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US 8,236,535 B2Granted
Processing biomass
AssigneeXyleco, Inc.
InventorsMarshall Medoff, Thomas Craig Masterman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) is processed to produce useful products, such as fuels. For example, systems can use feedstock materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials, to produce ethanol and/or butanol, e.g., by fermentation.
Claims24
A method for fermenting a low molecular weight sugar to a product comprising:
- mixing in a medium a low molecular weight sugar, one or more fermenting microorganisms, and a modified biomass, the modified biomass having a bulk density of less than about 0.5 g/cm3 and comprising cellulosic fibers that have been substantially exposed and comprise carboxylic acid groups;
- and
- fermenting the low molecular weight sugar under conditions suitable to convert said sugar to a product.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.