# US 2018/0023249 A1 · Pretreatment process of a ligno-cellulosic feedstock > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0023249 A1 - Document ID: US20180023249A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/548,425 - Filed: 2016-01-28 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2015-02-09 - Assignees: Beta Renewables S.p.A. - Applicants: Beta Renewables S.p.A. - Inventors: Guido GHISOLFI; Ettore BONALDI - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180023249A1 ## CPC - D21C 1/02: with water or steam - D21B 1/02: Pretreatment of the raw materials by chemical or physical means (removal of bark B27L) - D21B 1/36: Explosive disintegration by sudden pressure reduction - D21C 9/18: De-watering (de-watering in general F26B); {Elimination of cooking or pulp-treating liquors from the pulp}(D21C9/002, D21C9/02 take precedence; paper-making machines D21F; strainers in digesters D21C7/00; presses in general B30B) - Y02E 50/10: Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel - D21C: PRODUCTION OF CELLULOSE BY REMOVING NON-CELLULOSE SUBSTANCES FROM CELLULOSE-CONTAINING MATERIALS; REGENERATION OF PULPING LIQUORS; APPARATUS THEREFOR - D21B: FIBROUS RAW MATERIALS OR THEIR MECHANICAL TREATMENT - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract It is disclosed a process to transfer a ligno-cellulosic feedstock from a low pressure zone to a high pressure zone. A slurry the ligno-cellulosic feedstock is first provided, which is then subjected to a multi-step liquid removal process comprising draining by gravity at least a portion of the free liquid; removing a first portion of the capillary liquid in a low pressure zone by continuously compressing a stream of the ligno-cellulosic feedstock to reach a moisture content in a first target range; removing a second portion of the capillary liquid by shearing and compressing the ligno-cellulosic stream in a plug forming device, to form a ligno-cellulosic feedstock plug having a moisture content in a second target range at an outlet of the plug forming device connected to the high pressure zone. In the removal of the first portion of the capillary liquid, at least one first compression device continuously compresses the stream of the drained ligno-cellulosic feedstock to a first control pressure, while conveying the stream of the drained ligno-cellulosic feedstock in a flow direction of a belt filter press. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-27. (canceled) ### Claim 28 A continuous pretreatment of a ligno-cellulosic feedstock having a starting liquid retention capability and a starting moisture content which is less than a first target range, the process comprising the steps of: a. providing a slurry of the ligno-cellulosic feedstock; b. draining by gravity at least a portion of a free liquid of the slurry to produce a drained ligno-cellulosic feedstock containing a capillary liquid; c. removing a first portion of the capillary liquid in a low pressure zone by compressing a stream of the drained ligno-cellulosic feedstock at a compression ratio in a range of greater than 1:1 to 12:1, to produce a dewatered ligno-cellulosic feedstock stream having a moisture content in the first target range which is from 65% to 85%; d. removing a second portion of the capillary liquid from the dewatered ligno-cellulosic feedstock stream by shearing and compressing the dewatered ligno-cellulosic feedstock stream in a plug forming device, to form and advance a ligno-cellulosic feedstock plug into a high pressure reactor connected to an outlet of the plug forming device plug; e. subjecting the ligno-cellulosic feedstock to a hydrothermal treatment in the presence of water in liquid or steam phase or a mixture thereof at a hydrothermal temperature in the range of 160° C. to 250° C. for a hydrothermal time in the range of 10 sec. to 2 hour to produce a pretreated lignocellulosic feedstock. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The process of claim 28, wherein further comprising steam exploding the pretreated lignocellulosic feedstock. ### Claim 30 (depends on 28) The process of claim 28, wherein providing the slurry of the ligno-cellulosic feedstock comprises the step of treating the ligno-cellulosic feedstock treatment in the presence of water in liquid or steam phase at a temperature between 60° C. and 160° C., and for a time sufficient to create a slurry comprising a free liquid and a treated ligno-cellulosic feedstock, wherein the treated ligno-cellulosic feedstock has a liquid retention capability which is greater than the starting liquid retention capability. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The process of claim 30, wherein the treatment of the ligno-cellulosic feedstock is conducted for a time which is in a range selected from the group consisting of 5 minutes to 3 hours, from 10 minutes to 2 hours, 30 minutes to 1 hour. ### Claim 32 (depends on 30) The process of claim 30, wherein the lignocellulosic feedstock comprises carbohydrates and the percent amount of carbohydrates solubilized in the thermal treatment is less than a value selected from the group consisting of 10%, 5%, 3%, 2% and 1% by weight. ### Claim 33 (depends on 28) The process of claim 28, wherein providing the slurry of the ligno-cellulosic feedstock comprises the step of soaking the ligno-cellulosic feedstock in a soaking liquid comprising water a soaking temperature between 30° C. and 100° C., and for a soaking time sufficient to create a slurry comprising a free liquid and a soaked ligno-cellulosic feedstock without altering the starting liquid retention capability, wherein the soaked ligno-cellulosic feedstock has a moisture content which is greater than 80% of the starting liquid retention capability. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) The process of claim 33, wherein the ligno-cellulosic feedstock comprises a ligno-cellulosic component and non-ligno-cellulosic water soluble compounds, and the free liquid comprises water and water soluble species derived from the non ligno-cellulosic water soluble compounds. ### Claim 35 (depends on 33) The process of claim 33, wherein the soaking temperature is in a range selected from the group consisting of 40° C. to 99° C., 40° C. to 90° C., and 50° C. to 85° C. ### Claim 36 (depends on 33) The process of claim 33, wherein the soaking time is in a range selected from the group consisting of 30 seconds to 300 minutes, 1 minute to 20 minutes, 2 minutes to 20 minutes, 2 minutes to 15 minutes, 3 minutes to 10 minutes, and 1 minute to 3 minutes. ### Claim 37 (depends on 28) The process of claim 28, wherein the stream of the drained ligno-cellulosic feedstock is continuously compressed to at least one control pressure. ### Claim 38 (depends on 37) The process of claim 37, wherein at least one first compression device continuously compresses the stream of the drained ligno-cellulosic feedstock to a first control pressure, while conveying the stream of the drained ligno-cellulosic feedstock in a flow direction of a belt filter press. ### Claim 39 (depends on 37) The process of claim 37, wherein the first control pressure is a value in a range selected from the groups consisting of 100 kPa to 10,000 kPa, 200 kPa and 9,000 kPa, and 500 kPa to 8,000 kPa. ### Claim 40 (depends on 37) The process of claim 37, wherein there are more than one compression devices distributed along the flow direction, each having a control pressure. ### Claim 41 (depends on 40) The process of claim 40, wherein the control pressure of the compression devices increases along the flowing direction. ### Claim 42 (depends on 28) The process of claim 28, wherein the first target range is selected from the group consisting of from 70% to 80%, and from 75% to 78% by weight on a wet basis. ### Claim 43 (depends on 28) The process of claim 28, wherein the low pressure zone is at atmospheric pressure. ### Claim 44 (depends on 28) The process of claim 28, wherein the hydrothermal temperature of step f) is a value in a range selected from the group consisting of from 170° C. to 230° C., and from 180° C. to 210° C. ### Claim 45 (depends on 28) The process of claim 28, wherein the hydrothermal time of step f) is a value in a range selected from the group consisting of from 30 seconds to 1 hour, from 30 seconds to 30 minutes and from 1 minute to 10 minutes. ### Claim 46 (depends on 28) The process of claim 28, wherein the ligno-cellulosic feedstock is a straw. ### Claim 47 (depends on 28) The process of claim 28, wherein the ligno-cellulosic feedstock is selected from the group consisting of wheat straw, rice straw, barley straw, and bagasse.