IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,319,884
Granted Patent B2
US 12,319,884 · App. 18/373,400 · Granted Jun 3, 2025

Biomass fractionation method for producing biomass of varying ash content and uses thereof

Inventors: Xianhui Zhao (Knoxville, TN); Oluwafemi Oyedeji (Knoxville, TN); Soydan Ozcan (Oak Ridge, TN); Halil Tekinalp (Knoxville, TN); Erin G. Webb (Luttrell, TN)
Assignee: UT-Battelle, LLC
C10L5/445C08L97/02C10L2200/0209C10L2200/0213C10L2200/0218C10L2200/0236C10L2200/024C10L2200/0484C10L2250/06C10L2290/08C10L2290/28C10L2290/546
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,319,884
App. No.
18/373,400
Granted
Jun 3, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for fractionating biomass material according to ash content, the method comprising: grinding the biomass material to produce a ground biomass and sieving the ground biomass through a first screen to yield: a) a first fraction of biomass particles that does not pass through the first screen and which has a first particle size, and b) a second fraction of biomass particles that passes through the first screen and which has a second particle size, wherein the second particle size is smaller than the first particle size, and wherein the second fraction of biomass particles has a higher ash content than the first fraction of biomass particles; and optionally further comprising: passing the second fraction of biomass particles through a second screen having a finer mesh size to produce a third fraction having a smaller particle size and a higher ash content than the second fraction of biomass particles.

Claims (29)

1. A method for fractionating biomass material according to ash content, the method comprising: grinding the biomass material to produce a ground biomass and sieving the ground biomass through a first screen to yield: a) a first fraction of biomass particles that does not pass through the first screen and which has a first particle size, and b) a second fraction of biomass particles that passes through the first screen and which has a second particle size, wherein the second particle size is smaller than the first particle size, and wherein the second fraction of biomass particles has a higher ash content than the first fraction of biomass particles.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: passing the second fraction of biomass particles through a second screen having a finer mesh size to produce a third fraction of biomass that passes through the second screen and which has a third particle size which is smaller than the second particle size, wherein the third fraction of biomass has a higher ash content than the second fraction of biomass particles.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ground biomass before sieving has a maximum particle size of 1000 microns.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ground biomass before sieving has a maximum particle size of 500 microns.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ground biomass before sieving has a maximum particle size of 300 microns.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ground mass before sieving has a maximum particle size of 200 microns.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first fraction of biomass particles has an ash content less than 1 wt % and the second fraction of biomass particles has an ash content greater than 1 wt %.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first fraction of biomass particles has an ash content less than 1 wt % and the second fraction of biomass particles has an ash content of at least 5 wt %.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ash comprises at least three elements selected from Ca, Fe, Mg, K, Si, Al, S, P, and Mn.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the biomass comprises lignocellulosic matter.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the biomass is selected from the group consisting of corn stover, grasses, hull material, wood, hemp, flax, and sugarcane.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein, prior to said grinding step, the biomass material is subjected to a drying process to reduce the moisture content.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ground biomass, before or after sieving, is subjected to an ultrasonication process to result in a reduced ash content of the ultrasonicated ground biomass.

14. A method for producing biofuel from biomass containing a reduced ash content, the method comprising:

(i) grinding biomass material to produce a ground biomass and sieving the ground biomass through a first screen to yield: a) a first fraction of biomass particles that does not pass through the first screen and which has a first particle size, and b) a second fraction of biomass particles that passes through the first screen and which has a second particle size, wherein the second particle size is smaller than the first particle size, and wherein the second fraction of biomass particles has a higher ash content than the first fraction of biomass particles; and

(ii) subjecting the first fraction of biomass particles to a biomass-to-biofuel conversion process.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first fraction of biomass particles is subjected to an ultrasonication process to further reduce the ash content of the first fraction.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first fraction of biomass particles has an ash content less than 1 wt %.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first fraction of biomass particles has an ash content of no more than 0.5 wt %.

18. A method for producing a polymer-biomass composite material using biomass having an increased level of ash, the method comprising:

(i) grinding biomass material to produce a ground biomass and sieving the ground biomass through a first screen to yield: a) a first fraction of biomass particles that does not pass through the first screen and which has a first particle size, and b) a second fraction of biomass particles that passes through the first screen and which has a second particle size, wherein the second particle size is smaller than the first particle size, and wherein the second fraction of biomass particles has a higher ash content than the first fraction of biomass particles; and

(ii) melt compounding the second fraction of biomass particles with a thermoplastic polymer to produce the polymer-biomass composite material.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the polymer-biomass composite material produced in step (ii) is subjected to hot pressing and/or compression molding.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the second fraction of biomass particles has an ash content greater than 1 wt %.

21. The method of claim 18 , wherein the second fraction of biomass particles has an ash content of at least 5 wt %.

22. The method of claim 18 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer is selected from polyesters, rubbers, and polyolefins.

23. A polymer-biomass composite material comprising a mixture of a thermoplastic polymer and biomass particles having an ash content greater than 1 wt %.

24. The polymer-biomass composite material of claim 23 , wherein the biomass particles have an ash content of at least 5 wt %.

25. The polymer-biomass composite material of claim 23 , wherein the biomass particles have an ash content of at least 10 wt %.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 4, 2025
From: OZCAN, SOYDAN; WEBB, ERIN G
To: UT-BATTELLE, LLC
Reel/Frame 071313/0063 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 24, 2025
From: ZHAO, XIANHUI; OYEDEJI, OLUWAFEMI; TEKINALP, HALIL
To: UT-BATTELLE, LLC
Reel/Frame 070936/0395 →
CONFIRMATORY LICENSE Recorded Mar 27, 2024
From: UT-BATTELLE, LLC
To: U. S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Reel/Frame 066914/0023 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63432741 · Dec 15, 2022
Related Publication 20240199966A1 · Jun 20, 2024
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