Process for oxidizing and hydrolyzing plant organic matter particles to increase the digestability thereof by ruminants
OwnerJames W. Jelksinventor
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Abstract
A process for treating plant organic matter particles to increase the digestability thereof by ruminants including mixing the organic particles with water, a nontoxic acid catalyst to produce a Ph lower than 3.0, and a metallic catalyst of either iron or manganese, oxidizing the mixture under elevated pressure and temperature to fragment the cellulose molecules and break the lignin-cellulose bond, and hydrolizing the oxidized mixture under elevated pressure and temperature to convert at least a portion of the cellulose molecules to saccharides and saccharide acids.
Claims8
A process for treating cellulosic plant matter particles to increase the digestability thereof by ruminants comprising:
- a. mixing said particles with (1) water, (2) an acid catalyst selected from the group consisting of carbonic, sulfuric, phosphoric, hydrochloric and acetic acids to produce a pH of less than 3, and (3) a metal catalyst selected from the group consisting of elemental iron, ferric chloride, ferric sulfate, ferric nitrate, elemental manganese and the non-toxic salts of manganese;
- b. subjecting the resulting mixture to an oxygen partial pressure of from about 20 to 30 psig at an elevated temperature of approximately 105.degree.C to approximately 110.degree.C for 12 to 20 minutes;
- to effect an exothermic reaction of oxygen with the cellulose in said particles whereby at least a portion of the lignin-cellulose bonds of said particles are broken and at least a portion of the cellulose molelcules are fragmented;
- and
- c. blowing off resulting gases of oxidation;
- and
- d. hydrolyzing the resulting oxidized mixture in the presence of the acid and metal catalysts added in step (a);
- at elevated temperature and pressure of between about 135.degree.C and about 150.degree.C under saturated steam conditions to convert at least a portion of the cellulose into saccharides and saccharide acids.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.