Conversion system for biomass
The efficient production of ethanol from low-cost biomass (e.g., corn, sugar beets, sugar cane, switchgrass and/or paper) has become increasingly important in making ethanol competitive with gasoline and decreasing the United States' dependence on foreign oil. For example, to reduce the cost of transporting biomass to ethanol production facilities, mobile systems for producing ethanol from biomass are provided. Also provided are small-scale ethanol production facilities. For example, instead of transporting biomass to the production facility, the facility is transported to the biomass or is located nearby the source of the biomass. The ethanol production facilities or components thereof may be transported via land, water, or air. Production of other products, such as hydrocarbons, natural gas, hydrogen gas, plastics, polymers, and proteins, can also be made by the methods and facilities. Any product described herein can be made in finished form or un-finished form and moved, e.g., to a fixed facility, e.g., fixed production facility.
1. A method of producing a product from biomass comprising:
(a) producing a pre-processed biomass by texturizing or opening up a cellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass, so as to make complex carbohydrates or other biomolecules of the biomass available for further processing, by mechanically treating the biomass at a first site utilizing portable components of a system for processing biomass,
(b) transporting the pre-processed biomass to a second site including components of the system for processing biomass, and
(c) producing a product from the pre-processed biomass using the portable components of the system at the second site, wherein producing comprises utilizing a fermenter, reactor or converter to convert the pre-processed biomass into sugars using a microorganism and/or enzyme.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the portable components at the first site are selected from the group consisting of cutters, shearing devices, mills, holding containers and combinations of these components.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the portable components include a mill.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the portable components include a shearing device.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the components of the system at the second site are not transportable.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the biomass is selected from the group consisting of corn, sugar cane, sugar beets, trees, shrubs, grasses, phytoplankton, zooplankton, algae, macroalgae, seaweed, corn husks, bushes, lumber, wood waste, pulp, cotton, wool, linen, paper, newspapers, corrugated containers, mixed paper, computer printouts, white office paper, printing plant scraps, leaves, twigs, grass, plant cuttings, branches, trees, vines, sewage, agricultural waste, and mixtures thereof.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transporting the pre-processed biomass with the portable components.
8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising further texturizing or opening up the pre-processed biomass while it is transported.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein transporting is performed with a nautical vessel.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein transporting is performed with a land vehicle.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein transporting is performed with an airborne vehicle.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein transporting is performed by more than a single mode.
13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising producing a second pre-processed biomass by transporting the portable components from the first site to a third site and texturizing or opening up a cellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass at the third site utilizing the portable components.
14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising producing a third pre-processed biomass by transporting the portable components from the third site to a fourth site and texturizing or opening up a cellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass at the fourth site utilizing the portable components.
15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising converting the sugar to a product selected from the group consisting of alcohols, hydrocarbons, hydrogen biodiesel and combinations thereof.
16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising producing a product comprising ethanol or n-butanol from the sugars at the second site.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein producing the product comprising ethanol or n-butanol from the sugars comprises contacting the sugars with one of more microorganisms disposed in the fermenter.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the one or more microorganisms comprise one or more genetically engineered bacteria.