Process for increasing digestion efficiency of lignocellulosic material in a treatment vessel
A process for increasing digestion efficiency of lignocellulosic material in a treatment vessel includes providing lignocellulosic material comprising lignocellulosic biomass, providing an alkyl polyglycoside, an alkoxylated alcohol, and a white liquor comprising sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide, combining the lignocellulosic material, the alkyl polyglycoside, the alkoxylated alcohol, and the white liquor to form a mixture, and heating the mixture in the treatment vessel to a temperature of from about 125° C. to about 185° C. to digest at least a portion of the lignocellulosic material. The alkyl polyglycoside and the alkoxylated alcohol are present in the mixture in a weight ratio of actives from about 5:95 to about 95:5, respectively. The mixture is free of added surfactants that are not the alkyl polyglycoside and/or the alkoxylated alcohol. The process has increased digestion efficiency as compared to a process that does not utilize a combination of the alkyl polyglycoside and the alkoxylated alcohol.
1. A process for increasing digestion efficiency of lignocellulosic material in a treatment vessel, said method comprising:
providing lignocellulosic material comprising lignocellulosic biomass;
providing an alkyl polyglycoside;
providing an alkoxylated alcohol having a single (—OH) group and comprising an eight mole ethoxylate of isotridecyl alcohol;
providing a white liquor comprising sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide;
combining the lignocellulosic material, the alkyl polyglycoside, the alkoxylated alcohol, and the white liquor to form a mixture; and
heating the mixture in the treatment vessel to a temperature of from about 125° C. to about 185° C. to digest at least a portion of the lignocellulosic material;
wherein the lignocellulosic material is present in an amount of from about 10 to about 30 weight percent based on a total weight of the mixture;
wherein the alkyl polyglycoside and the alkoxylated alcohol are present in the mixture in a weight ratio of actives from about 5:95 to about 95:5, respectively;
wherein a combination of the alkyl polyglycoside and the alkoxylated alcohol is present in an amount of from 0.1 to about 10 kg actives/metric ton dry lignocellulosic material;
wherein the white liquor is present in an amount of from about 70 to about 90 weight percent based on a total weight of the mixture;
wherein the mixture is free of added surfactants that are not the alkyl polyglycoside and/or the alkoxylated alcohol; and
wherein said process has an increased digestion efficiency as compared to a process that does not utilize a combination of the alkyl polyglycoside and the alkoxylated alcohol.
2. The process of claim 1 wherein the alkyl polyglycoside has the following structure:
wherein m has an average value of from about 1 to about 3 and n has an average value of from about 5 to about 17.
3. The process of claim 1 wherein the alkyl polyglycoside comprises an oligomeric D-Glucopyranose C10-16 alkyl glycoside.
4. The process of claim 3 wherein the alkyl polyglycoside and the alkoxylated alcohol are present in the mixture in a weight ratio of actives of about 2:1.
5. The process of claim 1 wherein the alkyl polyglycoside and the alkoxylated alcohol are present in the mixture in a weight ratio of actives from about 25:75 to about 75:25.
6. The process of claim 1 wherein the alkyl polyglycoside and the alkoxylated alcohol are present in the mixture in a weight ratio of actives of about 2:1.
7. The process of claim 1 wherein the mixture consists essentially of the lignocellulosic material, the alkyl polyglycoside, the alkoxylated alcohol, and the white liquor.
8. The process of claim 1 wherein the mixture consists essentially of the lignocellulosic material, the alkyl polyglycoside, the alkoxylated alcohol, and the white liquor, and wherein the alkyl polyglycoside is an oligomeric D-Glucopyranose C10-16 alkyl glycoside, the alkoxylated alcohol is an eight mole ethoxylate of isotridecyl alcohol, and the alkyl polyglycoside and the alkoxylated alcohol are present in the mixture in a weight ratio of actives of about 2:1.
9. A mixture comprising:
lignocellulosic material comprising lignocellulosic biomass present in an amount of from about 10 to about 30 weight percent based on a total weight of said mixture;
white liquor comprising sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide and present in an amount of from about 70 to about 90 weight percent based on a total weight of said mixture;
an alkyl polyglycoside; and
an alkoxylated alcohol having a single (—OH) group and comprising an eight mole ethoxylate of isotridecyl alcohol;
wherein said alkyl polyglycoside and said alkoxylated alcohol are present in said mixture in a weight ratio of actives from about 5:95 to about 95:5, respectively;
wherein a combination of said alkyl polyglycoside and said alkoxylated alcohol is present in an amount of from about 0.1 to about 10 kg actives/metric ton dry lignocellulosic material; and
wherein said mixture is free of added surfactants that are not said alkyl polyglycoside and/or said alkoxylated alcohol.
10. The mixture of claim 9 wherein said alkyl polyglycoside and said alkoxylated alcohol are present in said mixture in a weight ratio of actives from about 25:75 to about 75:25.
11. The mixture of claim 9 wherein said alkyl polyglycoside and said alkoxylated alcohol are present in said mixture in a weight ratio of actives of about 2:1.
12. The mixture of claim 9 wherein said alkyl polyglycoside comprises an oligomeric D-Glucopyranose C10-16 alkyl glycoside.
13. The mixture of claim 12 wherein said alkyl polyglycoside and said alkoxylated alcohol are present in said mixture in a weight ratio of actives of about 2:1.
14. The mixture of claim 9 that consists essentially of said lignocellulosic material, said alkyl polyglycoside, said alkoxylated alcohol, and said white liquor, and wherein said alkyl polyglycoside is an oligomeric D-Glucopyranose C10-16 alkyl glycoside, said alkoxylated alcohol is an eight mole ethoxylate of isotridecyl alcohol, and said alkyl polyglycoside and said alkoxylated alcohol are present in said mixture in a weight ratio of actives of about 2:1.
15. A mixture comprising:
lignocellulosic material comprising lignocellulosic biomass that is Eucalyptus hardwood chips and present in an amount of about 18 weight percent based on a total weight of said mixture;
white liquor comprising sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide and present in an amount of from about 70 to about 90 weight percent based on a total weight of said mixture;
an alkyl polyglycoside that is an oligomeric D-Glucopyranose C10-16 alkyl glycoside; and
an alkoxylated alcohol having a single (—OH) group and that is an eight mole ethoxylate of isotridecyl alcohol;
wherein said alkyl polyglycoside and said alkoxylated alcohol are present in said mixture in a weight ratio of actives that is 2:1;
wherein a combination of said alkyl polyglycoside and said alkoxylated alcohol is present in an amount of from about 0.1 to about 10 kg actives/metric ton dry lignocellulosic material;
wherein a total weight of the actives of said alkyl polyglycoside and said alkoxylated alcohol is about 0.1% weight percent based on a total weight of the dry lignocellulosic material; and
wherein said mixture is free of added surfactants that are not said alkyl polyglycoside and/or said alkoxylated alcohol.