# US 8,465,559 B2 · Lignin-solvent fuel and method and apparatus for making same

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- Number: US 8,465,559 B2
- Document ID: US8465559B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/540,278
- Filed: 2012-07-02
- Published: 2012-12-27
- Granted: 2013-06-18
- Earliest claimed: 2007-12-10
- Assignees: WiSys Technology Foundation, Inc.
- Applicants: Donald F. Guay; Eric L. Singsaas
- Inventors: Donald F. Guay; Eric L. Singsaas
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8465559B2

## CPC

- C12P 5/007: {containing one or more isoprene units, i.e. terpenes (carotenes C12P23/00)}
- C07G 1/00: Low-molecular-weight derivatives of lignin (high-molecular-weight derivatives of lignin {C08H6/00})
- C10L 1/026: {for compression ignition}
- D21C 11/0007: {Recovery of by-products, i.e. compounds other than those necessary for pulping, for multiple uses or not otherwise provided for (volatile compounds obtained by decomposition of spent liquors in order to regenerate them D21C11/125; compounds obtained by fractionating the liquors in order to regenerate them D21C11/0042)}
- C10G 2300/1014: of vegetal origin
- C10G 2300/4081: Recycling aspects
- C10G 2300/44: Solvents
- D21C 3/20: with organic solvents {or in solvent environment}
- Y02E 50/10: Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel
- Y02P 30/20: using bio-feedstock
- C12P: FERMENTATION OR ENZYME-USING PROCESSES TO SYNTHESISE A DESIRED CHEMICAL COMPOUND OR COMPOSITION OR TO SEPARATE OPTICAL ISOMERS FROM A RACEMIC MIXTURE {(brewing of beer C12C; producing vinegar C12J; producing specific peptides or proteins C07K; producing enzymes C12N9/00; DNA or RNA concerning genetic engineering, vectors, e.g. plasmids, or their isolation, preparation or purification C12N15/00; measuring or testing processes involving enzymes or microorganisms C12Q; measuring or testing processes involving nucleic acid amplification reactions C12Q1/6844; fermentation processes to form a food composition, A21 or A23; compounds in general, see the relevant compound class, e.g. C01, C07)}
- C07G: COMPOUNDS OF UNKNOWN CONSTITUTION (sulfonated fats, oils or waxes of undetermined constitution C07C309/62)
- C10L: FUELS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NATURAL GAS; SYNTHETIC NATURAL GAS OBTAINED BY PROCESSES NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C10G OR C10K; LIQUIFIED PETROLEUM GAS; USE OF ADDITIVES TO FUELS OR FIRES; FIRE-LIGHTERS
- D21C: PRODUCTION OF CELLULOSE BY REMOVING NON-CELLULOSE SUBSTANCES FROM CELLULOSE-CONTAINING MATERIALS; REGENERATION OF PULPING LIQUORS; APPARATUS THEREFOR
- C10G: CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION (cracking to hydrogen or synthesis gas C01B; cracking or pyrolysis of hydrocarbon gases to individual hydrocarbons or mixtures thereof of definite or specified constitution C07C; cracking to cokes C10B); RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

The present invention is a process and apparatus for forming various bio-products from cellulosic plant material. The plant material is subjected to a pulping step in which lignin is extracted from the material by an aqueous lignin solvent to form a lignin-solvent mixture and purified cellulose. The lignin-solvent mixture can be separated from the water to form a high energy density fuel that can be used independently or combined with biodiesel. The purified cellulose can be used in conventional processes, e.g., paper making, or can be converted to fermentable sugars with a cellulase enzyme to produce other bio-products depending on the operating conditions of the fermenter. The bio-products produced by the fermenter can include the solvent that may be recycled for use in extracting the lignin.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A biorefinery configured to flexibly process plant fiber materials, the biorefinery comprising:
a) an organosolv pulper producing purified cellulose and a mixture of lignin and lignin solvent from the plant fiber materials; and
b) a fermentation system receiving at least a portion of the cellulose, wherein at least one of the pulper or the fermentation system is configured to produce a bio-product, wherein the bio-product is a fuel comprised of the lignin and the lignin solvent exiting the pulper and biodiesel.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The biorefinery of claim 1 further comprising a separator for removing water from the mixture of lignin and lignin solvent exiting the pulper.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The biorefinery of claim 1 wherein the lignin solvent is selected from the group consisting of: methyl butenol, n-butanol and mixtures thereof.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The biorefinery of claim 1 further comprising a pre-treater operable to remove hemicelluloses from the plant fiber materials prior to passing the plant fiber materials to the pulper.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The biorefinery of claim 1 wherein the fermentation unit comprises:
a) a depolymerization treatment unit to reduce the polymer length of the cellulose from the pulper;
b) a saccharification unit to convert the portion of the cellulose and enzymes from the depolymerization treatment to sugars; and
c) a fermenter to convert the sugars from the saccharification unit into the bio-product.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The biorefinery of claim 5 wherein the bio-product is the lignin solvent.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The biorefinery of claim 5 wherein the bio-product is isoprene.