PROCESSING BIOMASS
Carbon-containing materials, such as biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) or coal are processed to produce useful products, such as fuels, carboxylic acids and equivalents thereof (e.g., esters and salts). For example, systems are described that can use feedstock materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials and/or starchy materials, to produce ethanol, butanol or organic acids (e.g., acetic or lactic acid), salts of organic acids or mixtures thereof. If desired, organic acids can be converted into alcohols, such as by first converting the acid, salt or mixtures of the acid and its salt to an ester, and then hydrogenating the formed ester. Acetogens or homoacetogens which are capable of utilizing a syngas from a thermochemical conversion of coal or biomass can be utilized to produce the desired product.
1 . A method of making an alcohol, a carboxylic acid, a salt of a carboxylic acid, an ester of a carboxylic acid, or a mixture of any of these, the method comprising:
treating a carbon-containing material with one or more of radiation, sonication, pyrolysis, oxidation and steam explosion; and
converting at least a portion of the treated carbon-containing material utilizing a microorganism to produce a product comprising one or more of an alcohol, a carboxylic acid, a salt of a carboxylic acid, a carboxylic acid ester or a mixture of any of these.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein during converting a syngas is delivered to the microorganism.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the syngas is selected from the group consisting of methanol, hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and mixtures thereof.
4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the syngas comprises methanol.
5 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the syngas comprises carbon monoxide.
6 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the syngas comprises a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen.
7 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the syngas is produced by gasifying coal and/or a biomass.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises hydrogenating the product or exposing the product to one or other reducing agents, such as carbon monoxide.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein hydrogenating the product comprises exposing the product to hydrogen under a pressure of greater than about 25 bar in the presence of a catalyst.
10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the hydrogen is produced from syngas produced by gasifying coal and/or biomass.
11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the converting comprises contacting the treated material with an enzyme.
12 . A method of making an alcohol, the method comprising:
treating a carbon-containing material with one or more of radiation, sonication, pyrolysis, oxidation and steam explosion;
converting at least a portion of the treated carbon-containing material utilizing a microorganism to a product comprising a carboxylic acid, a salt of a carboxylic acid, a carboxylic acid ester or a mixture of any of these; and
hydrogenating the product to produce an alcohol.
13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the carboxylic acid comprises acetic acid.
14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the carboxylic acid ester comprises ethyl acetate.
15 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the microorganism comprises a homoacetogen or a heteroacetogen.
16 . A method of making an alcohol, a carboxylic acid, a salt of a carboxylic acid, an ester of a carboxylic acid, or a mixture of any of these, the method comprising:
treating a carbon-containing material with one or more of radiation, sonication, pyrolysis, oxidation and steam explosion;
converting at least a portion of the treated carbon-containing material utilizing a microorganism to produce a product comprising one or more of an alcohol, a carboxylic acid, a salt of a carboxylic acid, a carboxylic acid ester or a mixture of any of these; and
capturing any carbon dioxide generated and/or any lignin liberated.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein carbon dioxide is captured and the method further comprises sequestering the captured carbon dioxide.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein sequestering carbon dioxide comprises injecting captured carbon dioxide into a geological formation capable of maintaining carbon dioxide in place.
19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein sequestering carbon dioxide comprises fixing carbon dioxide utilizing a microorganism.
20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the microorganism fixes the carbon dioxide in the form of a carbohydrate and/or a lipid.
21 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the microorganism fixes the carbon dioxide in the form of a lipid, the method further comprises converting the lipid to an ester.