IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,409,640
Granted Patent B2
US 8,409,640 · App. 11/682,195 · Granted Apr 2, 2013

Methods and systems for producing ethanol using raw starch and fractionation

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,409,640
App. No.
11/682,195
Granted
Apr 2, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention relates to methods for producing high levels of alcohol during fermentation of plant material, and to the high alcohol beer produced. The method can include fractionating the plant material. The present invention also relates to methods for producing high protein distiller's dried grain from fermentation of plant material, and to the high protein distiller's dried grain produced. The method can include drying a co-product by ring drying, flash drying, or fluid bed drying. The present invention further relates to reduced stack emissions from drying distillation products from the production of ethanol.

Claims (11)

1. A method of fermenting corn into a fermentation product comprising the steps of:

dry fractionating the corn into a fractionated corn comprising a fiber component, a germ component and an endosperm component;

inducing cavitation or disruption in the fractionated corn;

separating at least a portion of the germ component and at least a portion of the fiber component of the fractionated corn so that the fractionated corn substantially comprises the endosperm component;

simultaneously saccharifying and fermenting the fractionated corn substantially comprising the endosperm component in an aqueous composition which further comprises an acid stable fungal alpha amylase, a yeast and a glucoamylase under conditions to form glucose;

subsequently fermenting the glucose to the fermentation product, wherein the fermentation product comprises at least 18 volume percent ethanol, while maintaining a glucose concentration of less than 2 weight percent in the aqueous composition during saccharification and fermentation.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said aqueous composition has a pH of from 3 to 6.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fermenting is carried out at a temperature of from 25° C. to 40° C.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the acid stable fungal alpha amylase is included in an amount of from 0.05 to 10 acid fungal amylase units/g of dry solids.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the yeast includes at least one strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae .

6. The method of claim 3 , which method further comprises maintaining the temperature at about 35° C. during the first half of the fermentation and lowering the temperature to about 30° C. during the second half of the fermentation and, afterwards, distilling the ethanol from the fermentation product.

Assignments (9)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 19, 2025
From: POET RESEARCH, INC.
To: COBANK, ACB
Reel/Frame 072062/0409 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 3, 2020
From: POET RESEARCH, INC.
To: COBANK, ACB, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 052312/0801 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 2, 2020
From: POET RESEARCH, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 052295/0712 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME 035603/0778 Recorded Apr 2, 2020
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: POET, LLC; POET RESEARCH, INC.; POET PLANT MANAGEMENT, LLC; POET INVESTMENTS, INC.; POET BIOMASS, LLC; POET DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION, INC.; RISK MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATES, INC.; POET NUTRITION, INC.; POET RESEARCH CENTER, LLC (FORMERLY KNOWN AS POET RESEARCH CENTER, INC.); POET LEASING, LLC; POET NUTRITION INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Reel/Frame 052299/0676 →
RELEASE OF PATENT, TRADEMARK AND COPYRIGHT SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 6, 2015
From: BOKF, N.A., DBA BANK OF OKLAHOMA
To: POET RESEARCH, INC. F/K/A BROIN AND ASSOCIATES, INC.; POET, LLC F/K/A BROIN COMPANIES, LLC; POET INVESTMENTS, INC. F/K/A BROIN ENTERPRISES, INC.; POET PLANT MANAGEMENT, LLC
Reel/Frame 035603/0610 →
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded May 6, 2015
From: POET, LLC; POET RESEARCH, INC.; POET PLANT MANAGEMENT, LLC; POET INVESTMENTS, INC.; POET BIOMASS, LLC; POET DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION, INC.; RISK MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATES, INC.; POET NUTRITION, INC.; POET RESEARCH CENTER, INC.; POET LEASING, LLC; POET NUTRITION INTERNATIONAL, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 035603/0778 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 11, 2011
From: POET RESEARCH, INC.
To: BOKF, NA, D/B/A BANK OF OKLAHOMA
Reel/Frame 025783/0430 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 18, 2010
From: BROIN AND ASSOCIATES, INC.
To: POET RESEARCH, INC.
Reel/Frame 024562/0083 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 21, 2007
From: LEWIS, STEPHEN M.; VAN HULZEN, SHON ERRON
To: POET RESEARCH, INC.
Reel/Frame 019319/0084 →