Methods for converting cellulose to furanic products
AssigneeVirdia, Inc.
InventorsRobert JANSEN, Ellsworth Alan LAWSON, Philip TRAVISANO, Brendon Christopher STOUT, Allison Jean HULCHANSKI, Neta MATIS, Noa LAPIDOT, Michael ZVIELY, Adam Tyler CARDEN, Michael Andrew FAISON, Bassem HALLAC, Sterling Alexander WHITE
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Abstract
The present invention relates to systems, methods, and processes for the production of conversion products such as furanic products from biomass such as lignocellulosic materials.
Claims60
A process for conversion of cellulose pulp to hydroxymethyl furfural, the process comprising:
- separating a lignin-depleted hydrolysate stream comprising sodium ions in an amount not greater than 5% to thereby produce a first stream comprising water and hydroxymethyl furfural;
- a second stream comprising water and glucose;
- and a third stream comprising water and cellobiose;
- isomerizing the glucose in the second stream to thereby produce fructose;
- and
- dehydrating the fructose to thereby produce a reaction product comprising the hydroxymethyl furfural.
A method to recycle ionic liquid in a closed process loop, the method comprising:
- contacting a dilute aqueous stream comprising imidazolium cation with a resin, the contacting comprising adsorbing the imidazolium cation on the resin, wherein the resin is a weak acid cation exchange resin in the deprotonated form;
- desorbing the imidazolium cation, the desorbing comprising contacting the resin with a solution comprising hydrochloric acid;
- and
- reintroducing the solution and imidazolium cation to the closed process loop for further use.
A system for converting glucose to hydroxymethyl furfural, the system comprising:
- a chromatography separation unit configured to separate a stream comprising sodium ions in an amount not greater than 5% into a first stream, a second stream, and a third stream;
- the first stream comprising water and hydroxymethyl furfural;
- the second stream comprising water and glucose;
- and the third stream comprising water and cellobiose;
- an isomerization unit configured to perform the isomerization of glucose to fructose, the isomerization comprising treating the second stream with a base to thereby produce a base-treated second stream;
- and
- a dehydration unit configured to dehydrate the fructose to hydroxymethyl furfural.
A process to convert cellulose to hydroxymethyl furfural, the process comprising producing at least 60 g of hydroxymethyl furfural as an output for each 100 g of cellulose provided as an input.
A composition comprising at least 5% hydroxymethyl furfural (weight/weight) and an amount not greater than 95% of a solvent (weight/weight), wherein the solvent is selected from 2-butanol, 2-propanol, tetralin, or water, or a combination thereof.
A composition comprising:
- i) at least 95% ionic liquid (weight/weight);
- ii) from 0.1 to 2% cellobiose (weight/weight);
- iii) an amount not greater than 0.1% fructose (weight/weight);
- iv) an amount not greater than 0.1% hydroxymethyl furfural (weight/weight);
- v) an amount not greater than 4% water (weight/weight);
- and
- vi) an amount not greater than 2% solvent S3 (weight/weight).
A composition comprising at least 90% monosaccharides (weight/dry solids);
- and at least 100 ppb of a marker molecule, wherein the marker molecule is selected from an ionic liquid cation, imidazole, an imidazole derivative, an imidazole-sugar adjuvant, hydroxymethyl furfural, or solvent S3.
A composition comprising:
- i) a C6 sugars to solid ratio of at least 77%;
- ii) a lignin content of an amount not greater than 15%;
- iii) an ash content of an amount not greater than 6%;
- and
- iv) a C5 sugars to solid ratio of an amount not greater than 2%.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.