Non-Compacting Biomass Reactor for Saccharification
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing biomass treatment methods face challenges in efficiently moving high dry weight biomass through reactors while maintaining accessibility by chemical reactants, leading to suboptimal saccharification and increased costs due to compacting and energy-intensive de-compaction processes.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a non-compacting feeder and reactor system that uses a cylindrical barrel with a piston and flash tank, where biomass is treated with dilute aqueous ammonia and steam at moderate temperatures, allowing for maximal accessibility and penetration of reactants without compacting, thus optimizing saccharification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If biomass is compacted into a solid plug state for reactor movement, then material transport is improved, but accessibility by chemical reactants deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of compacting biomass into a dense plug and then attempting to de-compact it for treatment, the invention inverts the approach by maintaining biomass in a loose, non-compacted state throughout the treatment process. The piston-driven system moves biomass through the reactor without compression, allowing chemical reactants to penetrate effectively while still achieving material transport.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the compaction step from the process entirely. By removing the compaction mechanism that creates dense biomass plugs, the system eliminates the subsequent need for de-compaction, allowing reactants to access biomass directly in its natural loose state while maintaining continuous material movement through the reactor.
2Reliability
If biomass is compacted to prevent blow-back, then system reliability is improved, but energy input for de-compaction increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention inverts the conventional approach by preventing blow-back through system design rather than through compaction. The piston-driven displacement system and controlled discharge mechanism maintain reliability and prevent blow-back while keeping biomass in a loose, non-compacted state that requires no de-compaction energy input.
3Productivity
If high dry weight biomass concentration is used, then productivity is improved, but reactant penetration capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the compaction step that would otherwise be necessary to achieve high dry weight concentrations. By maintaining biomass in a loose state and using piston-driven displacement, the system achieves high productivity with concentrated biomass while preserving reactant penetration capability through the absence of compression.
4Ease of manufacture
If conventional compacting equipment is used, then capital cost is reduced, but energy input for stirring and rotation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces conventional mechanical stirring and rotation systems with a piston-driven displacement system. This substitution eliminates the need for continuous stirring and rotation mechanisms, reducing both equipment complexity and ongoing energy input while maintaining effective biomass movement and treatment.
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 approach enables high conversion of biomass carbohydrates to fermentable sugars with reduced energy input and lower capital costs, achieving effective saccharification and fermentation of biomass without the need for de-compaction steps.
Implementation Method 1
a piston and flash tank wherein the piston moves the biomass and aqueous ammonia mixture through the cylindrical barrel into the flash tank
Implementation Method 2
the biomass is not compacted and treated biomass is produced
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A method for treating biomass was developed that uses an apparatus which moves a biomass and dilute aqueous ammonia mixture through reaction chambers without compaction. The apparatus moves the biomass using a non-compressing piston (34). The resulting treated biomass is saccharified to produce fermentable sugars.