Controlled pH Biomass Treatment for Sugar Yield
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for converting biomass to sugars and other small organic compounds are inefficient and not commercially viable due to the inability of microorganisms and enzymes to effectively access cellulose without pre-treatment, leading to significant conversion of cellulose to undesirable CO2 and low yields of desired products.
Innovation Solution
A treatment process involving controlled oxidation of biomass at low temperature and pressure with a controlled pH environment to preferentially disrupt lignin, allowing access to cellulose and hemicellulose for downstream enzymatic treatment or fermentation, using steam and an oxidizing agent while adjusting the pH between 4.5 and 7.5 to preserve these polysaccharides.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional acid hydrolysis and enzymatic saccharification are used to convert cellulose to glucose, then the process can proceed without pre-treatment, but the conversion is inefficient and not commercially viable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing oxidative pre-treatment of biomass before enzymatic hydrolysis. The pre-treatment step uses oxidizing agents (such as hydrogen peroxide, ozone, or oxygen) under controlled conditions to modify the biomass structure, specifically targeting lignin and hemicellulose removal or modification, which enhances subsequent enzymatic accessibility to cellulose without requiring severe pre-treatment conditions that lead to sugar degradation
2Speed
If severe conditions are used in supercritical fluid biomass conversion, then reaction rate is high, but a significant amount of biomass is converted to undesirable carbon dioxide
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by carefully controlling reaction parameters including temperature (50-200°C), pressure (1-50 atm), pH (3-9), and oxidation-reduction potential (200-1000 mV) to achieve selective oxidation of lignin and hemicellulose while preserving cellulose. This controlled parameter approach enables effective pre-treatment without the severe conditions that cause excessive CO2 formation, thus maintaining high biomass utilization efficiency
3Ease of operation
If nano-hybrid treatment with turbine nanomixer is used to break down biomass structures, then enzymatic accessibility is enhanced, but the process consumes a large amount of energy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical breakdown methods (such as turbine nanomixing) with chemical oxidation methods. The oxidative pre-treatment uses oxidizing agents to chemically modify and break down lignin and hemicellulose structures, thereby enhancing enzymatic accessibility through chemical means rather than mechanical force, significantly reducing energy consumption while achieving the same goal of improved enzyme access to cellulose
4Productivity
If rapid hydrolysis in supercritical water is used to obtain sugars, then high yields of glucose are achieved in micro-reactors, but the small scale reactors are not realistic for commercial-scale conversion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the conversion process into two distinct stages: (1) oxidative pre-treatment stage that modifies biomass structure to enhance accessibility, and (2) enzymatic hydrolysis stage that converts cellulose to glucose. This segmented approach allows each stage to be optimized independently and scaled appropriately, with the pre-treatment being scalable to commercial levels while maintaining the high efficiency benefits
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This process significantly enhances the yield of sugars and other small organic compounds by maintaining the integrity of cellulose and hemicellulose, reducing the formation of inhibitors, and increasing the accessibility of these compounds for enzymatic treatment, thereby achieving higher yields and reducing energy costs.
Implementation Method 1
treating a mixture of the biomass and water, with at least one oxidizing agent and steam, at a temperature in a range of from about 130° C. to about 220° C.
Implementation Method 2
treating a mixture of the biomass and water, with at least one oxidizing agent and steam, at a temperature in a range of from about 130° C. to about 220° C.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for treating biomass including lignocellulosic polymers. The biomass is treated in a mixture of water with at least one oxidizing agent and steam at a temperature in a range of from about 130° C. to about 220° C. for a period from about 5 seconds to about 10 hours. The pH of the mixture is periodically measured for substantially an entire duration of the treating step. As necessary, based on the measured pH of the mixture, adjusting the pH of the mixture into a range of from about pH 4.5 to about pH 7.5 by adding a base to the mixture.