Materials and methods for converting biomass to biofuel
This disclosure provides for materials and methods for converting biomass to biofuels. The materials include a colloid mill with or without cellulase enzymes, and the methods include the use of a colloid mill and optionally cellulose enzymes to pretreat biomass for use in a biomass to biofuel production process.
1. A method of generating sugar from biomass, the method comprising,
a) providing a biomass/water mixture;
b) pretreating the biomass/water mixture with a colloid mill, wherein the colloid mill has a radial gap setting between 0.104 and 0.728 millimeters, thereby reducing the size of biomass particles in the biomass/water mixture and rendering a greater percentage of starch and sugar components of the biomass available compared to pretreatment of the biomass with a hammer mill alone; and
c) contacting the pre-treated biomass/water mixture with enzymes.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the enzymes convert components of the biomass to sugar.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the enzymes are selected from a gluconase, a cellulase, a beta-glucosidase, a xylanase, a ligninase, a peroxidase, a magnesium peroxidase, an endoglucanase and a mixture thereof.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the enzymes are selected from an alpha amylase and a beta amylase.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising fermenting the sugars, thereby producing ethanol.
6. The method of claim 1 , comprising separating particles from the biomass/water mixture after the contacting.
7. The method of claim 4 , wherein 60-80 gallons of ethanol are produced per ton of biomass.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pretreating generates a pumpable slurry of particles recoverable in downstream filtration.
9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising pumping the slurry to a different location; and
filtering the slurry, thereby separating the particles from liquid in the slurry.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the biomass is grain and the slurry comprises at least 40% bone dry solids (BDS).
11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the biomass is cellulosic biomass and the slurry comprises at least 15% bone dry solids (BDS).
12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the slurry comprises 21-46% bone dry solids (BDS).