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US 2015/0308046 A1Published application
Processing biomass
AssigneeXyleco, Inc.
InventorsMarshall Medoff, Thomas Craig Masterman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods of manufacturing fuels are provided. These methods use often difficult to process lignocellulosic materials, for example crop residues and grasses. The methods can be readily practiced on a commercial scale in an economically viable manner, in some cases using as feedstocks materials that would otherwise be discarded as waste.
Claims9
A method comprising:
- irradiating a lignocellulosic material at a dose rate of at least 0.5 Mrad/sec, with an electron beam operating at a voltage of less than 3 MeV and a power of at least 25 kW,
- transferring the irradiated lignocellulosic material to a tank, and dispersing the lignocellulosic material in an aqueous medium in the tank, and
- saccharifying the irradiated lignocellulosic material, while agitating the contents of the tank with a jet mixer.
A method comprising:
- irradiating a lignocellulosic material with an electron beam, the lignocellulosic material comprising corn cobs and having a particle size of less than 1 mm, and
- combining the irradiated lignocellulosic material with an enzyme and/or a microorganism, the enzyme and/or microorganism utilizing the irradiated lignocellulosic material to produce a product.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.