyrolytic processing. These products can be at least one of aromatic chemicals, aliphatic chemicals, heterocyclic chemicals, and fuels.
• aromatic carboxylic acids can be at least one of aromatic carboxylic acids, aromatic esters, aromatic aldehydes, aryl alcohols, aryl ketones, styrenes, aryl ethanes, aryl propenes, aryl propanes, cresols, phenols, benzenes, pyrolytic oils, cellulosic esters, aliphatic carboxylic acids, aliphatic esters, polyols, ethanol, furans, dihydrofuran, tetrahydrofurans, lactones, ethanol, and butenes.
• aliphatic carboxylic acids may include but are not limited to adipic acid, levulinic acid and succinic acid.
• polyols may include but are not limited to sorbitol, xylitol, arabinitol, hexane-1,6- diol, pentane-l,4-diol, butane- 1,4-diol, 2,5-hydroxymethylfuran, 2,5- hydroxymethyltetrahydrofuran, glyercol, propylene glycol.
• aromatic aldehydes may include but are not limited to 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, vanillin, and syringealdehyde.
• benzenes may include benzene, toluene, xylene, and biphenyl.
• waste can be minimized.
• the residual biomass waste from this process can be less than 25%. It can also be less than 15%.
• FIGURE 7 is a flow diagram schematically depicting an illustrative flow of the biomass treatment and processing along with the recovery of chemicals 44 used within the process in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
• the chemicals used for treating the biomass 10 in the optional chemical processing 14, the first filtration 18, the component separation processing 22, and the second filtration 24 can be recoverable and recyclable for reuse.
• the biomass 10 may undergo a mechanical processing 12.
• the optional chemical processing 14 the biomass fractionation 16 can be formed.
• the first filtration 18 may be performed.
• the chemical for the optional chemical processing 14 is an alcohol like ethanol.
• the analogous recovery of chemicals 44 may be applicable from the residual chemical removal 30.
• the chemical may be subjected to a distillation and/or filtration 46, and can then be placed into a chemical holding tank 48 for reuse in one or more of the optional chemical processing 14, the washes of the first filtration 18, the component separation processing 22, or the washes of the second filtration 24 steps.
• 100% of the chemicals used in the process would be recovered.
• at least a 90% recovery can provide a greener process where fewer chemicals are used and costs associated with purchasing more chemicals from the recovery loss are minimized.
• the recovery of chemicals from the component stream can be processed to derivative products.

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