US 6,548,659 B1 · Process for ammoniating cellulosic materials

Abstract

Process for enriching the organic nitrogen content of commercial scale quantities of cellulosic materials which includes the steps of: a) placing substantially dry or unwetted cellulosic material in a pressurizable reactor; b) injecting an ammonia or ammonia-forming nitrogen solution into the reactor until the cellulosic material is approximately submerged; c) setting the temperature in the reactor to maintain a liquid temperature between about 80 and 200° C.; d) pressurizing the reactor to at least 750 psi; e) maintaining the temperature and pressure in the reactor for a period of time sufficient for the organically bound nitrogen content of the cellulosic material to exceed about 1.5%; and f) drying the cellulosic material to a moisture content sufficiently low to arrest microbial activity.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A process for nitrogen enriching a cellulosic material comprising the steps of:

a) providing a cellulosic material;
b) moistening the cellulosic material to over approximately 50% of its saturated moisture content;
c) placing said cellulosic material in a reactor vessel;
d) pressurizing said reactor to a pressure of less than about 200 psi;
e) injecting into said reactor an amount of a nitrogen based compound equal to about 2% to 8% of the dry weight of said cellulosic material;
f) allowing an exothermic reaction to occur until the temperature of said cellulosic material stabilizes;
g) increasing pressure in said reactor vessel to at least about 700 psi while maintaining a temperature in said reactor vessel under about 200° C. for a period of time sufficient for the organically bound nitrogen content of said cellulosic material to exceed about 1.5% N on a dry weight basis;
and
h) drying said cellulosic material to a moisture content sufficiently low to arrest microbial activity.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Process for ammoniating cellulosic materials

Life of this patent

Process for ammoniating cellulosic materials

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16