Patent · US10163535B2 · B2 · US

Processing materials

(11) Publication number

US10163535B2

(21) Application number

15/703,887

(22) Filing date

2017-09-13

(30) Priority date

2012-10-10

(43) Publication date

2018-12-25

(45) Date of grant

2018-12-25

(51) IPC

A61L 2/08; B01J 19/08; B01J 19/12; B01J 19/22; B65G 27/04; C08H 8/00; C10B 19/00; C10B 53/02; C10G 1/02; C10G 32/04; C10L 5/40; C10L 5/44; C10L 5/46; C13K 1/02; C13K 13/00; D21B 1/02; G21F 3/00; G21K 5/04; G21K 5/10; H01J 33/04; H01J 37/20; H01J 37/317; H01J 5/18

(52) CPC

B01J Chemical or physical processes, e.g. catalysis or colloid chemistry; their relevant apparatus: 19/085, 19/082, 19/12, 19/123, 19/125, 19/22, 2219/0869, 2219/0871, 2219/0879, 2219/12, 2219/1203
A61L Methods or apparatus for sterilising materials or objects in general; disinfection, sterilisation or deodorisation of air; chemical aspects of bandages, dressings, absorbent pads or surgical articles; materials for bandages, dressings, absorbent pads or surgical articles: 2/087
B65G Transport or storage devices, e.g. conveyors for loading or tipping, shop conveyor systems or pneumatic tube conveyors: 27/04
C08H Derivatives of natural macromolecular compounds: 8/00
C10B Destructive distillation of carbonaceous materials for production of gas, coke, tar, or similar materials: 19/00, 53/02
C10G Cracking hydrocarbon oils; production of liquid hydrocarbon mixtures, e.g. by destructive hydrogenation, oligomerisation, polymerisation; recovery of hydrocarbon oils from oil-shale, oil-sand, or gases; refining mixtures mainly consisting of hydrocarbons; reforming of naphtha; mineral waxes: 1/02, 32/04
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: 2200/0469, 2290/24, 2290/28, 2290/36, 2290/52, 5/403, 5/442, 5/445, 5/46
C12P Fermentation or enzyme-using processes to synthesise a desired chemical compound or composition or to separate optical isomers from a racemic mixture {}: 2201/00, 7/10
C13K Saccharides obtained from natural sources or by hydrolysis of naturally occurring disaccharides, oligosaccharides or polysaccharides: 1/02, 13/002
D21B Fibrous raw materials or their mechanical treatment: 1/02
G21F Protection against x-radiation, gamma radiation, corpuscular radiation or particle bombardment; treating radioactively contaminated material; decontamination arrangements therefor: 3/00
G21K Handling of particles or ionising radiation not otherwise provided for; irradiation devices; gamma ray or x-ray microscopes: 5/04, 5/10
H01J Electric discharge tubes or discharge lamps: 2237/2002, 2237/202, 33/04, 37/20, 37/317, 5/18
Y02E Reduction of greenhouse gas [ghg] emissions, related to energy generation, transmission or distribution: 50/10, 50/14, 50/16, 50/30, 50/32
Y02P Climate change mitigation technologies in the production or processing of goods: 20/145, 60/87

(73) Assignee

XYLECO INC

(72) Inventors

MEDOFF MARSHALL; MASTERMAN THOMAS CRAIG; PARADIS ROBERT

(54) Title

Processing materials

(57) Abstract

Biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) is processed to produce useful intermediates and products, such as energy, fuels, foods or materials. For example, systems and methods are described that can be used to treat feedstock materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials, while cooling equipment and the biomass to prevent overheating and possible distortion and/or degradation. The biomass is conveyed by a conveyor, which conveys the biomass under an electron beam from an electron beam accelerator. The conveyor can be cooled with cooling fluid. The conveyor can also vibrate to facilitate exposure to the electron beam. The conveyor can be configured as a trough that can be optionally cooled.

Full text

View on Google Patents

Claims (22)

A method of conveying a material under an electron beam, the method comprising: exposing a biomass material having a bulk density of less than 0.7 g/cm 3 to an electron beam while conveying the biomass material on a vibratory conveyor, wherein the biomass material is treated with electron bombardment having energies of 0.5-10 MeV via the electron beam, wherein the vibratory conveyor comprises a vibratory conveyor trough, wherein the vibratory conveyor trough comprises a first surface of the vibratory conveyor trough conveying the biomass, and the method further comprises cooling a second surface of the vibratory conveyor trough, wherein the first and second surfaces of the vibratory conveyor trough are in thermal communication.
The method of claim 1, wherein the total electron beam power has at least 50 kW of power.
The method of claim 1, wherein the vibratory conveyor comprises a metal, alloys of metals or coated and alloys of metals.
The method of claim 1, wherein the distance between the first and second surface of the vibratory conveyor trough is between 0.0396875 and 5.08 cm (1/64 and 2 inches).
The method of claim 1, further comprising cooling the second surface by contacting the second surface with a cooling enclosure containing a cooling fluid.
The method of claim 5, wherein the second surface of the vibratory conveyor trough forms a part of the cooling enclosure.
The method of claim 5, further comprising flowing fluid through the cooling enclosure by flowing the cooling fluid into the cooling enclosure through an inlet to the enclosure and flowing the fluid out of the cooling enclosure through an outlet from the cooling enclosure.
The method of claim 7, wherein the cooling enclosure comprises channels configured to allow the flow of the cooling fluid from the inlet to the outlet.
The method of claim 7, further comprising maintaining a difference in the temperature of the cooling fluid at the inlet of the cooling enclosure to the temperature at the outlet of the enclosure of between 2 to 120° C.
The method of claim 5, further comprising maintaining a flow rate of cooling fluid through the cooling enclosure of between 1.8925 and 567.75 liters/minute (0.5 and 150 gallons/minute).
A method of conveying a material under an electron beam, the method comprising: exposing a biomass material having a bulk density of less than 0.7 g/cm 3 to an electron beam from a scan horn while conveying the biomass material on a vibratory conveyor, wherein the biomass material is treated with electron bombardment having energies of 0.5-10 MeV via the electron beam, and wherein the vibratory conveyor is oscillated in a direction parallel to the direction of conveying and perpendicular to the scan horn of the electron beam.
The method of claim 11 where the vibratory conveyor comprises a vibratory conveyor trough conveying the biomass.
The method of claim 12 wherein vibratory conveyor trough comprises a first surface of the vibratory conveyor trough conveying the biomass, and the method further comprises cooling a second surface of the vibratory conveyor trough, wherein the first and second surfaces of the vibratory conveyor trough are in thermal communication.
The method of claim 11, wherein the total electron beam power has at least 50 kW of power.
The method of claim 11, wherein the vibratory conveyor comprises a metal, alloys of metals or coated and alloys of metals.
The method of claim 13, wherein the distance between the first and second surface of the vibratory conveyor trough is between 0.0396875 and 5.08 cm (1/64 and 2 inches).
The method of claim 13, further comprising cooling the second surface by contacting the second surface with a cooling enclosure containing a cooling fluid.
The method of claim 17, wherein the second surface of the vibratory conveyor trough forms a part of the cooling enclosure.
The method of claim 17, further comprising flowing fluid through the cooling enclosure by flowing the cooling fluid into the cooling enclosure through an inlet to the enclosure and flowing the fluid out of the cooling enclosure through an outlet from the cooling enclosure.
The method of claim 19, wherein the cooling enclosure comprises channels configured to allow the flow of the cooling fluid from the inlet to the outlet.
The method of claim 19, further comprising maintaining a difference in the temperature of the cooling fluid at the inlet of the cooling enclosure to the temperature at the outlet of the enclosure of between 2 to 120° C.
The method of claim 17, further comprising maintaining a flow rate of cooling fluid through the cooling enclosure of between 1.8925 and 567.75 liters/minute (0.5 and 150 gallons/minute).

Description

This application is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/472,985, filed Mar. 29, 2017, which is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/241,965, filed Aug. 19, 2016, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,644,244, granted on May 9, 2017, which is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/195,206, filed Jun. 28, 2016, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,455,118, granted on Sep. 27, 2016, which is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/435,026, filed Apr. 10, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,435,076, granted on Sep. 6, 2016, which is a National Stage of International Application No. PCT/US2013/064320 filed on Oct. 10, 2013, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/711,801, filed on Oct. 10, 2012; 61/711,807, filed on Oct. 10, 2012; 61/774,684, filed on Mar. 8, 2013; 61/774,773, filed on Mar. 8, 2013; 61/774,731, filed on Mar. 8, 2013; 61/774,735, filed on Mar. 8, 2013; 61/774,744, filed on Mar. 8, 2013; 61/774,746, filed on Mar. 8, 2013; 61/774,750, filed on Mar. 8, 2013; 61/774,752, filed on Mar. 8, 2013; 61/774,754, filed on Mar. 8, 2013; 61/774,775, filed on Mar. 8, 2013; 61/774,780, filed on Mar. 8, 2013; 61/774,761, filed on Mar. 8, 2013; 61/774,723, filed on Mar. 8, 2013, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.

Many potential lignocellulosic feedstocks are available today, including agricultural residues, woody biomass, municipal waste, oilseeds/cakes and seaweed, to name a few.

Citations (91)

JP2000254486A
JP2000304900A
JP2001242297A
JP2001318200A
JP2003153987A
JP2010008387A
JP2012011382A
JPH11169438A
JPH11337700A
US1525035A
US1789407A
US1924078A
US1962573A
US2008210718A1
US2010087687A1
US2010112242A1
US2011081335A1
US2011111456A1
US2011262985A1
US2012237984A1
US2012315675A1
US2014209093A1
US2014243444A1
US2014284203A1
US2014286714A1
US2015265999A1
US2015284907A1
US2015287487A1
US2016053047A1
US2016201152A1
US2016358744A1
US2017197194A1
US2017221679A1
US2017275463A1
US2018036706A1
US2144382A
US2467748A
US2566316A
US2630209A
US2669344A
US2680815A
US2681637A
US2686733A
US2697236A
US2789733A
US2798699A
US2814379A
US2843255A
US2853180A
US3712459A
US4218410A
US4260051A
US4295808A
US4809843A
US5401973A
US5462155A
US5816386A
US5839954A
US5847401A
US6112883A
US6163981A
US6191424B1
US6241858B1
US6276518B1
US6429444B1
US6460680B1
US6484882B1
US6486481B1
US6545398B1
US6617596B1
US7932065B2
US8083906B2
US8212087B2
US8236535B2
US8609384B2
US8637284B2
US8834676B2
US9119281B2
US9435076B2
US9455118B1
US9611516B2
US9637802B2
US9644244B2
US9659748B2
US9701838B2
US9745604B2
US9789461B2
US9816231B2
WO2009134745A2
WO2009140057A2
WO2010056940A2

Record as JSON

{
  "publication_number": "US10163535B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Processing materials",
  "abstract": "Biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) is processed to produce useful intermediates and products, such as energy, fuels, foods or materials. For example, systems and methods are described that can be used to treat feedstock materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials, while cooling equipment and the biomass to prevent overheating and possible distortion and/or degradation. The biomass is conveyed by a conveyor, which conveys the biomass under an electron beam from an electron beam accelerator. The conveyor can be cooled with cooling fluid. The conveyor can also vibrate to facilitate exposure to the electron beam. The conveyor can be configured as a trough that can be optionally cooled.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A method of conveying a material under an electron beam, the method comprising: exposing a biomass material having a bulk density of less than 0.7 g/cm 3 to an electron beam while conveying the biomass material on a vibratory conveyor, wherein the biomass material is treated with electron bombardment having energies of 0.5-10 MeV via the electron beam, wherein the vibratory conveyor comprises a vibratory conveyor trough, wherein the vibratory conveyor trough comprises a first surface of the vibratory conveyor trough conveying the biomass, and the method further comprises cooling a second surface of the vibratory conveyor trough, wherein the first and second surfaces of the vibratory conveyor trough are in thermal communication.",
    "2. The method of claim 1, wherein the total electron beam power has at least 50 kW of power.",
    "3. The method of claim 1, wherein the vibratory conveyor comprises a metal, alloys of metals or coated and alloys of metals.",
    "4. The method of claim 1, wherein the distance between the first and second surface of the vibratory conveyor trough is between 0.0396875 and 5.08 cm (1/64 and 2 inches).",
    "5. The method of claim 1, further comprising cooling the second surface by contacting the second surface with a cooling enclosure containing a cooling fluid.",
    "6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second surface of the vibratory conveyor trough forms a part of the cooling enclosure.",
    "7. The method of claim 5, further comprising flowing fluid through the cooling enclosure by flowing the cooling fluid into the cooling enclosure through an inlet to the enclosure and flowing the fluid out of the cooling enclosure through an outlet from the cooling enclosure.",
    "8. The method of claim 7, wherein the cooling enclosure comprises channels configured to allow the flow of the cooling fluid from the inlet to the outlet.",
    "9. The method of claim 7, further comprising maintaining a difference in the temperature of the cooling fluid at the inlet of the cooling enclosure to the temperature at the outlet of the enclosure of between 2 to 120° C.",
    "10. The method of claim 5, further comprising maintaining a flow rate of cooling fluid through the cooling enclosure of between 1.8925 and 567.75 liters/minute (0.5 and 150 gallons/minute).",
    "11. A method of conveying a material under an electron beam, the method comprising: exposing a biomass material having a bulk density of less than 0.7 g/cm 3 to an electron beam from a scan horn while conveying the biomass material on a vibratory conveyor, wherein the biomass material is treated with electron bombardment having energies of 0.5-10 MeV via the electron beam, and wherein the vibratory conveyor is oscillated in a direction parallel to the direction of conveying and perpendicular to the scan horn of the electron beam.",
    "12. The method of claim 11 where the vibratory conveyor comprises a vibratory conveyor trough conveying the biomass.",
    "13. The method of claim 12 wherein vibratory conveyor trough comprises a first surface of the vibratory conveyor trough conveying the biomass, and the method further comprises cooling a second surface of the vibratory conveyor trough, wherein the first and second surfaces of the vibratory conveyor trough are in thermal communication.",
    "14. The method of claim 11, wherein the total electron beam power has at least 50 kW of power.",
    "15. The method of claim 11, wherein the vibratory conveyor comprises a metal, alloys of metals or coated and alloys of metals.",
    "16. The method of claim 13, wherein the distance between the first and second surface of the vibratory conveyor trough is between 0.0396875 and 5.08 cm (1/64 and 2 inches).",
    "17. The method of claim 13, further comprising cooling the second surface by contacting the second surface with a cooling enclosure containing a cooling fluid.",
    "18. The method of claim 17, wherein the second surface of the vibratory conveyor trough forms a part of the cooling enclosure.",
    "19. The method of claim 17, further comprising flowing fluid through the cooling enclosure by flowing the cooling fluid into the cooling enclosure through an inlet to the enclosure and flowing the fluid out of the cooling enclosure through an outlet from the cooling enclosure.",
    "20. The method of claim 19, wherein the cooling enclosure comprises channels configured to allow the flow of the cooling fluid from the inlet to the outlet.",
    "21. The method of claim 19, further comprising maintaining a difference in the temperature of the cooling fluid at the inlet of the cooling enclosure to the temperature at the outlet of the enclosure of between 2 to 120° C.",
    "22. The method of claim 17, further comprising maintaining a flow rate of cooling fluid through the cooling enclosure of between 1.8925 and 567.75 liters/minute (0.5 and 150 gallons/minute)."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "This application is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/472,985, filed Mar. 29, 2017, which is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/241,965, filed Aug. 19, 2016, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,644,244, granted on May 9, 2017, which is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/195,206, filed Jun. 28, 2016, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,455,118, granted on Sep. 27, 2016, which is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/435,026, filed Apr. 10, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,435,076, granted on Sep. 6, 2016, which is a National Stage of International Application No. PCT/US2013/064320 filed on Oct. 10, 2013, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/711,801, filed on Oct. 10, 2012; 61/711,807, filed on Oct. 10, 2012; 61/774,684, filed on Mar. 8, 2013; 61/774,773, filed on Mar. 8, 2013; 61/774,731, filed on Mar. 8, 2013; 61/774,735, filed on Mar. 8, 2013; 61/774,744, filed on Mar. 8, 2013; 61/774,746, filed on Mar. 8, 2013; 61/774,750, filed on Mar. 8, 2013; 61/774,752, filed on Mar. 8, 2013; 61/774,754, filed on Mar. 8, 2013; 61/774,775, filed on Mar. 8, 2013; 61/774,780, filed on Mar. 8, 2013; 61/774,761, filed on Mar. 8, 2013; 61/774,723, filed on Mar. 8, 2013, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.\n\nMany potential lignocellulosic feedstocks are available today, including agricultural residues, woody biomass, municipal waste, oilseeds/cakes and seaweed, to name a few.",
  "cpc": [
    "B01J 19/085",
    "A61L 2/087",
    "B01J 19/082",
    "B01J 19/12",
    "B01J 19/123",
    "B01J 19/125",
    "B01J 19/22",
    "B01J 2219/0869",
    "B01J 2219/0871",
    "B01J 2219/0879",
    "B01J 2219/12",
    "B01J 2219/1203",
    "B65G 27/04",
    "C08H 8/00",
    "C10B 19/00",
    "C10B 53/02",
    "C10G 1/02",
    "C10G 32/04",
    "C10L 2200/0469",
    "C10L 2290/24",
    "C10L 2290/28",
    "C10L 2290/36",
    "C10L 2290/52",
    "C10L 5/403",
    "C10L 5/442",
    "C10L 5/445",
    "C10L 5/46",
    "C12P 2201/00",
    "C12P 7/10",
    "C13K 1/02",
    "C13K 13/002",
    "D21B 1/02",
    "G21F 3/00",
    "G21K 5/04",
    "G21K 5/10",
    "H01J 2237/2002",
    "H01J 2237/202",
    "H01J 33/04",
    "H01J 37/20",
    "H01J 37/317",
    "H01J 5/18",
    "Y02E 50/10",
    "Y02E 50/14",
    "Y02E 50/16",
    "Y02E 50/30",
    "Y02E 50/32",
    "Y02P 20/145",
    "Y02P 60/87"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "A61L 2/08",
    "B01J 19/08",
    "B01J 19/12",
    "B01J 19/22",
    "B65G 27/04",
    "C08H 8/00",
    "C10B 19/00",
    "C10B 53/02",
    "C10G 1/02",
    "C10G 32/04",
    "C10L 5/40",
    "C10L 5/44",
    "C10L 5/46",
    "C13K 1/02",
    "C13K 13/00",
    "D21B 1/02",
    "G21F 3/00",
    "G21K 5/04",
    "G21K 5/10",
    "H01J 33/04",
    "H01J 37/20",
    "H01J 37/317",
    "H01J 5/18"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "XYLECO INC"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "MEDOFF MARSHALL",
    "MASTERMAN THOMAS CRAIG",
    "PARADIS ROBERT"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2017-09-13",
  "publication_date": "2018-12-25",
  "grant_date": "2018-12-25",
  "priority_date": "2012-10-10",
  "application_number": "US-201715703887-A",
  "family_id": "50477883",
  "citations": [
    "JP2000254486A",
    "JP2000304900A",
    "JP2001242297A",
    "JP2001318200A",
    "JP2003153987A",
    "JP2010008387A",
    "JP2012011382A",
    "JPH11169438A",
    "JPH11337700A",
    "US1525035A",
    "US1789407A",
    "US1924078A",
    "US1962573A",
    "US2008210718A1",
    "US2010087687A1",
    "US2010112242A1",
    "US2011081335A1",
    "US2011111456A1",
    "US2011262985A1",
    "US2012237984A1",
    "US2012315675A1",
    "US2014209093A1",
    "US2014243444A1",
    "US2014284203A1",
    "US2014286714A1",
    "US2015265999A1",
    "US2015284907A1",
    "US2015287487A1",
    "US2016053047A1",
    "US2016201152A1",
    "US2016358744A1",
    "US2017197194A1",
    "US2017221679A1",
    "US2017275463A1",
    "US2018036706A1",
    "US2144382A",
    "US2467748A",
    "US2566316A",
    "US2630209A",
    "US2669344A",
    "US2680815A",
    "US2681637A",
    "US2686733A",
    "US2697236A",
    "US2789733A",
    "US2798699A",
    "US2814379A",
    "US2843255A",
    "US2853180A",
    "US3712459A",
    "US4218410A",
    "US4260051A",
    "US4295808A",
    "US4809843A",
    "US5401973A",
    "US5462155A",
    "US5816386A",
    "US5839954A",
    "US5847401A",
    "US6112883A",
    "US6163981A",
    "US6191424B1",
    "US6241858B1",
    "US6276518B1",
    "US6429444B1",
    "US6460680B1",
    "US6484882B1",
    "US6486481B1",
    "US6545398B1",
    "US6617596B1",
    "US7932065B2",
    "US8083906B2",
    "US8212087B2",
    "US8236535B2",
    "US8609384B2",
    "US8637284B2",
    "US8834676B2",
    "US9119281B2",
    "US9435076B2",
    "US9455118B1",
    "US9611516B2",
    "US9637802B2",
    "US9644244B2",
    "US9659748B2",
    "US9701838B2",
    "US9745604B2",
    "US9789461B2",
    "US9816231B2",
    "WO2009134745A2",
    "WO2009140057A2",
    "WO2010056940A2"
  ]
}

Record 1,261 of 5,000 in Patents full text (MLC-0201). Request the full dataset.