NZ714107B2 - Improved methods for processing biomass - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed are methods for processing biomass materials that are disposed in one or more porous structures or carriers, e.g., a bag, a shell, a net, a membrane, a mesh or any combination of these. Containing the material in this manner allows it to be readily added or removed at any point and in any sequence during processing. Also disclosed is the addition of an additive such as, e.g., microorganism, a nutrient, a spore, an enzyme, an acid, a base, a gas, an antibiotic, or a pharmaceutical to the structure or carrier to convert the contained biomass into useful products. sequence during processing. Also disclosed is the addition of an additive such as, e.g., microorganism, a nutrient, a spore, an enzyme, an acid, a base, a gas, an antibiotic, or a pharmaceutical to the structure or carrier to convert the contained biomass into useful products.

Description

IMPROVED METHODS FOR PROCESSING BIOMASS by Marshall Medoff, Thomas Craig Masterman, James J. Lynch CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Nos. 61/579,550 and 61/579,562, both filed on December 22, 201 1. The entire disclosures of the above applications are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention pertains to improvements in conducting microbiological, biological and biochemical reactions.

OUND As demand for eum increases, so too does interest in ble feedstocks for manufacturing biofuels and biochemicals. The use of lignocellulosic biomass as a feedstock for such manufacturing processes has been studied since the 1970s. Lignocellulosic biomass is attractive e it is abundant, renewable, domestically produced, and does not compete with food ry uses.

Many ial lignocellulosic feedstocks are available today, including agricultural residues, woody biomass, municipal waste, oilseeds/cakes and sea weeds, to name a few. At present these materials are either used as animal feed, biocompost als, are burned in a cogeneration ty or are landfilled.

Lignocellulosic biomass is recalcitrant to degradation as the plant cell walls have a structure that is rigid and compact. The structure comprises crystalline cellulose fibrils embedded in a hemicellulose matrix, surrounded by lignin. This compact matrix is difficult to access by enzymes and other chemical, biochemical and biological processes. Cellulosic biomass als (e.g., biomass material from which ntially all the lignin has been removed) can be more accessible to enzymes and other conversion processes, but even so, naturally-occurring cellulosic materials often have low yields (relative to theoretical yields) when contacted with hydro lyzing enzymes. Lignocellulosic biomass is even more recalcitrant to enzyme attack.

Furthermore, each type of lignocellulosic biomass has its own specific composition of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin.

While a number of methods have been tried to extract structural carbohydrates from lignocellulosic biomass, they are either are too expensive, produce too low a yield, leave rable als in the resulting product, or simply degrade the sugars.

Monosaccharides from renewable biomass sources could become the basis of chemical and fuels ries by replacing, supplementing or substituting petroleum and other fossil feedstocks. However, techniques need to be developed that will make these monosaccharides available in large quantities and at acceptable purities and prices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Provided herein are methods for producing a product, which methods e maintaining a combination comprising a liquid medium, a structure or carrier, and a reduced-recalcitrance cellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass disposed within the structure or r, under conditions that allow the e of molecules out of and/or into the structure or carrier.

In another aspect, ed herein is a method for producing a product, the method comprising: maintaining a combination comprising a liquid medium, a microorganism, a structure or carrier comprising a bag, and a cellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass disposed within the structure or carrier, under conditions that allow the passage of molecules of the cellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass out of and/or into the structure or carrier and that allow the microorganism to convert the les to one or more enzymes, and storing the one or more enzymes and then using the enzyme(s) in saccharification reactions of the same or r biomass material at a later date and/or in a different location.

In another aspect, ed herein is a method for producing a product, where the method includes: ing a liquid medium; providing a cellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass, wherein the cellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass is disposed in a structure or carrier, and wherein the structure or carrier possesses one or more pores configured to allow the e of molecules; ing an additive; combining the structure or carrier and the ve in the liquid medium to make a combination; maintaining the combination under ions that allow the passage of les out of and/or into the structure or carrier; and maintaining the combination under conditions that allow the additive to convert the molecules to one or more products; thereby producing a product.

Additionally, provided herein are methods of ing an enzyme, where the methods include: providing a liquid medium; providing a cellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass; providing a microorganism capable of producing an enzyme in the presence of the cellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass; providing a structure or carrier, wherein the structure or carrier possesses one or more pores configured to allow the passage of molecules; disposing the cellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass within the structure or carrier; combining the liquid medium, the structure or carrier, and the microorganism to make a ation; and maintaining the combination under conditions that allow the microorganism to produce the ; thereby producing an enzyme.

Also provided herein is a method of providing a substance to a microorganism, where the method includes: ing a liquid ; providing a microorganism; providing a substance; providing a structure or carrier, wherein the structure or carrier possesses one or more pores configured to allow the passage of the substance into and out of the structure or r; either: by disposing the rganism within the ure or carrier, and forming a combination by combining the liquid medium, the microorganism within the ure or r and the substance, or by disposing the substance within the structure or carrier, and forming a combination by combining the liquid medium, the substance within the structure or carrier, and the microorganism; and maintaining the combination under conditions that allow the substance to move out of and into the structure or carrier, and to come in contact with the rganism; thereby providing the nce to the microorganism. Such methods can also include: providing a second structure or carrier; and disposing both the microorganism and the nce each in a separate structure or carrier.

Also provided herein is a system for making a product, Where the system includes: a liquid medium in a container; a microorganism capable of making a product; and a structure or carrier containing a substance, where the structure or carrier is configured to e the substance into the liquid medium.

In any of the methods or systems provided herein, the cellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass can be disposed Within the structure or carrier, and the methods can fiarther include: disposing the additive Within a second structure or carrier; and the ure or carrier containing the cellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass is disposed Within the second structure or carrier.

In any of the methods or systems provided herein, the substance can be a sugar, e.g., a sugar can be ed Within one or more structures or carriers.

In any of the s or systems provided herein, the product produced can be a molecule, a protein, a sugar, a filel or combinations thereof. The protein can be an enzyme.

Any of the methods or systems provided herein can further e disposing a microorganism in the structure or carrier. Alternatively, the cellulosic or lignocellulosic material, or the additive can be ed in the ure or carrier. The osic or lignocellulosic material, the additive, or the microorganism can be disposed in a second structure or carrier. The additive can be a rganism, an enzyme, an acid, a base or combinations thereof.

In any of the methods or systems provided herein, the structure or r can be a bag, a shell, a net, a membrane, a mesh or combinations thereof. Where the structure or carrier includes a bag, the bag can be formed of a mesh material having a maximum opening size of less than 1 mm. Alternatively, the mesh al can have an average pore size of from about 10 mm to 1 nm. Where the structure or carrier is a bag, the bag can be made of a bioerodible polymer.

The bioerodible polymer can be selected from the group ting of: polylactic acid, polyhydroxybutyrate, polyhydroxyalkanoate, polyhydroxybutyrate-valerate, polycaprolactone, polyhydroxybutyrate-hexanoate, polybutylene succinate, tyrate succinate adipate, polyesteramide, polybutylene adipate-co-terephthalate, mixtures thereof, and laminates thereof.

The bag can be made of a starch film.

In any of the methods or systems provided herein, the ation can be placed in a fermentation vessel that includes impellers, and Where the combination is maintained under conditions Where the bag is torn open by the impellers.

In any of the methods or s provided , the microorganism or microorganisms can include a strain of derma , e.g., a high-yielding cellulase- producing mutant of Trichoderma reesez’, e.g., the RUT-C30 strain.

In any of the methods or systems provided herein, the recalcitrance of the cellulosic or lignocellulosic material can have been reduced relative to the material in its native state. Such treatment to reduce recalcitrance can be bombardment with electrons, sonication, oxidation, pyrolysis, steam explosion, chemical treatment, mechanical treatment, freeze grinding, or ations of such treatments. Preferably, the recalcitrance of the cellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass has been reduced by exposure to an electron beam.

In any of the methods or systems provided, the conversion can be saccharification, and the product can be a sugar solution or suspension. The methods can fiarther include isolating a sugar from the sugar solution or suspension. The sugar isolated can be xylose.

In any of the systems or methods provided herein, the cellulosic or lignocellulosic s can be: paper, paper products, paper waste, paper pulp, pigmented papers, loaded papers, coated papers, filled papers, magazines, printed matter, printer paper, polycoated paper, card stock, cardboard, paperboard, cotton, wood, le board, forestry wastes, sawdust, aspen wood, wood chips, grasses, switchgrass, miscanthus, cord grass, reed canary grass, grain residues, rice hulls, oat hulls, wheat chaff, barley hulls, agricultural waste, silage, canola straw, wheat straw, barley straw, oat straw, rice straw, jute, hemp, flax, , sisal, abaca, corn cobs, corn stover, soybean , corn fiber, alfalfa, hay, coconut hair, sugar sing residues, bagasse, beet pulp, agave bagasse, algae, seaweed, manure, sewage, offal, cha, buckwheat, banana, barley, cassava, kudzu, oca, sago, sorghum, potato, sweet potato, taro, yams, beans, favas, lentils, peas, or mixtures of any of these. The osic or lignocellulosic material can e com cobs. The cellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass can be comminuted, e.g., by dry milling, or by wet milling. The cellulosic or lignocellulosic al can be treated to reduce its bulk density, or to increase its e area. The cellulosic or lignocellulosic material can have an average le size of less than about 1 mm, or an average particle size of from about 0.25 mm to 2.5 mm.

It should be understood that this invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed in this Summary, and it is intended to cover modifications that are within the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined by the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The foregoing will be apparent from the following more particular description of example embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the anying drawings in which like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the different views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating embodiments of the present invention. is a diagram illustrating the enzymatic hydrolysis of ose to glucose.

Cellulosic substrate (A) is ted by endocellulase (i) to cellulose (B), which is converted by exocellulase (ii) to iose (C), which is converted to glucose (D) by cellobiase (beta- glucosidase) (iii). is a flow diagram rating conversion of a biomass feedstock to one or more products. Feedstock is physically pretreated (e.g., to reduce its size) (200), ally treated to reduce its recalcitrance (210), saccharified to form a sugar solution (220), the solution is transported (230) to a manufacturing plant (e.g., by pipeline, railcar) (or if saccharification is med en route, the feedstock, enzyme and water is orted), the saccharified feedstock is bio-processed to produce a desired t (e.g., alcohol) (240), and the product can be processed further, e.g., by distillation, to produce a final product (250). Treatment for recalcitrance can be modified by measuring lignin content (201) and setting or adjusting process parameters (205). Saccharifying the feedstock (220) can be modified by mixing the feedstock with medium and the enzyme (221). is a flow diagram illustrating the treatment of a first biomass (300), addition of a cellulase producing organism (310), addition of a second biomass (320), and processing the resulting sugars to make products (e.g., alcohol(s), pure sugars) (330). The first treated biomass can optionally be split, and a n added as the second biomass (A). is a flow diagram illustrating the tion of enzymes. A ase- producing organism is added to growth medium (400), a treated first biomass (405) is added (A) to make a mixture (410), a second s portion is added (420), and the resulting sugars are processed to make ts (e.g., alcohol(s), pure sugars) (430). Portions of the first s (405) can also be added (B) to the second biomass (420).

ED DESCRIPTION Provided herein are methods of conducting biological, microbiological, and biochemical reactions by using one or more structures or containers, which can have pores or other openings, or can be degradable. The structure can be a bag, net or mesh, shell (e.g., rigid or semi-rigid shell), a membrane, or combinations of these structures (e.g., one or more structures of one or more types can be disposed within a structure of the same or r type).

The structures can hold various parts or ingredients involved in biological, microbiological, and biochemical reactions. Containing the material in this manner allows parts or ingredients, 6.g. , biomass, such as treated biomass, to be readily added or removed at any point and in any sequence during such reactions. The invention also allows simplification of purification of products (such as e.g., sugars or other products of saccharification or fermentation), and can aid in the maintenance of the level of a metabolite, sugar, or nutrient.

For instance, the structures can be used to provide one or more nutrients to microorganisms. The nutrients can be placed in the structure, and the structure placed in a liquid medium containing microorganisms. The nutrients are released from the structure into the medium to be accessed by the rganisms. Alternatively, the microorganisms can be placed within the structure, and the structure placed in a liquid medium that contains the nutrients.

In a preferred ment, the structure can contain biomass which is to be acted on by microorganisms, or products of microorganisms, such as enzymes or signal molecules. For instance, the biomass can be placed in the structure, which is then placed in a liquid medium with the rganisms. Substances from the biomass are able to leach out of the structure and be accessed by the microorganisms and enzymes secreted by the microorganisms, and enzymes produced by the microorganisms can migrate into the ures and act on the biomass.

In another aspect, the invention relates to producing enzymes using a microorganism in the ce of a s material. The biomass material acts in the enzyme production s as an inducer for cellulase synthesis, producing a cellulase complex having an activity that is tailored to the particular biomass material, which in some implementations is the same material that is to be saccharif1ed by the cellulase x.

The invention also features a method that includes contacting a cellulosic or lignocellulosic material disposed in a structure or carrier, in a medium, with an additive to produce a product. The ve can, for example, be a rganism, an enzyme, an acid, a base or mixtures of any of these. The additives can be added in any order. The product can be, for example, a molecule, a protein, a sugar a fuel or mixtures of any of these. The products can be produced in any order. For example, a protein can be first produced followed by a sugar and finally by a filel. ally, the protein can be an enzyme.

The migration of substances into and out of the structure can be accomplished in a variety of ways. The structure can slowly degrade over time in the medium, the structure can be made of a porous material that releases the nts into the medium, the structure can be made of a material that is consumed by the microorganisms, the structure can be made of a material that is torn open by the impellers in the bottom of a fermentation vessel, or the structure can be made of a material that swells and bursts in the medium.

In an embodiment of the process bed herein, a biomass can be disposed in, on, or placed into the structure or carrier. The biomass can be treated before or after being placed into the ure or r. Additives, nutrients and products can also be disposed in the ure or carrier with or without the biomass. For example, a biomass with an antibiotic, a microbe, an enzyme and a sugar can be disposed in the structure, and may be combined in any amounts and in any ce during the process.

Optionally, the s can be outside of the structure or carrier. For example, a microbe can be disposed in, within (i.e., built into the ure or carrier), or on the structure or carrier, which is contacted with a medium containing the biomass. As another example, there may be one kind of s in the structure or carrier and a second kind of biomass outside the structure or carrier. There may be multiple biomasses inside and outside of the structure or carrier added in any combination and sequence during the process.

In another embodiment of the process, there may be multiple structures or carriers placed in or contacted with a medium. These can be placed in the medium in any sequence and combination during the s. The structure or carriers can be, for example, with respect to each, other made of the same material or different materials, have the same shape or different shapes, and may be used in any combination.

For example, le structures or carriers can be disposed within another structure or carrier. The various structures or carriers can be of the same type, or can be of ent types.

Multiple structures or rs can be sequentially disposed, each inside another, e.g., similar to “nesting dolls.” For example, it may be convenient to have biomaterial disposed in a plurality of structures or carriers of a uniform size and volume, each containing the same or a similar amount of biomass. In this way, whole number amounts or units of the structure or carrier can be contacted with the medium, with the number of units used depending on the batch size in the process. Such uniform volume structures or carriers may also be more convenient to store, for example, if they are ed as imately cuboid in shape so that they can be easily ally, in some implementations, a structure or carrier containing biomass can be contacted with a medium in combination with a structure or carrier that is designed to slowly release an additive, e.g. an enzyme, contained within the structure or carrier. For e, controlled release may be effected by having a controlled pore size (e.g., a pore size smaller than lOum, e.g., r than lum, smaller than 0.lum).

As another example, one or more biomass-containing structures or carriers, and one or more microbe-containing structures or carriers can be contacted aneously or sequentially with a medium.

As a further example, in some processes one or more biomass-containing structures or carriers, and one or more additive-containing water-degradable structures or carriers are contacted with an aqueous medium.

In another embodiment of the s, the structure or r can be removed at any point in the process and in any sequence. For example, the structure or carrier including its contents can be removed after producing a product, and/or additional structures or carriers including their contents can be added during production of a product. 2012/071092 As another e, a s disposed in a structure or carrier is contacted with an aqueous medium, and a microbe is added to the s medium, which then produces a t. Subsequently, the biomass-containing structure or carrier can be removed, and a second amount of biomass in a structure or carrier can be added to produce more product. Optionally, the microbe can be removed before or after addition of the second biomass.

In yet another example, a biomass can be disposed in a structure or carrier and contacted with an s medium containing a e the combination of which produces a first product. The microbe can be optionally removed (e.g., by filtration or centrifugation) or killed (e.g., by application of antibiotics, heat, or ultraviolet light) and subsequently a different microbe can be added, which causes a second product to be ed.

In a further example, a biomass can be disposed in a first structure or carrier. The first structure or carrier can be ed in a second structure or carrier ning a microbe.

The two structures or carriers can be disposed in a medium. The second structure or carrier is ed to contain the microbes (e.g., has pore sizes below about Sum, below about 1 um, below about 0.4 um, below about 0.2 um). The combination produces a product that optionally can flow out of the second structure or carrier. Once product is produced, the first and second structures and ts can be removed leaving media with product dispersed and/or dissolved within it. The combination of the first and second structures or carriers with their contents can be optionally used in r medium to produce more product.

The ses described herein include processing of biomass and biomass materials and the intermediates and products resulting from such processing. During at least a part of the processing, the biomass material can be disposed in a structure or carrier.

The processes described herein include producing enzymes using a microorganism in the presence of a biomass material, 6.g. a cellulosic or lignocellulosic material. Enzymes made by the processes described herein contain or manufacture various cellulolytic enzymes (cellulases), ligninases or various small molecule biomass-destroying metabolites. These enzymes may be a complex of s that act synergistically to degrade crystalline cellulose or the lignin portions of biomass. Examples of cellulolytic enzymes e: endoglucanases, cellobiohydrolases, and cellobiases (beta-glucosidases).

As shown in for example, during saccharification a cellulosic substrate (A) is initially hydrolyzed by endoglucanases (i) at random locations producing oligomeric intermediates (e.g., cellulose) (B). These intermediates are then substrates for exo-splitting glucanases (ii) such as cellobiohydrolase to produce cellobiose from the ends of the ose polymer. Cellobiose is a water-soluble l,4-linked dimer of glucose. Finally cellobiase (iii) cleaves cellobiose (C) to yield glucose (D). ore, the endoglucanases are particularly effective in attacking the crystalline portions of cellulose and increasing the effectiveness of exocellulases to produce cellobiose, which then requires the specificity of the cellobiose to produce glucose. Therefore, it is evident that depending on the nature and ure of the cellulosic substrate, the amount and type of the three different enzymes may need to be modified.

In some implementations, the enzyme is produced by a fungus, e.g., by strains of the cellulolytic filamentous fungus Trichoderma reesez’. For example, high-yielding cellulase mutants of Trichoderma reesez’ may be used, e.g., RUT-NGl4, PC3-7, QM94l4 and/or Rut-C30.

Such strains are described, for example, in “Selective Screening Methods for the Isolation of High Yielding Cellulase Mutants of Trichoderma reesez’,” Montenecourt, BS. and Everleigh, D.E., Adv. Chem. Ser. 18 1, 289-301 , the full disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Other cellulase-producing microorganisms may also be used.

As will be discussed fiarther below, once the enzyme has been produced, it can be used to saccharify biomass, in some cases the same type of biomass material that has been used to e the enzyme. The process for converting the biomass material to a desired product or intermediate generally includes other steps in addition to this saccharif1cation step. Such steps are described, e.g., in US. Pat. App. Pub. 2012/0100577 Al, filed October 18, 2011 and published April 26, 2012, the full disclosure of which is hereby orated herein by reference.

For example, ing to a process for manufacturing an l can include, for example, optionally mechanically treating a feedstock, e.g., to reduce its size (200), before and/or after this treatment, optionally treating the ock with another physical treatment to fiarther reduce its recalcitrance (210), then saccharifying the feedstock, using the enzyme complex, to form a sugar on (220). Optionally, the method may also include transporting, e.g. truck or barge, the solution (or the feedstock, enzyme and water, if , by ne, railcar, saccharif1cation is performed en route) to a manufacturing plant (230). In some cases the saccharif1ed feedstock is further bioprocessed (e.g., fermented) to produce a desired product e.g., l (240). This resulting t may in some implementations be processed further, e.g., by distillation (250), to produce a final product. One method of reducing the recalcitrance of the ock is by electron bombardment of the feedstock. If desired, the steps of measuring lignin content of the feedstock (201) and g or adjusting process parameters based on this measurement (205) can be performed at various stages of the s, as described in US. Pat.

App. Pub. 2010/0203495 Al by Medoff and Masterman, published August 12, 2010, the complete disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Saccharifying the feedstock (220) can also be modified by mixing the feedstock with medium and the enzyme (221).

For example, referring to a first biomass is optionally treated (300), for example to reduce its size and/or recalcitrance, and placed into a structure or carrier. Optionally, the first biomass can first be placed into a first structure or carrier and then treated. The s containing structure or carrier is then contacted with an s medium and a ase producing organism (310). After an adequate time has passed for the cells to grow to a desired stage and enough enzymes have been produced, a second biomass, optionally disposed in a 2012/071092 second structure or carrier, may be added (320). Optionally, the structure or carrier containing the first s can be removed prior to or at any point after addition of the second biomass.

The action of the enzyme on the second and any remaining first s produces mixed sugars which can be fiarther processed to useful products (330). Optionally, the second ure or carrier containing the second biomass can be removed prior to or after the production of the useful t. The first and second biomass can be portions of the same s material. For example, a portion of the biomass can be placed into a structure or carrier and contacted with a medium containing the cellulase producing organism. Once some enzymes have been produced; the enzyme containing media can be combined with the second s (A). Optionally, the first and second biomass may be pretreated to reduce recalcitrance. The first and second biomass can also be contained in a single structure or carrier. The ure or carrier can form a liner for a bioreactor. Multiple s containing structures or carrier can also be used. The aqueous media will be sed below. In some cases, rather than adding the second biomass to the reactor, the enzyme is harvested, stored, and used in a later saccharification process.

Referring now to the cellulase-producing organism (400) can be grown in a grth medium for a time to reach a specific growth phase. For example, this growth period could extend over a period of days or even weeks. ated first biomass (405) is placed in a structure or carrier and can then be contacted with the enzyme producing cells (410) so that after a time enzymes are produced. Enzyme production may also take place over an extended period of time. The enzyme containing solution may then be combined with a second biomass (420).

Optionally, before addition of the second s or at any point after addition of the second biomass, the structure or carrier containing the first biomass can be removed. The action of the enzyme on the second and remaining first biomass produces mixed sugars which can be further processed to useful products (430). The first and second biomass can be portions of the same biomass or can be similar but not identical (e.g., pretreated and non-pretreated) material (B).

Again, if desired the enzyme can be harvested and stored rather than being used immediately with a second biomass.

Along with the methods discussed above, the cellulose producing organism may be ted prior to being combined with the first pretreated biomass. Harvesting may include partial or almost complete removal of the solvent and growth media components. For example the cells may be collected by centrifilgation and then washed with water or another solution.

In another embodiment, after enzyme is produced, the structure or carrier can be removed from the enzyme-containing medium and the enzyme can be concentrated.

Concentration may be by any useful method including chromatography, centrifilgation, filtration, dialysis, extraction, ation of solvents, spray drying and adsorption onto a solid support.

The concentrated enzyme can be stored for a time and then be used by addition to a second biomass to produce useful products. 2012/071092 In another implementation of the method, the enzyme is produced by the selected microorganism in a liquid (6.g. , aqueous) medium, in the presence of the biomass material. In order to contain the s material within the medium the s al is disposed in a structure or carrier, for example a mesh bag or other porous container with gs or pores.

The pore size is such that preferably at least 80% (more preferably at least 90%, at least 95% or at least 99%) of the insoluble portion of the biomass material is retained within the ure or carrier during enzyme production. For instance, at least 80%, 81%, 82%, 83%, 84%, 85%, 86%, 87%, 88%, 89%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% ofthe insoluble portion of the biomass material is retained within the structure or carrier during enzyme production.

It is preferred that the pore size or mesh size of the container be such that substantially none of the insoluble n of the biomass material flows out of the container during enzyme production. It is also preferred that the pore size be large enough to allow molecules such as sugars, soluble polysaccharides, proteins and biomolecules to pass. Preferably the pore size is large enough that large molecules such as proteins do not foul or block the pores during the course of enzyme tion.

Thus, it is generally preferred that the nominal pore size or mesh size be smaller than most of all of the particles of the biomass material. In some implementations the absolute pore size is smaller than 50% (preferably smaller than 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%, 98% or 99%) of the particles of the biomass material. For instance, the absolute pore size can be smaller that 50%, 51%, 52%, 53%, 54%, 55%, 56%, 57%, 58%, or 59% ofthe particles ofthe biomass material. Preferably the absolute pore size can be smaller than 60%, 61%, 62%, 63%, 64%, 65%, 66%, 67%, 68%, 69%, 70%, 71%, 72%, 73%, 74%, 75%, 76%, 77%, 78%, 79%, 80%, 81%, 82%, 83%, 84%, 85%, 86%, 87%, 88%, 89%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% of the particles of the biomass material.

The aqueous media used in the above described methods can contain added yeast extract, corn steep, peptones, amino acids, ammonium salts, phosphate salts, potassium salts, magnesium salts, calcium salts, iron salts, manganese salts, zinc salts and cobalt salts. In addition to these components, the growth media typically contains 0 to 10% glucose (e.g., 1 to % glucose) as a carbon source. The inducer media can n, in addition to the biomass discussed preViously, other inducers. For example, some known inducers are lactose, pure cellulose and sophorose. Various components can be added and removed during the processing to optimize the desired production of useful products.

The concentration of the biomass typically used for ng enzyme production is greater than 0.1 wt % (e.g., greater than or equal to 1%) and less than or equal to 50 wt % (less than or equal to 40 wt %, less than or equal to 30 wt %, less than or equal to 20 wt %, less than or equal to 10 wt %, less than or equal to 5 wt %). For instance, the tration of biomass used for enzyme induction can be 0.1 wt %, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, or 1.0 wt %. The concentration of biomass can be 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 wt %. The concentration of biomass can be 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, or 50 wt %.

Any of the processes described herein may be performed as a batch, a tch or a continuous s. The processes are especially useful for industrial scale production, e.g., having a e medium of at least 50 liters, preferably at least 100 liters, more preferably at least 500 liters, even more preferably at least 1,000 liters, in particular at least 5,000 liters or 50,000 liters or 0 liters. The process may be carried out aerobically or anaerobically.

Some enzymes are produced by submerged cultivation and some by e cultivation.

In any of the process described , the enzyme can be manufactured and stored and then used to in saccharif1cation reactions at a later date and/or in a different location.

Any of the processes described herein may be conducted with agitation. In some cases, agitation may be performed using jet mixing as described in US. Pat. App. Pub. 2010/0297705 Al, filed May 18, 2010 and published on November 25, 2012, US. Pat. App.

Pub. 2012/0100572 A1, filed November 10, 2011 and published on April 26, 2012, US. Pat.

App. Pub. 2012/0091035 A1, filed er 10, 2011 and published on April 19, 2012, the full disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein.

Temperatures for the growth of enzyme-producing organisms are chosen to enhance organism . For example for Trichoderma reesez’ the optimal temperature is generally between 20 and 40°C (e.g., 30°C), and the temperature for enzyme production can be optimized for that part of the process. For example for Trichoderma reesez’ the optimal temperature for enzyme production is between 20 and 40°C (e.g., 27°C).

STRUCTURE OR CARRIER The structure or carrier can be, for example, a bag, net, membrane, shell or combinations of any of these.

The structure or carrier can be made with a thermoplastic resin, for e, polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polycarbonate, tylene, a thermoplastic polyester, a polyether, a thermoplastic ethane, polyvinylchloride, polyvinylidene difluoride, a ide or any combination of these.

The structure or carrier can also be made of woven or non-woven fibers. Some red synthetic fiber or non-fiber materials are, for example, polyester, , polyolefin, PTFE, polyphenlene sulfide, ethane, polyimide, acrylic, nylon and any combination of these.

The structure of carrier can also be made from biodegradable and/or water soluble polymers, for example, aliphatic polyesters, polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), poly hydroxybutyrate, polyhydroxyvalerate, polyhydroxyhexanoate, polylactic acid, polybutylene succinate, polybutylene ate adipate, polycaprolactone, polyvinyl alcohol, polyanhydrides, starch derivatives, cellulose esters, cellulose acetate, nitrocellulose and any combination of these.

Other materials plated for the structure or carrier include, for example, metal (e. g., um, copper), an alloy (e.g, brass, stainless steel), a ceramic (e.g., glass, a), a thermosetting polymer (6.g. , bakelite), a composite material (6.g. , fiberglass), a biopolymer and any combination of these. Any structural material, for example, as disclosed above, can be combined to provide the structure or carrier.

The structure or carrier can be made of a biodegradable, bioerodible, and/or water soluble polymer. Such a polymer can be chosen to degrade and release the al within it at or near a designated time. The polymer can be selected so that it will serve as a carbon source or ive source for the microorganisms being ed. Polyhydroxyalkanoates, for instance, are readily consumed by many composting fungi and ia. PHAs can be a good choice for a structure or r designed to release its contents into a culture of such organisms.

Alternatively, the structure or carrier can be configured and made from materials intended to be torn apart by the impellers of a fermentation system. The fermentation mixing cycle can be scheduled to maintain the structure or carroer in an intact state for a period of time, and then altered to cause the structure or carrier to come in contact with the impellers.

The ner or carrier can be of any suitable shape, for example, a toroid, sphere, cube, oval, cuboid, dog bone, cylindrical, hexagonal prism, cone, square based pyramid, envelope or combinations of these.

The container or structure can have a sealable and in some cases able opening such as a zipper, VelcroTM hook and loop fastener, heat seal, clips, pressure sensitive adhesive, buttons or tie (e.g. with a string or drawstring).

The structure or container may be rigid, semi-rigid or non-rigid. A non-rigid container is expected to be generally flexible in most directions. A semi-rigid container can be expected to be somewhat flexible in most directions. In some implementations, the container comprises a flexible, fabric bag.

The bag may have some rigid components such as a frame made of a metal wire or rigid polymer. The container or carrier can have a surface texturing, for example, s, ation, and quilting.

The container can have partitions, for e, it can have different pouches made with the same or different materials and/or there may be two or more structures or carriers nested within each other.

The container or carrier may be designed so as to float on top of the medium or be partially submerged n, or it may be designed to be fully submerged in the medium. For example, the bag may have hooks, loops or adhesives to allow it to attach to the wall of a bioreactor, tank or other container. It may also have s to hold part or all of it submerged in the medium, and/or t parts to keep parts of it above the medium. The container or carrier can be designed to be free in the medium.

The structures or carriers can have pores. With respect to pore size, it is known that permeable materials may contain a distribution of pore sizes. Typically the pore size is rated as absolute or nominal. An absolute pore size rating specifies the pore size at which a challenge material or organism of a particular size will be ed with 100% efficiency. A nominal pore size describes the ability of the permeable material to retain the majority of the particulates (e.g. 60 to 98%). Both ratings depend on process conditions such as the differential pressure, the temperature or the concentration.

In some implementations, the container has a l pore size or mesh size of less than about 10 mm, e.g., less than 1000 um, 750 um, 500 um, 250 um, 100 um, 75 um, 50 um, 25 um, 10 um, 1um, 0.1 um, 10 nm or even less than 1 nm. In some implementations, the ner has a nominal pore size or mesh larger than 1 nm, e.g., larger than 10 nm, 0.1 um, 10 um, 25 um, 50 um, 75 um, 100 um, 250 um, 500 um, 750 um, 1 mm or even 10 mm.

If the structure or r is made of a polymer, the pores may be formed by stretching the polymer, either uniaxially or biaxially. Such methods for formulating and stretching rs to make films with a particular pore size are known in the art.

The structure or r may be designed to allow for the insertion of, for example, a mixing , a monitoring device, a sampling device or combinations of any of these. The design may include, for example a sealable opening or fitting configured to receive such a device. The monitoring device can be, for example, a pH probe, an oxygen probe, a temperature probe, a chemical probe or any combinations of these. Optionally, the ring device can be remotely operated (e.g., by a wireless connection) and can be free or attached to the structure.

The carrier or structure can have a tagging device, for example, a tag with an identifying alphanumerical label or identifying color.

In some implementations, it is preferred that the structure or carrier have sufficient surface area, for example, to allow good ge between the ts of the structure or carrier and the medium or other external components, for example between the additive and the s material. It can also be advantageous to have a high surface area to present a large area to which a microorganism, e.g., a cellulase-producing organism, can optionally attach.

MEDIUM In the methods described herein, the structure or carrier is contacted or placed in a medium. The medium can be, for example, a liquid, a gas, a chemical solution, a sion, a colloid, an emulsion, a non-homogenous multiphase system (6.g. , a hydrophilic phase layered with a hydrophobic phase) and any combinations of these. The medium can be further manipulated during or after the process; for example, it can be purified and reused by, for example, by filtration, centrifugation and/or irradiation. Optionally, the medium can contain, for example, nts, particulates (e.g., inorganic or organic containing), oligomers (e.g., viscosity modifiers), carbon sources, surfactants (e.g., anti-foam agents), lipids, fats, extracts (e.g., yeast ' ‘ 2 l 2 l 2 l 2 l l l t, case1n extracts and or vegetable extracts), metal ions (e.g., Fe Mn Cu Na , Mg , , , , Ca2+ K1+), anions, en sources (e.g., am1no ac1ds, ammon1a, urea), Vitamins, prote1ns (e.g.,. . . . . . . . es, s), buffers (e.g., phosphates) added in any combination and sequence.

ADDITIVES ves used in the processes disclosed herein can include, by way of example, a microorganism, a nutrient, a spore, an enzyme, an acid, a base, a gas, an antibiotic, a pharmaceutical and any combinations of these. The additives can be added in any sequence and combination during the process. The additives can be disposed in a structure or carrier or out of the structure or carrier in any combination or sequence.

ENZYMES In one embodiment of the process, the additive is an enzyme produced by filamentous filngi or bacteria. s are ed by a wide variety of fiangi, bacteria, , and other microorganisms, and there are many methods for optimizing the production and use of cellulases.

Filamentous fungi, or bacteria that produce cellulase, typically require a carbon source and an inducer for tion of cellulase. In prior art processes the carbon source is typically glucose and the r is typically pure ose. Apart from the cost of pure glucose and pure cellulose, the secreted enzyme produced by this method can be inferior for saccharifying biomass. Without being bound by any theory, it is believed that the reason for this is that the enzymes ed are particularly suited for saccharification of the substrate used for inducing its production, and thus if the inducer is cellulose the s may not be well suited for degrading lignocellulosic material.

The cellulase-producing organism’s growth rate and state is determined by particular grth ions. When the host cell culture is introduced into the fermentation medium, containing a carbon source, the inoculated culture passes through a number of stages. Initially grth does not occur. This period is referred to as the lag phase and may be considered a period of adaptation. During the next phase referred to as the “exponential phase” the growth rate of the host cell culture gradually increases and the carbon source is consumed. After a period ofmaximum growth the rate ceases and the culture enters stationary phase. After a fiarther period of time the culture enters the death phase and the number of viable cells declines.

Where in the growth phase the cellulase is expressed depends on the cellulase and host cell. For example, the cellulase may be expressed in the exponential phase, in the transient phase between the exponential phase and the stationary phase, or alternatively in the nary phase and/or just before sporulation. The cellulase may also be produced in more than one of the above mentioned phases.

When contacted with a biomass, the cellulase producing organism will tend to produce enzymes that release molecules advantageous to the sm’s growth, such as glucose.

This is done through the phenomenon of enzyme induction. Since there are a variety of substrates in a particular biomaterial, there are a variety of ases, for example, the endoglucanase, exoglucanase and cellobiase discussed previously. By selecting a particular lignocellulosic material as the r the relative concentrations and/or activities of these enzymes can be modulated so that the resulting enzyme complex will work efficiently on the lignocellulosic material used as the inducer or a similar material. For example, a biomaterial with a higher portion of crystalline cellulose may induce a more effective or higher amount of endoglucanase than a erial with little crystalline cellulose.

Since cellulose is insoluble and impermeable to organisms, it has been suggested that when cellulose is used as an inducer, a soluble oligosaccharide(s) such as cellobiose is actually the direct inducer of cellulase. Expression at a basal level allows a small amount of cellulase to hydrolyze cellulose to soluble oligosaccharides or to an inducer. Once the inducer enters the cell, it triggers full-scale transcription of the cellulase gene mediated by activator proteins and activating elements. After cellulose is degraded a large amount of e is ted, which causes catabolite repression. ellulosic materials comprise different combinations of cellulose, llulose and . Cellulose is a linear polymer of glucose forming a fairly stiff linear structure without significant coiling. Due to this structure and the disposition of yl groups that can hydrogen bond, cellulose contains lline and non-crystalline portions. The crystalline portions can also be of different types, noted as I(alpha) and I(beta) for example, depending on the location of hydrogen bonds between strands. The polymer lengths themselves can vary g more variety to the form of the cellulose. Hemicellulose is any of l heteropolymers, such as xylan, glucuronoxylan, arabinoxylans, and xyloglucan. The primary sugar r present is xylose, gh other monomers such as mannose, galactose, rhamnose, arabinose and glucose are present. Typically hemicellulose forms branched structures with lower molecular weights than cellulose. Hemicellulose is therefore an amorphous material that is lly susceptible to enzymatic hydrolysis. Lignin is a complex high molecular weight heteropolymer lly. Although all lignins show variation in their ition, they have been described as an amorphous dendritic network polymer of phenyl propene units. The amounts of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin in a ic biomaterial depends on the source of the biomaterial. For example wood derived biomaterial can be about 38-49% cellulose, 7-26% WO 96699 hemicellulose and 23-34% lignin depending on the type. Grasses typically are 33-38% cellulose, 24-32% hemicellulose and 17-22% lignin. Clearly lignocellulosic biomass constitutes a large class of substrates.

The diversity of biomass materials may be fiarther increased by pretreatment, for example, by changing the crystallinity and molecular weights of the polymers. The variation in the composition of the biomass may also se due to geographical and seasonal variation, z'.e., where and when the material was collected.

One of ordinary skill in the art can optimize the production of enzymes by microorganisms by adding yeast extract, corn steep, peptones, amino acids, ammonium salts, phosphate salts, potassium salts, magnesium salts, calcium salts, iron salts, manganese salts, zinc salts, cobalt salts, or other additives and/or nts and/or carbon sources. Various components can be added and removed during the processing to optimize the desired production of useful products.

Temperature, pH and other conditions optimal for growth of microorganisms and production of enzymes are lly known in the art.

BIOMASS MATERIALS As used herein, the term “biomass materials” includes lignocellulosic, cellulosic, starchy, and microbial materials. ellulosic materials include, but are not limited to, wood, le board, forestry wastes (e.g., sawdust, aspen wood, wood chips), grasses, (e.g., switchgrass, miscanthus, cord grass, reed canary grass), grain residues, (e.g., rice hulls, oat hulls, wheat chaff, barley hulls), agricultural waste (e.g., silage, canola straw, wheat straw, barley straw, oat straw, rice straw, jute, hemp, flax, bamboo, sisal, abaca, corn cobs, corn stover, soybean stover, corn fiber, a, hay, coconut hair), sugar processing residues (e.g., bagasse, beet pulp, agave bagasse), algae, seaweed, manure, sewage, and mixtures of any of these.

In some cases, the lignocellulosic al es comcobs. Ground or hammermilled comcobs can be spread in a layer of relatively uniform thickness for irradiation, and after ation are easy to disperse in the medium for fiarther sing. To facilitate harvest and collection, in some cases the entire corn plant is used, including the corn stalk, corn kernels, and in some cases even the root system of the plant.

Advantageously, no additional nutrients (other than a nitrogen source, 6.g. urea or ammonia) are required during fermentation of comcobs or cellulosic or lignocellulosic materials ning significant amounts of comcobs.

Comcobs, before and after comminution, are also easier to convey and disperse, and have a lesser cy to form explosive mixtures in air than other cellulosic or lignocellulosic als such as hay and grasses. osic materials include, for example, paper, paper products, paper waste, paper pulp, pigmented papers, loaded papers, coated papers, filled papers, magazines, printed matter (e. g., books, catalogs, manuals, labels, calendars, greeting cards, res, prospectuses, newsprint), printer paper, polycoated paper, card stock, cardboard, paperboard, materials having a high oc-cellulose content such as cotton, and mixtures of any of these. For example paper products as described in US. App. No. 13/396,365 (“Magazine Feedstocks” by Medoff et al., filed February 14, 2012), the fill disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

Cellulosic als can also include lignocellulosic materials which have been de- lignified.

Starchy materials include starch itself, e.g., corn starch, wheat starch, potato starch or rice starch, a derivative of starch, or a material that includes starch, such as an edible food product or a crop. For example, the starchy material can be arracacha, eat, banana, barley, cassava, kudzu, oca, sago, sorghum, regular household potatoes, sweet potato, taro, yams, or one or more beans, such as favas, lentils or peas. Blends of any two or more y materials are also starchy materials. Mixtures of starchy, cellulosic and or lignocellulosic materials can also be used. For e, a biomass can be an entire plant, a part of a plant or different parts of a plant, e.g., a wheat plant, cotton plant, a corn plant, rice plant or a tree. The starchy materials can be treated by any of the methods described .

Microbial materials e, but are not limited to, any naturally occurring or genetically modified rganism or organism that contains or is capable of providing a source of carbohydrates (e.g., cellulose), for example, protists, e.g., animal protists (e.g., oa such as flagellates, amoeboids, es, and sporozoa) and plant protists (e.g., algae such alveolates, chlorarachniophytes, cryptomonads, euglenids, glaucophytes, haptophytes, red algae, stramenopiles, and viridaeplantae). Other examples include seaweed, plankton (e.g., macroplankton, mesoplankton, microplankton, nanoplankton, picoplankton, and plankton), phytoplankton, bacteria (e.g., gram positive bacteria, gram negative ia, and extremophiles), yeast and/or mixtures of these. In some ces, ial biomass can be obtained from l sources, e.g., the ocean, lakes, bodies of water, e.g., salt water or fresh water, or on land. Alternatively or in addition, microbial biomass can be obtained from e systems, e.g., large scale dry and wet culture and fermentation s.

The biomass material can also include offal, and similar sources of material.

In other embodiments, the biomass materials, such as cellulosic, starchy and lignocellulosic feedstock materials, can be ed from transgenic microorganisms and plants that have been modified with respect to a wild type variety. Such modifications may be, for example, through the iterative steps of selection and breeding to obtain desired traits in a plant.

Furthermore, the plants can have had genetic material removed, modified, silenced and/or added with respect to the wild type variety. For example, genetically modified plants can be produced by recombinant DNA methods, where genetic modifications e introducing or modifying specific genes from al varieties, or, for example, by using transgenic breeding wherein a specific gene or genes are uced to a plant from a ent species of plant and/or bacteria.

Another way to create genetic variation is through mutation breeding wherein new alleles are artificially created from endogenous genes. The artificial genes can be created by a variety of ways including treating the plant or seeds with, for example, chemical mutagens (e.g., using alkylating agents, epoxides, alkaloids, peroxides, formaldehyde), irradiation (e.g., X-rays, gamma rays, neutrons, beta les, alpha particles, protons, deuterons, UV radiation) and temperature shocking or other external stressing and subsequent selection techniques. Other methods of providing modified genes is through error prone PCR and DNA shuffling followed by insertion of the desired modified DNA into the desired plant or seed. Methods of introducing the desired genetic variation in the seed or plant include, for example, the use of a bacterial carrier, biolistics, calcium phosphate precipitation, oporation, gene splicing, gene silencing, lipofection, microinjection and viral carriers. Additional genetically modified materials have been described in US. Application Serial No ,369 filed February 14, 2012 the full disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

Any of the methods described herein can be ced with mixtures of any biomass materials described herein.

BIOMASS MATERIAL PREPARATION -- MECHANICAL TREATMENTS The biomass can be in a dry form, for example with less than about 35% moisture content (e.g., less than about 20 %, less than about 15 %, less than about 10 % less than about 5 %, less than about 4%, less than about 3 %, less than about 2 % or even less than about 1 %).

The s can also be delivered in a wet state, for example as a wet solid, a slurry or a suspension with at least about 10 wt% solids (e.g., at least about 20 wt%, at least about 30 wt. %, at least about 40 wt%, at least about 50 wt%, at least about 60 wt%, at least about 70 wt%).

The processes disclosed herein can utilize low bulk density materials, for example cellulosic or lignocellulosic ocks that have been ally pretreated to have a bulk density of less than about 0.75 g/cm3, e.g., less than about 0.7, 0.65, 0.60, 0.50, 0.35, 0.25, 0.20, 0.15, 0.10, 0.05 or less, e.g., less than about 0.025 g/cm3.

Bulk density is determined using ASTM D1895B. Briefly, the method involves filling a measuring cylinder ofknown volume with a sample and obtaining a weight of the sample. The bulk density is ated by dividing the weight of the sample in grams by the known volume of the er in cubic eters. If desired, low bulk density materials can be densified, for example, by s described in US.

Pat. No. 7,971,809 to Medoff, the full disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

In some cases, the pre-treatment processing includes screening of the biomass material. Screening can be through a mesh or perforated plate with a desired opening size, for e, less than about 6.35 mm (1/4 inch, 0.25 inch), (e.g., less than about 3.18 mm (1/8 inch, 0.125 inch), less than about 1.59 mm (1/16 inch, 0.0625 inch), is less than about 0.79 mm (1/32 inch, 0.03125 inch), e.g., less than about 0.51 mm (1/50 inch, 0.02000 inch), less than about 0.40 mm (1/64 inch, 0.015625 inch), less than about 0.23 mm (0.009 inch), less than about 0.20 mm (1/ 128 inch, 125 inch), less than about 0.18 mm (0.007 inch), less than about 0.13 mm (0.005 inch), or even less than about 0.10 mm (1/256 inch, 0.00390625 inch)). In one ration the desired biomass falls through the perforations or screen and thus biomass larger than the perforations or screen are not irradiated. These larger materials can be re- processed, for example by comminuting, or they can simply be removed from processing. In another configuration material that is larger than the perforations is irradiated and the smaller material is removed by the ing process or recycled. In this kind of a configuration, the conveyor itself (for example a part of the conveyor) can be perforated or made with a mesh. For e, in one ular embodiment the biomass material may be wet and the perforations or mesh allow water to drain away from the biomass before irradiation.

Screening of material can also be by a manual method, for example by an operator or oid (e.g., a robot equipped with a color, ivity or other sensor) that removes unwanted material. Screening can also be by ic screening wherein a magnet is disposed near the conveyed material and the magnetic material is removed magnetically.

Optional eatment processing can include heating the material. For example a portion of the conveyor can be sent through a heated zone. The heated zone can be created, for example, by IR radiation, microwaves, combustion (e.g., gas, coal, oil, biomass), resistive heating and/or inductive coils. The heat can be d from at least one side or more than one side, can be continuous or periodic and can be for only a portion of the material or all the material. For example, a portion of the conveying trough can be heated by use of a heating jacket. Heating can be, for example, for the purpose of drying the material. In the case of drying the material, this can also be facilitated, with or without heating, by the movement of a gas (6.g. air, oxygen, nitrogen, He, C02, Argon) over and/or through the biomass as it is being conveyed.

Optionally, pre-treatment processing can e cooling the material. Cooling al is described in US Pat. No. 7,900,857 to Medoff, the disclosure of which in incorporated herein by reference. For example, g can be by supplying a cooling fluid, for example water (6.g. with glycerol), or nitrogen (e.g. to the bottom of the conveying , , liquid nitrogen) trough. Alternatively, a cooling gas, for example, d nitrogen can be blown over the biomass materials or under the conveying system.

Another optional pre-treatment sing method can e adding a material to the biomass. The additional material can be added by, for example, by showering, sprinkling and or g the material onto the biomass as it is conveyed. Materials that can be added include, for example, , ceramics and/or ions as described in US. Pat. App. Pub. 2010/01051 19 Al (filed October 26, 2009) and US. Pat. App. Pub. 2010/0159569 A1 (filed er 16, 2009), the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Optional materials that can be added include acids and bases. Other materials that can be added are oxidants (e.g., peroxides, chlorates), polymers, polymerizable monomers (e.g., containing unsaturated , water, catalysts, enzymes and/or organisms. Materials can be added, for example, in pure form, as a solution in a solvent (e.g., water or an organic solvent) and/or as a solution. In some cases the solvent is volatile and can be made to evaporate e.g., by heating and/or blowing gas as previously bed. The added material may form a uniform coating on the biomass or be a neous mixture of different components (e.g., biomass and additional material). The added material can modulate the subsequent ation step by increasing the ncy of the irradiation, damping the irradiation or changing the effect of the irradiation (e.g., from electron beams to X-rays or heat). The method may have no impact on the irradiation but may be useful for fiarther ream processing. The added material may help in conveying the material, for example, by lowering dust levels.

Biomass can be delivered to the conveyor by a belt conveyor, a pneumatic conveyor, a screw conveyor, a hopper, a pipe, manually or by a combination of these. The biomass can, for example, be d, poured and/or placed onto the conveyor by any of these methods. In some embodiments the material is delivered to the conveyor using an enclosed material distribution system to help maintain a low oxygen atmosphere and/or control dust and fines. Lofted or air suspended biomass fines and dust are undesirable because these can form an explosion hazard or damage the window foils of an electron gun (if such a device is used for treating the material).

The al can be leveled to form a uniform thickness between about 0.03 12 and 5 inches (e.g., between about 0.0625 and 2.000 inches, between about 0. 125 and 1 inches, between about 0. 125 and 0.5 inches, between about 0.3 and 0.9 inches, between about 0.2 and 0.5 inches n about 0.25 and 1.0 inches, between about 0.25 and 0.5 , 0.100 +/- 0.025 inches, 0.150 --/- 0.025 inches, 0.200 --/- 0.025 inches, 0.250 --/- 0.025 inches, 0.300 --/- 0.025 inches, 0.350 --/- 0.025 inches, 0.400 --/- 0.025 inches, 0.450 --/- 0.025 , 0.500 --/- 0.025 inches, 0.550 --/- 0.025 inches, 0.600 --/- 0.025 inches, 0.700 --/- 0.025 inches, 0.750 --/- 0.025 inches, 0.800 --/- 0.025 inches, 0.850 --/- 0.025 inches, 0.900 --/- 0.025 inches, 0.900 --/- 0.025 inches.

Generally, it is preferred to convey the material as quickly as possible through the electron beam to maximize throughput. For example the material can be conveyed at rates of at least 1 ft/min, e.g., at least 2 ft/min, at least 3 ft/min, at least 4 ft/min, at least 5 , at least 10 , at least 15 ft/min, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50 ft/min. The rate of conveying is related to the beam current, for example, for a 14 inch thick biomass and 100 mA, the conveyor can move at about 20 ft/min to e a useful irradiation dosage, at 50 mA the conveyor can move at about ft/min to provide approximately the same irradiation dosage.

After the biomass material has been ed through the radiation zone, optional post-treatment processing can be done. The optional post-treatment processing can, for example, be a process described with respect to the pre-irradiation processing. For example, the biomass can be screened, heated, cooled, and/or combined with additives. Uniquely to post-irradiation, quenching of the radicals can occur, for example, quenching of radicals by the addition of fluids or gases (e.g., oxygen, s oxide, ammonia, liquids), using pressure, heat, and/or the addition of radical scavengers. For example, the biomass can be conveyed out of the enclosed conveyor and exposed to a gas (e.g., oxygen) where it is quenched, forming lated groups. In one ment the biomass is exposed during irradiation to the reactive gas or fluid. Quenching of s that has been irradiated is described in US. Pat. No. 8,083,906 to Medoff, the entire disclosure of which is incorporate herein by reference.

If desired, one or more mechanical treatments can be used in addition to irradiation to r reduce the recalcitrance of the biomass al. These processes can be applied before, during and or after irradiation.

In some cases, the mechanical ent may include an initial preparation of the feedstock as received, e.g., size reduction of materials, such as by comminution, e.g, cutting, grinding, shearing, pulverizing or chopping. For example, in some cases, loose feedstock (e.g., recycled paper, starchy materials, or switchgrass) is prepared by shearing or shredding.

Mechanical treatment may reduce the bulk density of the biomass material, se the e area of the biomass material and/or decrease one or more dimensions of the biomass material.

Alternatively, or in addition, the ock material can first be physically treated by one or more of the other physical treatment methods, 6.g. chemical treatment, radiation, sonication, oxidation, pyrolysis or steam explosion, and then mechanically d. This sequence can be advantageous since materials treated by one or more of the other ents, 6.g. irradiation or pyrolysis, tend to be more brittle and, therefore, it may be easier to further change the structure of the material by mechanical treatment. For example, a ock material can be conveyed through ionizing radiation using a conveyor as described herein and then mechanically d. Chemical treatment can remove some or all of the lignin (for example chemical pulping) and can partially or completely hydrolyze the material. The methods also can be used with pre-hydrolyzed material. The methods also can be used with al that has not been pre hydrolyzed The methods can be used with mixtures of hydrolyzed and non-hydrolyzed materials, for example with about 50% or more non-hydrolyzed material, with about 60% or more non- hydrolyzed material, with about 70% or more non-hydrolyzed material, with about 80% or more non-hydrolyzed material or even with 90% or more non-hydrolyzed material.

In addition to size reduction, which can be performed initially and/or later in processing, mechanical treatment can also be advantageous for “opening up,3, “stressing,” breaking or shattering the biomass materials, making the ose of the materials more susceptible to chain scission and/or disruption of crystalline structure during the physical treatment.

Methods of mechanically treating the biomass material include, for e, milling or grinding. Milling may be performed using, for example, a mill, ball mill, colloid mill, conical or cone mill, disk mill, edge mill, Wiley mill, grist mill or other mill. Grinding may be performed using, for example, a cutting/impact type grinder. Some exemplary grinders include stone grinders, pin grinders, coffee grinders, and burr grinders. Grinding or milling may be provided, for example, by a ocating pin or other element, as is the case in a pin mill. Other mechanical treatment methods include ical ripping, tearing, shearing or chopping, other methods that apply pressure to the fibers, and air attrition g. Suitable mechanical treatments further include any other technique that continues the tion of the internal ure of the material that was initiated by the previous processing steps.

Mechanical feed preparation systems can be configured to produce streams with specific characteristics such as, for e, specific maximum sizes, specific length-to-width, or specific surface areas ratios. Physical ation can increase the rate of reactions, improve the movement of material on a conveyor, improve the irradiation e of the material, improve the radiation uniformity of the material, or reduce the processing time required by opening up the materials and making them more accessible to processes and/or reagents, such as reagents in a solution.

The bulk density of feedstocks can be lled (e.g., increased). In some ions, it can be desirable to prepare a low bulk density material, 6.g. the material (e.g., , by ying densif1cation can make it easier and less costly to transport to r site) and then reverting the material to a lower bulk density state (e.g., after transport). The material can be densif1ed, for example from less than about 0.2 g/cc to more than about 0.9 g/cc (e.g., less than about 0.3 to more than about 0.5 g/cc, less than about 0.3 to more than about 0.9 g/cc, less than about 0.5 to more than about 0.9 g/cc, less than about 0.3 to more than about 0.8 g/cc, less than about 0.2 to more than about 0.5 g/cc). For example, the material can be densif1ed by the methods and equipment disclosed in US. Pat. No. 7,932,065 to Medoff and International Publication No. WO 73186 (which was filed October 26, 2007, was published in English, and which designated the United States), the filll sures of which are orated herein by reference.

Densifled materials can be processed by any of the methods described herein, or any material processed by any of the methods described herein can be subsequently densif1ed.

WO 96699 In some embodiments, the material to be processed is in the form of a fibrous material that includes fibers provided by shearing a fiber source. For example, the shearing can be performed with a rotary knife cutter.

For example, a fiber source, e.g., that is recalcitrant or that has had its recalcitrance level reduced, can be sheared, e.g., in a rotary knife cutter, to provide a first fibrous material.

The first fibrous material is passed through a first , e.g., having an average opening size of 1.59 mm or less (1/16 inch, 0.0625 inch), provide a second fibrous material. If desired, the fiber source can be cut prior to the shearing, e.g., with a shredder. For example, when a paper is used as the fiber source, the paper can be first cut into strips that are, e.g. 1/4- to 1/2-inch wide, using a shredder, e.g., a counter-rotating screw er, such as those manufactured by Munson (Utica, N.Y.). As an alternative to shredding, the paper can be reduced in size by cutting to a desired size using a guillotine cutter. For example, the guillotine cutter can be used to cut the paper into sheets that are, e.g, 10 inches wide by 12 inches long.

In some embodiments, the shearing of the fiber source and the passing of the resulting first fibrous material h a first screen are performed concurrently. The shearing and the g can also be performed in a batch-type process.

For example, a rotary knife cutter can be used to concurrently shear the fiber source and screen the first fibrous material. A rotary knife cutter includes a hopper that can be loaded with a shredded fiber source prepared by shredding a fiber source. The shredded fiber source.

In some implementations, the feedstock is physically treated prior to saccharification and/or fermentation. Physical treatment processes can include one or more of any of those described herein, such as mechanical treatment, chemical treatment, irradiation, sonication, oxidation, sis or steam explosion. Treatment methods can be used in combinations of two, three, four, or even all of these technologies (in any order). When more than one ent method is used, the methods can be applied at the same time or at different times. Other ses that change a molecular structure of a biomass feedstock may also be used, alone or in combination with the processes disclosed herein.

Mechanical treatments that may be used, and the characteristics of the mechanically treated biomass materials, are bed in fiarther detail in US. Pat. App. Pub. 2012/0100577 A1, filed October 18, 2011, the fill sure of which is hereby orated herein by reference.

TREATMENT OF BIOMASS MATERIAL -- LE BOMBARDMENT One or more treatments with energetic le bombardment can be used to process raw feedstock from a wide variety of different sources to extract useful substances from the feedstock, and to provide partially ed organic material which functions as input to filrther processing steps and/or sequences. Particle bombardment can reduce the molecular weight and/or crystallinity of feedstock. In some embodiments, energy deposited in a material that releases an electron from its atomic orbital can be used to treat the materials. The bombardment may be provided by heavy charged particles (such as alpha particles or protons), electrons (produced, for example, in beta decay or electron beam accelerators), or electromagnetic radiation (for example, gamma rays, x rays, or iolet rays). Alternatively, radiation produced by radioactive substances can be used to treat the feedstock. Any combination, in any order, or rently of these treatments may be utilized. In another approach, electromagnetic radiation (e.g., produced using electron beam rs) can be used to treat the feedstock.

Each form of energy ionizes the biomass via particular interactions. Heavy d particles primarily ionize matter via Coulomb scattering; fiarthermore, these interactions produce tic electrons that may further ionize matter. Alpha particles are identical to the nucleus of a helium atom and are produced by the alpha decay of various ctive nuclei, such as isotopes of bismuth, polonium, astatine, radon, um, radium, several des, such as actinium, thorium, uranium, neptunium, curium, califomium, americium, and plutonium.

When particles are utilized, they can be neutral (uncharged), positively charged or negatively charged. When charged, the charged particles can bear a single positive or negative charge, or multiple charges, e.g., one, two, three or even four or more charges. In instances in which chain scission is desired, positively charged particles may be desirable, in part, due to their acidic nature. When particles are utilized, the particles can have the mass of a resting electron, or greater, e.g., 500, 1000, 1500, or 2000 or more times the mass of a resting electron. For example, the particles can have a mass of from about 1 atomic unit to about 150 atomic units, e.g., from about 1 atomic unit to about 50 atomic units, or from about 1 to about 25, e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 12 or 15 atomic units. Accelerators used to rate the particles can be electrostatic DC, electrodynamic DC, RF linear, magnetic induction linear or continuous wave. For example, cyclotron type accelerators are available from IBA (Ion Beam Accelerators, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium), such as the RhodotronTM system, while DC type accelerators are ble from RDI, now IBA Industrial, such as the DynamitronTM. Ions and ion accelerators are discussed in Introductory Nuclear s, h S. Krane, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (1988), Krsto Prelec, FIZIKA B 6 (1997) 4, 177-206; Chu, William T., iew of Light-Ion Beam Therapy”, Columbus-Ohio, ICRU-IAEA Meeting, 18-20 Mar. 2006; Iwata, Y. et al., “Altemating-Phase- Focused IH-DTL for Ion Medical Accelerators”, Proceedings of EPAC 2006, Edinburgh, Scotland; and Leitner, C. M. et al., “Status of the Superconducting ECR Ion Source Venus”, Proceedings of EPAC 2000, Vienna, a.

The doses applied depend on the desired effect and the particular feedstock. For example, high doses can break chemical bonds within feedstock ents and low doses can increase chemical g (e.g., cross-linking) within feedstock components. 2012/071092 In some instances when chain scission is desirable and/or polymer chain fianctionalization is desirable, particles heavier than ons, such as protons, helium nuclei, argon ions, silicon ions, neon ions, carbon ions, orus ions, oxygen ions or nitrogen ions can be utilized. When ring-opening chain scission is desired, positively charged particles can be utilized for their Lewis acid properties for enhanced ring-opening chain scission. For example, when oxygen-containing fianctional groups are desired, treatment in the presence of oxygen or even treatment with oxygen ions can be performed. For example, when nitrogen-containing onal groups are desirable, treatment in the presence of nitrogen or even treatment with nitrogen ions can be performed.

OTHER FORMS OF ENERGY Electrons interact via Coulomb scattering and bremsstrahlung radiation produced by changes in the ty of electrons. Electrons may be produced by radioactive nuclei that undergo beta decay, such as isotopes of , cesium, technetium, and iridium. Alternatively, an electron gun can be used as an electron source via thermionic emission.

Electromagnetic radiation interacts via three processes: photoelectric absorption, n scattering, and pair production. The dominating interaction is determined by the energy of the incident radiation and the atomic number of the material. The summation of interactions contributing to the absorbed radiation in cellulosic al can be expressed by the mass absorption coefficient.

Electromagnetic radiation is subclassif1ed as gamma rays, x rays, ultraviolet rays, infrared rays, microwaves, or radiowaves, depending on the wavelength.

For example, gamma radiation can be employed to treat the als. Gamma radiation has the advantage of a significant penetration depth into a variety of material in the . Sources of gamma rays include radioactive nuclei, such as isotopes of cobalt, calcium, technetium, um, gallium, indium, , iron, krypton, samarium, selenium, sodium, thalium, and xenon.

Sources of x rays include electron beam collision with metal targets, such as tungsten or molybdenum or alloys, or compact light sources, such as those produced commercially by Lyncean.

Sources for ultraviolet ion include ium or cadmium lamps.

Sources for infrared radiation include re, zinc, or selenide window c lamps.

Sources for microwaves include klystrons, Slevin type RF sources, or atom beam sources that employ hydrogen, oxygen, or nitrogen gases.

Various other devices may be used in the methods disclosed herein, including field ionization sources, electrostatic ion separators, field ionization generators, thermionic emission sources, microwave discharge ion sources, recirculating or static accelerators, dynamic linear accelerators, van de Graaff accelerators, and folded tandem rators. Such devices are disclosed, for example, in US. Pat. No. 784 B2, the te disclosure of which is incorporated herein by nce.

TREATMENT OF BIOMASS AL -- ELECTRON BOMBARDMENT The feedstock may be treated with electron bombardment to modify its structure and thereby reduce its recalcitrance. Such treatment may, for example, reduce the average molecular weight of the feedstock, change the crystalline structure of the ock, and/or increase the surface area and/or porosity of the feedstock.

Electron bombardment via an electron beam is generally preferred, because it provides very high throughput and because the use of a relatively low voltage/high power electron beam device eliminates the need for expensive concrete vault ing, as such devices are “self-shielded” and provide a safe, efficient process. While the “self-shielded” devices do e shielding (e.g. metal plate shielding), they do not require the construction of a concrete vault, greatly reducing capital expenditure and often allowing an existing manufacturing facility to be used without expensive modification. Electron beam accelerators are available, for example, from IBA (Ion Beam Applications, Louvain-la-Neuve, m), Titan Corporation (San Diego, California, USA), and NHV Corporation (Nippon High Voltage, Japan).

Electron bombardment may be performed using an electron beam device that has a l energy of less than 10 MeV, e.g., less than 7 MeV, less than 5 MeV, or less than 2 MeV, e.g., from about 0.5 to 1.5 MeV, from about 0.8 to 1.8 MeV, from about 0.7 to 1 MeV, or from about 1 to 3 MeV. In some implementations the nominal energy is about 500 to 800 keV.

The electron beam may have a vely high total beam power (the combined beam power of all accelerating heads, or, if multiple accelerators are used, of all accelerators and all heads), e.g., at least 25 kW, e.g., at least 30, 40, 50, 60, 65, 70, 80, 100, 125, or 150 kW. In some cases, the power is even as high as 500 kW, 750 kW, or even 1000 kW or more. In some cases the electron beam has a beam power of 1200 kW or more.

This high total beam power is usually achieved by utilizing multiple accelerating heads. For example, the electron beam device may include two, four, or more rating heads. The use of multiple heads, each of which has a relatively low beam power, prevents excessive temperature rise in the material, thereby preventing burning of the material, and also increases the uniformity of the dose through the ess of the layer of material.

In some implementations, it is ble to cool the material during electron bombardment. For example, the material can be cooled while it is being conveyed, for example by a screw extruder or other conveying equipment. 2012/071092 To reduce the energy required by the recalcitrance-reducing process, it is desirable to treat the material as quickly as possible. In general, it is red that treatment be performed at a dose rate of greater than about 0.25 Mrad per second, e.g., greater than about 0.5, 0.75, 1, 1.5, 2, 5, 7, 10, 12, 15, or even r than about 20 Mrad per second, e.g., about 0.25 to 2 Mrad per second. Higher dose rates generally require higher line speeds, to avoid thermal decomposition of the material. In one implementation, the accelerator is set for 3 MeV, 50 mAmp beam current, and the line speed is 24 feet/minute, for a sample thickness of about 20 mm (e.g., comminuted corn cob material with a bulk density of 0.5 g/cm3).

In some embodiments, electron bombardment is performed until the material receives a total dose of at least 0.5 Mrad, e.g., at least 5, 10, 20, 30 or at least 40 Mrad. In some embodiments, the treatment is performed until the material receives a dose of from about 0.5 Mrad to about 150 Mrad, about 1 Mrad to about 100 Mrad, about 2 Mrad to about 75 Mrad, 10 Mrad to about 50 Mrad, e.g., about 5 Mrad to about 50 Mrad, from about 20 Mrad to about 40 Mrad, about 10 Mrad to about 35 Mrad, or from about 25 Mrad to about 30 Mrad. In some implementations, a total dose of 25 to 35 Mrad is preferred, applied y over a couple of seconds, e.g., at 5 Mrad/pass with each pass being applied for about one second. Applying a dose of greater than 7 to 8 Mrad/pass can in some cases cause thermal degradation of the feedstock material.

Using multiple heads as sed above, the material can be treated in multiple passes, for example, two passes at 10 to 20 Mrad/pass, e.g., 12 to 18 Mrad/pass, separated by a few seconds of cool-down, or three passes of 7 to 12 Mrad/pass, e.g., 9 to 11 Mrad/pass. As discussed above, treating the material with several relatively low doses, rather than one high dose, tends to prevent ating of the material and also ses dose uniformity through the thickness of the al. In some implementations, the material is stirred or otherwise mixed during or after each pass and then smoothed into a uniform layer again before the next pass, to r enhance treatment uniformity.

In some embodiments, electrons are accelerated to, for example, a speed of greater than 75 percent of the speed of light, e.g., greater than 85, 90, 95, or 99 percent of the speed of light.

In some embodiments, any processing described herein occurs on lignocellulosic al that remains dry as acquired or that has been dried, e.g., using heat and/or reduced re. For example, in some embodiments, the cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic material has less than about five percent by weight retained water, measured at 25°C and at fifty percent relative ty.

Electron bombardment can be applied while the cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic material is exposed to air, oxygen-enriched air, or even oxygen itself, or blanketed by an inert gas such as en, argon, or helium. When maximum oxidation is desired, an oxidizing environment is utilized, such as air or oxygen and the distance from the beam source is optimized to maximize ve gas formation, e.g., ozone and/or oxides of nitrogen.

In some embodiments, two or more electron sources are used, such as two or more ionizing sources. For example, samples can be treated, in any order, with a beam of electrons, followed by gamma radiation and UV light having wavelengths from about 100 nm to about 280 nm. In some ments, samples are d with three ng radiation sources, such as a beam of electrons, gamma radiation, and energetic UV light. The biomass is conveyed through the treatment zone where it can be bombarded with electrons. It is generally preferred that the bed of biomass material has a relatively uniform thickness, as previously described, while being treated.

It may be advantageous to repeat the treatment to more thoroughly reduce the recalcitrance of the s and/or fiarther modify the biomass. In particular the process parameters can be adjusted after a first (e.g., second, third, fourth or more) pass depending on the recalcitrance of the al. In some ments, a conveyor can be used which includes a circular system where the biomass is conveyed le times through the various processes described above. In some other embodiments multiple ent devices (e.g., electron beam generators) are used to treat the biomass multiple (e.g., 2, 3, 4 or more) times. In yet other embodiments, a single electron beam generator may be the source of multiple beams (e.g., 2, 3, 4 or more beams) that can be used for treatment of the biomass.

The effectiveness in changing the molecular/supermolecular structure and/or reducing the recalcitrance of the biomass biomass depends on the electron energy used and the dose applied, while exposure time depends on the power and dose.

In some embodiments, the treatment (with any electron source or a combination of sources) is performed until the material es a dose of at least about 0.05 Mrad, e.g., at least about 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1.0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, 10.0, 15, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 125, 150, 175, or 200 Mrad. In some embodiments, the treatment is performed until the material receives a dose of between 0 Mrad, 1-200, 5-200, 10-200, 5-150, 5-100, 5-50, 5-40, 10-50, -75, 15-50, 20-35 Mrad.

In some embodiments, the treatment is performed at a dose rate of n 5.0 and 1500.0 ds/hour, e.g., between 10.0 and 750.0 kilorads/hour or between 50.0 and 350.0 kilorads/hours. In other embodiments the treatment is performed at a dose rate of between 10 and 10000 kilorads/hr, between 100 and 1000 kilorad/hr, or between 500 and 1000 kilorads/hr.

ELECTRON S Electrons interact via Coulomb scattering and bremsstrahlung radiation produced by changes in the velocity of electrons. Electrons may be produced by radioactive nuclei that undergo beta decay, such as isotopes of , cesium, technetium, and iridium. Alternatively, an electron gun can be used as an electron source via thermionic emission and accelerated through an accelerating potential. An electron gun generates electrons, accelerates them through a large potential (e.g., greater than about 500 thousand, greater than about lmillion, greater than about 2 million, greater than about 5 million, greater than about 6 million, greater than about 7 million, greater than about 8 n, greater than about 9 million, or even greater than 10 million volts) and then scans them magnetically in the x-y plane, where the electrons are initially accelerated in the z ion down the tube and extracted through a foil window. Scanning the electron beam is useful for increasing the irradiation surface when irradiating materials, e.g., a biomass, that is conveyed h the scanned beam. Scanning the electron beam also butes the thermal load homogenously on the window and helps reduce the foil window rupture due to local heating by the electron beam. Window foil rupture is a cause of significant down-time due to subsequent necessary repairs and re-starting the electron gun.

Various other ating devices may be used in the methods disclosed herein, including field ionization sources, electrostatic ion separators, field ionization generators, thermionic emission sources, microwave rge ion sources, ulating or static accelerators, dynamic linear accelerators, van de Graaff rators, and folded tandem accelerators. Such devices are disclosed, for example, in US. Pat. No. 784 to Medoff, the complete disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

A beam of electrons can be used as the radiation source. A beam of electrons has the advantages of high dose rates (e.g., l, 5, or even 10 Mrad per second), high throughput, less containment, and less confinement equipment. Electron beams can also have high electrical efficiency (e.g., 80%), allowing for lower energy usage relative to other radiation methods, which can translate into a lower cost of operation and lower greenhouse gas emissions corresponding to the r amount of energy used. Electron beams can be generated, e.g., by electrostatic generators, cascade generators, ormer generators, low energy accelerators with a scanning system, low energy accelerators with a linear cathode, linear accelerators, and pulsed accelerators.

Electrons can also be more efficient at causing changes in the lar structure of biomass materials, for example, by the mechanism of chain scission. In addition, electrons having energies of 0.5-10 MeV can penetrate low y als, such as the biomass als described , e.g., materials having a bulk density of less than 0.5 g/cm3, and a depth of 03-10 cm. Electrons as an ionizing radiation source can be useful, e.g., for relatively thin piles, layers or beds of materials, e.g., less than about 0.5 inch, e.g., less than about 0.4 inch, 0.3 inch, 0.25 inch, or less than about 0.1 inch. In some embodiments, the energy of each electron of the on beam is from about 0.3 MeV to about 2.0 MeV (million electron volts), e.g., from about 0.5 MeV to about 1.5 MeV, or from about 0.7 MeV to about 1.25 MeV.

Methods of irradiating materials are sed in US. Pat. App. Pub. 2012/0100577 A1, filed October 18, 2011, the entire sure of which is herein incorporated by reference.

Electron beam irradiation devices may be procured commercially from Ion Beam Applications (Louvain-la-Neuve, m), the Titan ation (San Diego, California, USA), and NHV Corporation (Nippon High Voltage, Japan). l electron energies can be 0.5 MeV, 1 MeV, 2 MeV, 4.5 MeV, 7.5 MeV, or 10 MeV. Typical electron beam irradiation device power can be 1 KW, 5 KW, 10 KW, 20 KW, 50 KW, 60 KW, 70 KW, 80 KW, 90 KW, 100 KW, 125 KW, 150 KW, 175 KW, 200 KW, 250 KW, 300 KW, 350 KW, 400 KW, 450 KW, 500 KW, 600 KW, 700 KW, 800 KW, 900 KW or even 1000 KW.

Tradeoffs in considering electron beam irradiation device power specifications include cost to operate, l costs, depreciation, and device footprint. Tradeoffs in considering exposure dose levels of on beam irradiation would be energy costs and environment, safety, and health (ESH) concerns. Typically, tors are housed in a vault, e.g., of lead or concrete, especially for production from X-rays that are ted in the process.

Tradeoffs in considering electron energies include energy costs.

The electron beam irradiation device can produce either a fixed beam or a scanning beam. A scanning beam may be advantageous with large scan sweep length and high scan speeds, as this would effectively replace a large, fixed beam width. Further, available sweep widths of 0.5 m, 1 m, 2 m or more are available. The scanning beam is preferred in most embodiments describe herein because of the larger scan width and reduced possibility of local heating and failure of the windows.

TREATMENT OF S MATERIAL -- SONICATION, PYROLYSIS, OXIDATION, STEAM EXPLOSION If d, one or more sonication, pyrolysis, oxidative, or steam explosion processes can be used in addition to or instead of other treatments to further reduce the recalcitrance of the biomass material. These processes can be applied before, during and or after another treatment or treatments. These processes are described in detail in US. Pat. No. 7,932,065 to Medoff, the filll disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

USE OF TREATED BIOMASS MATERIAL Using the methods described , a starting biomass material (6.g. , plant biomass, animal biomass, paper, and municipal waste biomass) can be used as feedstock to produce useful intermediates and products such as organic acids, salts of organic acids, anhydrides, esters of organic acids and fuels, e.g., fuels for internal combustion s or feedstocks for fiJel cells.

Systems and processes are described herein that can use as feedstock cellulosic and/or ellulosic materials that are readily available, but often can be difficult to process, e.g., municipal waste streams and waste paper streams, such as streams that include newspaper, kraft paper, corrugated paper or es of these.

In order to convert the feedstock to a form that can be readily processed, the glucan- or xylan-containing cellulose in the feedstock can be hydrolyzed to low molecular weight carbohydrates, such as sugars, by a saccharifying agent, e.g., an enzyme or acid, a process ed to as saccharif1cation. The low molecular weight carbohydrates can then be used, for example, in an existing manufacturing plant, such as a single cell protein plant, an enzyme manufacturing plant, or a fuel plant, 6.g. , an l manufacturing facility.

The feedstock can be hydrolyzed using an enzyme, e.g., by combining the materials and the enzyme in a solvent, e.g., in an aqueous solution.

Alternatively, the enzymes can be supplied by organisms that break down biomass, such as the cellulose and/or the lignin ns of the biomass, contain or manufacture various cellulolytic enzymes (cellulases), ligninases or s small le biomass-degrading metabolites. These enzymes may be a complex of enzymes that act synergistically to degrade crystalline cellulose or the lignin portions of s. Examples of cellulolytic s include: endoglucanases, cellobiohydrolases, and cellobiases glucosidases).

During saccharif1cation a cellulosic substrate can be initially hydrolyzed by endoglucanases at random locations producing oligomeric intermediates. These intermediates are then substrates for exo-splitting glucanases such as iohydrolase to produce cellobiose from the ends of the cellulose polymer. Cellobiose is a water-soluble 1,4-linked dimer of glucose. Finally, cellobiase cleaves iose to yield glucose. The efficiency (e.g., time to hydrolyze and/or completeness of hydrolysis) of this process depends on the recalcitrance of the cellulosic material.

INTERMEDIATES AND PRODUCTS Using the processes bed herein, the biomass material can be converted to one or more products, such as energy, fuels, foods and materials. Specific examples of products include, but are not limited to, hydrogen, sugars (e.g., glucose, , arabinose, mannose, galactose, fructose, harides, oligosaccharides and polysaccharides), alcohols (e.g., dric ls or dihydric alcohols, such as ethanol, anol, isobutanol, sec-butanol, tert-butanol or n-butanol), hydrated or hydrous alcohols (e.g., containing greater than 10%, 20%, % or even greater than 40% water), biodiesel, organic acids, hydrocarbons (e.g, methane, ethane, propane, isobutene, pentane, n-hexane, biodiesel, bio-gasoline and mixtures thereof), co- products (e.g., proteins, such as cellulolytic proteins es) or single cell proteins), and mixtures of any of these in any combination or relative concentration, and optionally in combination with any additives (e.g, fuel additives). Other examples include carboxylic acids, salts of a ylic acid, a mixture of carboxylic acids and salts of carboxylic acids and esters of carboxylic acids (e.g., , ethyl and n-propyl esters), ketones (e.g., acetone), aldehydes (e.g., acetaldehyde), alpha and beta unsaturated acids (e.g., acrylic acid) and olef1ns (e.g., ne).

Other alcohols and l derivatives include propanol, propylene glycol, l,4-butanediol, l,3- propanediol, sugar alcohols and polyols (e.g., glycol, ol, erythritol, threitol, arabitol, xylitol, ribitol, mannitol, sorbitol, galactitol, iditol, inositol, volemitol, isomalt, maltitol, lactitol, maltotriitol, maltotetraitol, and polyglycitol and other s), and methyl or ethyl esters of any of these alcohols. Other products include methyl acrylate, methylmethacrylate, lactic acid, citric acid, formic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, succinic acid, valeric acid, caproic acid, 3-hydroxypropionic acid, ic acid, stearic acid, oxalic acid, malonic acid, glutaric acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, glycolic acid, gamma-hydroxybutyric acid, and mixtures f, salts of any of these acids, mixtures of any of the acids and their tive salts.

Any combination of the above products with each other, and/or of the above products with other products, which other products may be made by the processes described herein or otherwise, may be packaged together and sold as products. The ts may be combined, e.g., mixed, blended or co-dissolved, or may simply be packaged or sold together.

Any of the products or combinations of products described herein may be sanitized or sterilized prior to selling the products, e.g., after purification or isolation or even after packaging, to neutralize one or more potentially undesirable contaminants that could be present in the product(s). Such sanitation can be done with electron bombardment, for example, be at a dosage of less than about 20 Mrad, e.g., from about 0.1 to 15 Mrad, from about 0.5 to 7 Mrad, or from about 1 to 3 Mrad.

The ses described herein can produce various duct streams useful for generating steam and electricity to be used in other parts of the plant (co-generation) or sold on the open . For example, steam generated from burning duct streams can be used in a distillation process. As another example, electricity generated from g by-product streams can be used to power electron beam generators used in pretreatment.

The by-products used to generate steam and electricity are derived from a number of sources throughout the process. For example, anaerobic digestion of wastewater can produce a biogas high in methane and a small amount of waste biomass (sludge). As another example, post-saccharification and/or post-distillate solids (e.g., unconverted lignin, ose, and hemicellulose remaining from the pretreatment and primary ses) can be used, e.g., burned, as a fuel.

Many of the products obtained, such as l or n-butanol, can be utilized as a filel for powering cars, trucks, tractors, ships or trains, e.g., as an internal combustion filel or as a fuel cell feedstock. Many of the products obtained can also be utilized to power aircraft, such as planes, e.g., having jet engines or helicopters. In addition, the products described herein can be utilized for electrical power generation, e.g., in a conventional steam generating plant or in a fuel cell plant.

Other intermediates and products, ing food and pharmaceutical products, are described in US. Pat. App. Pub. 2010/0124583 A1, published May 20, 2010, to Medoff, the fill disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.

RIFICATION The treated biomass materials can be saccharified, generally by ing the material and a cellulase enzyme in a fluid medium, e.g., an aqueous on. In some cases, the material is boiled, steeped, or cooked in hot water prior to saccharification, as described in US.

Pat. App. Pub. 2012/0100577 A1 by Medoff and man, published on April 26, 2012, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein.

The saccharif1cation process can be partially or completely performed in a tank (6.g. a tank having a volume of at least 4000, , or 500,000 L) in a manufacturing plant, and/or can be partially or completely performed in transit, e.g., in a rail car, tanker truck, or in a supertanker or the hold of a ship. The time required for complete saccharif1cation will depend on the process conditions and the biomass material and enzyme used. If saccharification is performed in a manufacturing plant under controlled conditions, the cellulose may be substantially entirely converted to sugar, e.g., glucose in about 12-96 hours. If saccharif1cation is performed partially or completely in transit, saccharif1cation may take longer.

It is lly preferred that the tank contents be mixed during saccharif1cation, e.g., using jet mixing as described in International App. No. l , filed May 18, 2010, which was published in h as WC 2010/135380 and ated the United States, the filll disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.

The addition of surfactants can enhance the rate of saccharif1cation. Examples of surfactants e non-ionic surfactants, such as a Tween® 20 or Tween® 80 polyethylene glycol surfactants, ionic surfactants, or amphoteric surfactants.

It is generally preferred that the concentration of the sugar solution resulting from saccharif1cation be relatively high, e.g., greater than 40%, or greater than 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 or even greater than 95% by weight. Water may be removed, e.g., by evaporation, to increase the concentration of the sugar solution. This reduces the volume to be d, and also ts microbial growth in the solution.

Alternatively, sugar ons of lower concentrations may be used, in which case it may be desirable to add an antimicrobial additive, e.g., a broad spectrum antibiotic, in a low concentration, e.g., 50 to 150 ppm. Other suitable antibiotics include amphotericin B, ampicillin, chloramphenicol, oxacin, gentamicin, hygromycin B, kanamycin, neomycin, penicillin, puromycin, streptomycin. Antibiotics will inhibit growth of rganisms during transport and e, and can be used at appropriate concentrations, e.g., between 15 and 1000 ppm by , e.g., between 25 and 500 ppm, or between 50 and 150 ppm. If desired, an antibiotic can be included even if the sugar concentration is relatively high. Alternatively, other additives with anti-microbial of preservative properties may be used. ably the antimicrobial additive(s) are food-grade.

A relatively high concentration solution can be obtained by limiting the amount of water added to the biomass material with the enzyme. The concentration can be controlled, 6.g. by controlling how much saccharif1cation takes place. For example, concentration can be increased by adding more biomass material to the solution. In order to keep the sugar that is being produced in solution, a surfactant can be added, e.g., one of those discussed above.

Solubility can also be increased by increasing the temperature of the on. For example, the solution can be maintained at a temperature of 40-50°C, C, or even higher.

SACCHARIFYING AGENTS Suitable cellulolytic enzymes include cellulases from species in the genera Bacillus, CaprinuS, Myceliophthora, Cephalosporz'um, Scytalz'dz'um, llium, ASpergz'lluS, Pseudomonas, Humicola, Fusarium, Thielavz'a, Acremonium, ChrySOSporz'um and Trichoderma, especially those produced by a strain selected from the s ASpergz'lluS (see, e.g., EP Pub.

No. 0 458 162), Humicola insolenS (reclassified as Scytalz'clz'um thermophilum, see, e.g., US. Pat.

No. 4,435,307), CaprinuS uS, Fusarium oxySporum, Myceliophthora phila, Merlpl'luS giganteus, Thielavz'a terrestriS, Acremonium Sp. (including, but not limited to, A. perSl'cz'num, A. acremonium, A. brachypem'um, A. dichromosporum, A. obclavatum, A. pinkertonz'ae, A. riseum, A. incoloratum, and A. furatum). Preferred strains include Humicola insolenS DSM 1800, Fusarium oxySporum DSM 2672, Myceliophthora thermophila CBS 117.65, Cephalosporz'um Sp. RYM-202, Acremonium Sp. CBS 478.94, Acremonium Sp.

CBS 265.95, Acremonium persicinum CBS 169.65, Acremonium acremonium AHU 9519, Cephalosporz'um Sp. CBS 535.71, nium pem'um CBS 866.73, Acremonium dichromosporum CBS 683.73, Acremonium obclavatum CBS 311.74, Acremonium pinkertoniae CBS 157.70, Acremonium roseogriseum CBS 134.56, Acremonium incoloratum CBS 146.62, and m’umfuratum CBS H. Cellulolytic enzymes may also be obtained from ChrySOSporz'um, preferably a strain of ChrySOSporz'um lucknowense. Additional strains that can be used include, but are not limited to, derma (particularly T. viride, T. reesez’, and T. koningii), alkalophilic Bacillus (see, for example, US. Pat. No. 3,844,890 and EP Pub. No. 0 458 162), and Streptomyces (see, e.g., EP Pub. No. 0 458 162).

Many microorganisms that can be used to saccharify s material and produce sugars can also be used to ferment and convert those sugars to useful products.

SUGARS In the processes bed herein, for example after saccharif1cation, sugars (e.g, glucose and xylose) can be isolated. For example sugars can be isolated by precipitation, crystallization, chromatography (6.g. , simulated moving bed chromatography, high pressure tography), centrifilgation, extraction, any other isolation method known in the art, and combinations thereof.

HYDROGENATION AND OTHER CHEMICAL TRANSFORMATIONS The processes described herein can include hydrogenation. For example glucose and xylose can be hydrogenated to sorbitol and xylitol respectively. enation can be accomplished by use of a catalyst (e.g., Pt/gamma-A1203, Ru/C, Raney , or other catalysts know in the art) in ation with H2 under high pressure (e.g., 10 to 12000 psi). Other types of chemical transformation of the products from the processes described herein can be used, for example production of organic sugar derived products such (e.g., furfural and furfural-derived products). al transformations of sugar derived products are described in US Prov. App.

No. ,481, filed July 3, 2012, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

TATION Yeast and Zymomonas bacteria, for example, can be used for fermentation or conversion of sugar(s) to alcohol(s). Other microorganisms are discussed below. The optimum pH for fermentations is about pH 4 to 7. For example, the m pH for yeast is from about pH 4 to 5, while the optimum pH for Zymomonas is from about pH 5 to 6. Typical fermentation times are about 24 to 168 hours (e.g., 24 to 96 hrs) with temperatures in the range of 20°C to 40°C (e.g., 26°C to 40°C), however thermophilic microorganisms prefer higher temperatures.

In some embodiments, e.g., when anaerobic organisms are used, at least a portion of the fermentation is conducted in the e of oxygen, e.g., under a blanket of an inert gas such as N2, Ar, He, CO2 or mixtures thereof Additionally, the mixture may have a constant purge of an inert gas flowing through the tank during part of or all of the fermentation. In some cases, anaerobic condition, can be achieved or maintained by carbon dioxide production during the fermentation and no additional inert gas is .

In some embodiments, all or a portion of the fermentation process can be upted before the low molecular weight sugar is completely converted to a product (e.g., ethanol). The intermediate fermentation products include sugar and carbohydrates in high concentrations. The sugars and carbohydrates can be isolated via any means known in the art. These intermediate fermentation products can be used in preparation of food for human or animal consumption. 2012/071092 Additionally or alternatively, the ediate fermentation products can be ground to a fine particle size in a stainless-steel laboratory mill to produce a flour-like substance.

Jet mixing may be used during fermentation, and in some cases saccharification and tation are performed in the same tank.

Nutrients for the rganisms may be added during saccharification and/or fermentation, for example the ased nutrient packages described in US. Pat. App. Pub. 2012/0052536, filed July 15, 2011, the complete disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

“Fermentation” includes the methods and products that are disclosed in US. Prov.

App. No. ,559, filed December 22, 2012, and US. Prov. App. No. 61/579,576, filed December 22, 2012, the ts of both of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

Mobile fermenters can be utilized, as described in International App. No. (which was filed July 20, 2007, was published in h as WO 2008/01 1598 and designated the United States), the contents of which is incorporated herein in its entirety. Similarly, the saccharification equipment can be mobile. Further, saccharification and/or fermentation may be performed in part or entirely during transit.

FERMENTATION AGENTS The microorganism(s) used in fermentation can be naturally-occurring microorganisms and/or engineered microorganisms. For example, the microorganism can be a bacterium (including, but not limited to, e.g., a olytic bacterium), a filngus, (including, but not limited to, e.g., a yeast), a plant, a protist, e.g. a protozoa or a fungus-like protest (including, but not limited to, e.g., a slime mold), or an alga. When the organisms are compatible, mixtures of organisms can be utilized.

Suitable fermenting rganisms have the ability to convert carbohydrates, such as glucose, se, xylose, arabinose, mannose, galactose, oligosaccharides or polysaccharides into fermentation products. Fermenting microorganisms include strains of the genus Saccharomyces spp. (including, but not limited to, S. cerevisiae (baker’s yeast), S. distatz'cas, S. avaram), the genus Klayveromyces, (including, but not limited to, K. marxz’anas, K. is), the genus Candida (including, but not limited to, C. pseudotropz'calz’s, and C. brassz'cae), Pichia stz’pz’tz’s (a relative of Candida shehatae), the genus Clavz'spora (including, but not limited to, C. lasitam'ae and C. opantz'ae), the genus Pachysolen (including, but not limited to, P. tannophz'las), the genus Bretannomyces ding, but not limited to, e.g., B. clausem'z' (Philippidis, G. P., 1996, Cellulose bioconversion logy, in Handbook on Bioethanol: tion and ation, Wyman, C.E., ed., Taylor & Francis, gton, DC, 179-212)). Other suitable microorganisms include, for example, Zymomonas mobilis, Clostrz'dz'am spp. (including, but not limited to, C. thermocellam (Philippidis, 1996, supra), C. saccharobatylacetom’cam, C. robatylicam, C. Paniceam, C. beijemckl’z’, and C. acetobatylicam), Moniliella pollinis, Moniliella megachl'liensz's, Lactobacz'llas spp. Yarrowz'a lipolytl'ca, Aareobasidz'am 519., Trichosporonoides 519., Trigonopsz's variabilis, Trichosporon sp., Moniliellaacetoabatans sp., Typhala variabilis, Candida magnoliae, Ustz'laginomycetes sp., Pseudozyma tsakabaensz's, yeast s of genera Zygosaccharomyces, Debaryomyces, Hansenala and Pichia, and fiJngi of the dematioid genus Torala.

For instance, Clostrz'dz'am spp. can be used to produce ethanol, butanol, butyric acid, acetic acid, and acetone. Lactobacz'llas spp., can be used to produce e acid.

Many such microbial strains are publicly available, either commercially or through tories such as the ATCC (American Type Culture Collection, Manassas, Virginia, USA), the NRRL (Agricultural ch Sevice Culture Collection, , Illinois, USA), or the DSMZ (Deutsche Sammlung von rganismen und Zellkulturen GmbH, Braunschweig, Germany), to name a few.

Commercially available yeasts include, for example, Red Star®/Lesaffre Ethanol Red (available from Red Star/Lesaffre, USA), FALI® (available from Fleischmann’s Yeast, a division of Burns Philip Food Inc., USA), SUPERSTART® (available from Alltech, now Lalemand), GERT STRAND® (available from Gert Strand AB, Sweden) and FERMOL® (available from DSM lties).

Many microorganisms that can be used to rify biomass material and produce sugars can also be used to ferment and convert those sugars to useful products.

DISTILLATION After fermentation, the resulting fluids can be led using, for example, a “beer column” to separate ethanol and other alcohols from the majority of water and residual solids.

The vapor exiting the beer column can be, e.g., 35% by weight ethanol and can be fed to a rectification column. A mixture of nearly azeotropic (92.5%) ethanol and water from the rectification column can be purified to pure (99.5%) ethanol using vapor-phase molecular sieves.

The beer column bottoms can be sent to the first effect of a three-effect ator. The ication column reflux ser can provide heat for this first effect. After the first effect, solids can be separated using a centrifuge and dried in a rotary dryer. A portion (25%) of the centrifuge effluent can be recycled to fermentation and the rest sent to the second and third ator effects. Most of the evaporator condensate can be returned to the process as fairly clean condensate with a small portion split off to waste water treatment to prevent build-up of iling compounds.

Other than in the examples herein, or unless otherwise expressly specified, all of the numerical ranges, amounts, values and percentages, such as those for amounts of materials, elemental contents, times and temperatures of reaction, ratios of amounts, and others, in the following portion of the specification and attached claims may be read as if prefaced by the word “about” even though the term “about” may not expressly appear with the value, amount, or range. Accordingly, unless indicated to the contrary, the numerical parameters set forth in the following specification and attached claims are approximations that may vary depending upon the desired properties sought to be obtained by the present invention. At the very least, and not as an attempt to limit the application of the doctrine of equivalents to the scope of the claims, each numerical parameter should at least be construed in light of the number of reported significant digits and by applying ordinary rounding techniques.

Notwithstanding that the numerical ranges and parameters setting forth the broad scope of the invention are approximations, the numerical values set forth in the specific examples are reported as precisely as possible. Any numerical value, r, inherently ns error necessarily resulting from the standard deviation found in its underlying respective testing measurements. Furthermore, when numerical ranges are set forth herein, these ranges are inclusive of the recited range end points , end points may be used). When percentages by weight are used herein, the cal values reported are ve to the total weight.

Also, it should be understood that any cal range recited herein is intended to include all sub-ranges subsumed therein. For example, a range of “l to 10” is intended to include all sub-ranges between (and including) the recited minimum value of l and the recited m value of 10, that is, having a minimum value equal to or greater than 1 and a maximum value of equal to or less than 10. The terms ) :4 a) a or “an” as used herein are intended to include “at least one” or “one or more,” unless otherwise indicated.

Any patent, publication, or other disclosure material, in whole or in part, that is said to be incorporated by nce herein is incorporated herein only to the extent that the incorporated material does not conflict with existing definitions, statements, or other disclosure material set forth in this sure. As such, and to the extent ary, the disclosure as explicitly set forth herein supersedes any conflicting material incorporated herein by reference.

Any material, or portion thereof, that is said to be incorporated by reference herein, but which conflicts with existing definitions, ents, or other disclosure material set forth herein will only be orated to the extent that no conflict arises between that orated material and the existing disclosure material.

While this invention has been particularly shown and described with references to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made n without departing from the scope of the invention encompassed by the appended .

Throughout the specification and claims, unless the context requires otherwise, the word “comprise” or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising”, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.

Claims (12)

CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. A method for producing a product, the method comprising: maintaining a combination comprising a liquid medium, a microorganism, a structure or carrier comprising a bag, and a osic or lignocellulosic biomass disposed within the structure or r, under conditions that allow the passage of molecules of the cellulosic or ellulosic biomass out of and/or into the structure or carrier and that allow the microorganism to convert the molecules to one or more s, storing the one or more enzymes and then using the enzyme(s) in saccharification ons of the same or similar biomass material at a later date and/or in a different location.

2, The method of claim 1, wherein the microorganism comprises a strain of Trichoderma reesei.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the strain is a high-yielding cellulaseproducing mutant of Trichoderma reesei.

4. The method of claim 3, n the strain comprises RUT-C30.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1-4, further comprising: disposing the microorganism within a second ure or carrier; wherein the structure or carrier containing the cellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass is disposed within the second structure or carrier.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the structure or carrier is formed of a mesh material having a maximum opening size of less than 1 mm.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the mesh material has an average pore size of from about 10 mm to 1 nm.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1-7, n the structure or carrier is made of a bioerodible polymer.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the bioerodible polymer is ed from the group consisting of: polylactic acid, polyhydroxybutyrate, polyhydroxyalkanoate, polyhydroxybutyrate -valerate, prolactone, polyhydroxybutyrate-hexanoate, polybutylene succinate, polybutyrate succinate e, polyesteramide, polybutylene adipate-co-terephthalate, mixtures thereof, and laminates thereof.

10. The method of claim 9, n the bag is made of a starch film.

11. The method according to any one of claims 1-10, wherein the cellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass is ed from the group consisting of: paper, paper products, paper waste, paper pulp, pigmented papers, loaded , coated papers, filled papers, magazines, printed matter, printer paper, polycoated paper, card stock, cardboard, paperboard, cotton, wood, particle board, forestry wastes, sawdust, aspen wood, wood chips, grasses, switchgrass, miscanthus, cord grass, reed canary grass, grain residues, rice hulls, oat hulls, wheat chaff, barley hulls, agricultural waste, silage, canola straw, wheat straw, barley straw, oat straw, rice straw, jute, hemp, flax, bamboo, sisal, abaca, corn cobs, corn stover, soybean stover, corn fiber, alfalfa, hay, coconut hair, sugar processing residues, bagasse, beet pulp, agave bagasse, algae, seaweed, manure, sewage, offal, agricultural or industrial waste, arracacha, buckwheat, banana, barley, cassava, kudzu, oca, sago, sorghum, potato, sweet , taro, yams, beans, favas, lentils, peas, and mixtures of any of these.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the cellulosic or lignocellulosic material comprises corn cobs.