Patents Assigned to Quad County Corn Processors
  • Patent number: 8759050
    Abstract: A process of producing ethanol from whole stillage, includes obtaining a supply of whole stillage from an ethanol production facility after ethanol has been extracted therefrom; pre-treating the whole stillage to convert hemicellulose portions of the whole stillage into sugars; adding enzymes to the whole stillage to convert cellulose portions of the whole stillage to sugars; fermenting the whole stillage to create a beer mixture; and distilling the beer mixture to separate ethanol therefrom. The pre-treating step may include adding acid to the whole stillage to decrease its pH level; heating and pressurizing the whole stillage; holding the whole stillage under pressure and heat for a dwell time; removing pressure from the whole stillage to cause flashing; and cooling the whole stillage before the enzymes are added.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Quad County Corn Processors
    Inventor: Travis Brotherson
  • Patent number: 8633003
    Abstract: A process of producing ethanol from whole stillage, includes obtaining a supply of whole stillage from an ethanol production facility after ethanol has been extracted therefrom; pre-treating the whole stillage to convert hemicellulose portions of the whole stillage into sugars; adding enzymes to the whole stillage to convert cellulose portions of the whole stillage to sugars; fermenting the whole stillage to create a beer mixture; and distilling the beer mixture to separate ethanol therefrom. The pre-treating step may include adding acid to the whole stillage to decrease its pH level; heating and pressurizing the whole stillage; holding the whole stillage under pressure and heat for a dwell time; removing pressure from the whole stillage to cause flashing; and cooling the whole stillage before the enzymes are added.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Quad County Corn Processors
    Inventor: Travis Brotherson
  • Publication number: 20130149763
    Abstract: A process of producing ethanol from whole stillage, includes obtaining a supply of whole stillage from an ethanol production facility after ethanol has been extracted therefrom; pre-treating the whole stillage to convert hemicellulose portions of the whole stillage into sugars; adding enzymes to the whole stillage to convert cellulose portions of the whole stillage to sugars; fermenting the whole stillage to create a beer mixture; and distilling the beer mixture to separate ethanol therefrom. The pre-treating step may include adding acid to the whole stillage to decrease its pH level; heating and pressurizing the whole stillage; holding the whole stillage under pressure and heat for a dwell time; removing pressure from the whole stillage to cause flashing; and cooling the whole stillage before the enzymes are added.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2013
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: Quad County Corn Processors
    Inventor: Quad County Corn Processors
  • Publication number: 20130149750
    Abstract: A method for pretreating cellulose for fermentation in an aqueous environment comprises the steps of: grinding a biomass to reduce its particle size, adding water to the ground biomass to create a slurry, soaking the slurry, heating the slurry at a first pressure greater than atmospheric pressure, reducing the pressure of the slurry, reducing the temperature of the slurry, determining whether the enzymes used require preliminary enzymatic hydrolysis, and performing preliminary enzymatic hydrolysis on the slurry if the enzymes used require preliminary enzymatic hydrolysis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2012
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: Quad County Corn Processors
    Inventor: Quad County Corn Processors
  • Publication number: 20130149764
    Abstract: A process of producing ethanol from whole stillage, includes obtaining a supply of whole stillage from an ethanol production facility after ethanol has been extracted therefrom; pre-treating the whole stillage to convert hemicellulose portions of the whole stillage into sugars; adding enzymes to the whole stillage to convert cellulose portions of the whole stillage to sugars; fermenting the whole stillage to create a beer mixture; and distilling the beer mixture to separate ethanol therefrom. The pre-treating step may include adding acid to the whole stillage to decrease its pH level; heating and pressurizing the whole stillage; holding the whole stillage under pressure and heat for a dwell time; removing pressure from the whole stillage to cause flashing; and cooling the whole stillage before the enzymes are added.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2013
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: Quad County Corn Processors
    Inventor: Quad County Corn Processors
  • Publication number: 20120244591
    Abstract: A process of producing ethanol from whole stillage, includes obtaining a supply of whole stillage from an ethanol production facility after ethanol has been extracted therefrom; pre-treating the whole stillage to convert hemicellulose portions of the whole stillage into sugars; adding enzymes to the whole stillage to convert cellulose portions of the whole stillage to sugars; fermenting the whole stillage to create a beer mixture; and distilling the beer mixture to separate ethanol therefrom. The pre-treating step may include adding acid to the whole stillage to decrease its pH level; heating and pressurizing the whole stillage; holding the whole stillage under pressure and heat for a dwell time; removing pressure from the whole stillage to cause flashing; and cooling the whole stillage before the enzymes are added.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Applicant: Quad County Corn Processors
    Inventor: Travis Brotherson
  • Publication number: 20120208252
    Abstract: A process of producing ethanol from whole stillage, includes obtaining a supply of whole stillage from an ethanol production facility after ethanol has been extracted therefrom; pre-treating the whole stillage to convert hemicellulose portions of the whole stillage into sugars; adding enzymes to the whole stillage to convert cellulose portions of the whole stillage to sugars; fermenting the whole stillage to create a beer mixture; and distilling the beer mixture to separate ethanol therefrom. The pre-treating step may include adding acid to the whole stillage to decrease its pH level; heating and pressurizing the whole stillage; holding the whole stillage under pressure and heat for a dwell time; removing pressure from the whole stillage to cause flashing; and cooling the whole stillage before the enzymes are added.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2011
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: Quad County Corn Processors
    Inventor: Travis Brotherson