Approach for biogas generation

1 . A method to increase and stabilize the volume of methane produced from a biogas digester by using a substantially lignin-free and unbleached cellulose as an additive to organic waste used for biogas production wherein the substantially lignin-free and unbleached cellulose is obtained by a delignification process comprising the steps of:

providing a vessel;

providing a biomass comprising lignin, hemicellulose and cellulose fibers into said vessel;

providing a sulfuric acid component;

providing a peroxide component;

exposing said biomass to said sulfuric acid and peroxide components;

allowing said sulfuric acid and peroxide components to come into contact with said biomass for a period of time sufficient to a delignification reaction to occur and remove over 90 wt % of said lignin; and hemicellulose from said biomass.

2 . The method according claim 1 wherein said substantially lignin-free cellulose is a cellulose comprising less than 5% of lignin.

3 . The method according claim 1 wherein said substantially lignin-free cellulose is a cellulose comprising less than 2.5% of lignin.

4 . The method according to claim 1 wherein said substantially lignin-free cellulose is a cellulose comprising less than 1% of lignin.

5 . The method according to claim 1 wherein said lignin-free cellulose is present in an amount ranging up to 5% w/w of the total organic feed in the biodigester.

6 . The method according to claim 1 wherein said lignin-free cellulose and is present in an amount ranging from 0.1 to 2.5% w/w of the total organic feed into the biodigester.

7 . The method according to claim 1 wherein said lignin-free cellulose and is present in an amount of ranging from 0.1 to 1% w/w of the total organic feed in the biodigester.

8 . A process to make biogas, said process comprising the steps of:

providing a digester adapted to receive a feed and capture a biogas composition resulting from biodigestion;

adding to said digester at least one organic material and at least one inoculum capable of converting a portion of said at least one organic material into methane under anaerobic conditions;

providing a biomass which is substantially free of lignin in an amount that ranges between 0.1 to 5% w/w of the total feed, comprising at least one other organic material;

adding said biomass to said digester;

allowing sufficient time for the digester to degrade at least a portion of said biomass and at least a portion of said organic material to yield a biogas composition comprising methane;

optionally, continuously adding said biomass which is substantially free of lignin in an amount that ranges between 0.1 to 5% w/w of the total feed comprising at least one other organic material;

capturing said biogas composition;

optionally, storing said biogas; and

wherein the biogas is methane that is produced by using a substantially lignin-free and unbleached cellulose as an additive and further wherein the substantially lignin-free and unbleached cellulose is obtained by a delignification process.

9 . A process to increase the amount of methane produced from a bio-digester, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a digester adapted to receive a feed and capture a biogas composition resulting from biodigestion;

adding to said digester at least one organic material and at least one inoculum capable of converting a portion of said at least one organic material into methane under anaerobic conditions;

providing a biomass which is substantially free of lignin in an amount that ranges between 0.1 to 5% w/w of the total feed, comprising at least one other organic material;

adding said biomass to said digester;

allowing sufficient time for the digester to degrade at least a portion of said biomass and at least a portion of said organic material to yield a biogas composition comprising methane;

continuously adding said biomass which is substantially free of lignin in an amount that ranges between 0.1 to 5% w/w of the total feed comprising at least one other organic material wherein the biomass includes unbleached cellulose as an additive and further wherein the substantially lignin-free and unbleached cellulose is obtained by a delignification process;

capturing said biogas composition; and

optionally, storing said biogas.

10 . The method according claim 1 wherein the biomass comprising lignin, hemicellulose and cellulose fibers is exposed to said sulfuric acid and peroxide components, said sulfuric acid and peroxide components selected from the group consisting of at least one of: composition A; composition B and composition C;

wherein said composition A comprises:

sulfuric acid in an amount ranging from 20 to 70 wt % of the total weight of the composition;

a modifier compound comprising an amine moiety and a sulfonic acid moiety selected from the group consisting of: taurine; taurine derivatives;

and taurine-related compounds; and

a peroxide;

wherein said composition B comprises:

an alkylsulfonic acid; and

a peroxide; wherein the acid is present in an amount ranging from 40 to 80 wt % of the total weight of the composition and where the peroxide is present in an amount ranging from 10 to 40 wt % of the total weight of the composition;

wherein said composition C comprises:

sulfuric acid;

a two-part modifier comprising:

a compound comprising an amine moiety; and

a compound comprising a sulfonic acid moiety; and

a peroxide.