Michigan State University

United States of America, As Represented by the Secretary of Agriculture

University of Houston System

Venkatesh Balan

Bruce E Dale

Leonardo Da Costa Sousa

Shishir Chundawat

Leonardo Sousa

Patricia J Slininger

Bruce S Dien

Stephanie R Thompson

Maureen A Shea Andersh

Kamran Alba

Nima Mirzaeian

Shuhaida Harun

Albert M Cheh

Maureen A Shea-Andersh

Ming Woei Lau

A method is provided for pretreating cellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass comprising de-esterifying the biomass with an alkali treatment to produce de-esterified biomass; and pretreating the de-esterified biomass with ammonia to produce de-esterified ammonia pretreated biomass. In various embodiments, the de-esterified ammonia pretreated biomass has an amide concentration ranging from about 0.04 to about 25 mg/g biomass. In other embodiments, the amide concentration is no more than 0.04 mg/g biomass. Various ammonia pretreatment processes may be used, including liquid or gaseous ammonia pretreatments, including, but not limited to, liquid ammonium hydroxide pretreatments, various AFEX pretreatments, with or without biomass densification, and various cellulosic conversion pretreatments including 'COBRA' pretreatments. Products (e.g., animal feed) and systems are also disclosed.

De-esterification of biomass prior to ammonia pretreatment

An adjustable separation system for separating particles suspended in a liquid and method of using same are disclosed. Embodiments are directed to an adjustable separation system that includes an adjustable particle separation channel including: a plurality of plate electrodes; and an adjustable inclination system configured to adjust inclination of the plate electrodes through a range of angles, or an adjustable spacing system configured to adjust spacing between adjacent plate electrodes. The adjustable separation system allows the particle-laden liquid to traverse the plate electrodes within the separation channel, thereby separating the particles from the liquid while using the Boycott effect. These and other embodiments achieve separation of particles suspended in a liquid via an adjustable separation system and, optionally, without the need for manual/technician adjustments, which can result in improved efficiency, quicker separation/operating time, and reduced power consumption and cost.

Adjustable particle separator system and method of using same

A method to convert at least a majority of native cellulose Ito cellulose IIIin pretreated or untreated densified biomass is disclosed. The densified biomass (cellulosic or lignocellulosic) is pretreated with anhydrous liquid ammonia or liquid ammonia comprising a solution of at least 80% ammonia. The pretreating can be performed at a temperature from about 4&#xb0; C. to about 140&#xb0; C. and a pressure from about 14.7 to about 200 psi. In one embodiment, the densified cellulosic converting pretreatment process is followed by lignin extraction (LE). The total moisture content of the densified biomass and the solution is 30% or less and a weight ratio of liquid ammonia to the densified biomass is from about 0.3:1 to about 2:1. Various products and systems are also disclosed.

Pretreatment of densified biomass using liquid ammonia and systems and products related thereto

A method of increasing sugar yield in a bioproduct production process is provided comprising pretreating one or more size-adjusted lignocellulosic biomass (LCB) particles with a pretreatment, such as an ammonia pretreatment, wherein the one or more size-adjusted LCB particles form a substrate, with the one or more particles having an average particle size in at least one dimension greater than 5 mm.

Methods for increasing sugar yield with size-adjusted lignocellulosic biomass particles

Several mutated strains ofare generated by repetitive culturing of the parent strain on two types of concentrated hydrolyzates and with ethanol-challenged xylose-fed continuous culture. Isolates collected from various enriched populations are screened and ranked based on relative xylose uptake rate and ethanol yield. Ranking on hydrolyzates with and without nutritional supplementation is used to identify those isolates with best performance across diverse conditions.

Yeast strains

Methods for producing extracted and digested products from pretreated lignocellulosic biomass are provided. The methods include converting native cellulose Ito cellulose IIIby pretreating the lignocellulosic biomass with liquid ammonia under certain conditions, and performing extracting or digesting steps on the pretreated/converted lignocellulosic biomass.

Methods for producing extracted and digested products from pretreated lignocellulosic biomass

A method for pretreating biomass is provided, which includes, in a reactor, allowing gaseous ammonia to condense on the biomass and react with water present in the biomass to produce pretreated biomass, wherein reactivity of polysaccharides in the biomass is increased during subsequent biological conversion as compared to the reactivity of polysaccharides in biomass which has not been pretreated. A method for pretreating biomass with a liquid ammonia and recovering the liquid ammonia is also provided. Related systems which include a biochemical or biofuel production facility are also disclosed.

Methods for pretreating biomass

A method for producing a microbial growth stimulant (MGS) from a plant biomass is described. In one embodiment, an ammonium hydroxide solution is used to extract a solution of proteins and ammonia from the biomass. Some of the proteins and ammonia are separated from the extracted solution to provide the MGS solution. The removed ammonia can be recycled and the proteins are useful as animal feeds. In one embodiment, the method comprises extracting solubles from pretreated lignocellulosic biomass with a cellulase enzyme-producing growth medium (such) in the presence of water and an aqueous extract.

Extraction of solubles from plant biomass for use as microbial growth stimulant and methods related thereto

A method of alkaline pretreatment of biomass, in particular, pretreating biomass with gaseous ammonia.

A process for producing sugars from lignocellulosic materials such as corn stover by the addition of corn stillage as a carbon source is disclosed. The sugars are formed by treating the combination of the corn stillage and the lignocellulosic materials with hydrolytic enzymes. The sugars can be fermented to ethanol, and the process improves ethanol production economies with an increased sugar yield from the lignocellulosic materials.

Growing community of inventors

East Lansing, MI, United States of America

Venkatesh Balan