Process for recovering polyhydroxyalkanotes using air classification
AssigneeThe Proctor & Gamble Company
InventorIsao Noda
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to a process for recovering polyhydroxyalkanoate from a biological source material comprising the polyhydroxyalkanoate, the process comprising: a) comminuting the biological source material; b) air classifying the biological source material such that the polyhydroxyalkanoate particles are separated from other components of the biological source material; and c) recovering the polyhydroxyalkanoate.
Claims28
A process for recovering polyhydroxyalkanoate from a biological source material comprising the polyhydroxyalkanoate, the process comprising:
- a. comminuting the biological source material;
- b. air classifying the biological source material whereby the polyhydroxyalkanoate particles are separated from other components of the biological source material;
- and
- c. recovering the polyhydroxyalkanoate.
A process for recovering polyhydroxyalkanoate from a biological source material comprising the polyhydroxyalkanoate, the process comprising:
- a. fine grinding the biological source material whereby the other components of the biological source material become no less than about 10 .mu. in diameter;
- b. air classifying the biological source material from step (a) to produce a fines fraction and a coarse fraction and removing the coarse fraction;
- c. washing the fines fraction with a solution of water or a 20 to 80% by weight aqueous alcoholic solution, and separating a polyhydroxyalkanoate-containing residue from the liquid supernatant.
A process for recovering polyhydroxyalkanoate from a biological source material comprising the polyhydroxyalkanoate, the process comprising:
- a. fine grinding the biological source material whereby at least about 90% of the particles become less than about 100 .mu. in diameter;
- b. air classifying the biological source material from step (a) to produce a first fines fraction and a first coarse fraction and removing the first fines fraction which is from about 60 to about 90% by weight of the of the ground biological source material and wherein at least about 90% of the first fines fraction particles are less than about 45 .mu. in diameter;
- c. ultra-finely grinding the first fines fraction from step (b) whereby at least about 90% of the particles become less than 20 .mu. in diameter;
- d. air classifying the ground first fines fraction from step (c) to produce a second fines fraction and a second coarse fraction and removing the second coarse fraction which is from about 50 to about 90% by weight of the ground first fines fraction and wherein at least about 80% of the second coarse fraction particles are less than about 20 .mu. in diameter;
- and
- e. washing the second coarse fraction with a solution consisting of water at a pH of from about 4 to about 6 or a 20 to 80% by weight aqueous alcoholic solution, and separating a polyhydroxyalkanoate-containing residue from the liquid supernatant.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.