Abstract: Methods and systems used to extract lipids suitable in production of biofuels from a fermentation broth may include using heat to pre-treat the fermentation broth in order to more easily extract a product from oleaginous microorganisms in the broth. Additionally or alternatively, a combination of enzymes including amylase, 1-4 mannosidase, and 1-3 mannosidase may be used to break down cell walls of the oleaginous microorganisms. Residual broth water may be recycled and used as imbibition water for washing a process feedstock to extract sugar.

Abstract: Methods and systems used to extract lipids suitable in production of biofuels from a fermentation broth may include using heat to pre-treat the fermentation broth in order to more easily extract a product from oleaginous microorganisms in the broth. Additionally or alternatively, a combination of enzymes including amylase, 1-4 mannosidase, and 1-3 mannosidase may be used to break down cell walls of the oleaginous microorganisms. Residual broth water may be recycled and used as imbibition water for washing a process feedstock to extract sugar.

Abstract: Biofuel generated from the lipids of oleaginous yeast must conform to industry and regulatory standards for fuel performance and composition. In particular, precise lipid compositions and fuel properties are required for approval of biofuels. Disclosed are genetically modified microorganisms generated from oleaginous yeast that show significant alterations in lipid profile. Also disclosed are methods of producing biofuels and biofuel compositions.

Abstract: Methods of producing renewable materials may include consuming a fermentation feedstock with a fermentation organism to produce a renewable material in fermentation broth; water may then be separated from the feedstock or broth using one or more phase separations, or the renewable material may be concentrated from the feedstock or broth using one or more phase separations. Methods of producing biofuel components may include consuming a lignocellulosic or sugar fermentation feedstock with a fermentation organism to produce either ethanol or butanol in fermentation broth; cooling the feedstock or broth to solidify at least some water therein; and separating the solidified water from the feedstock or broth using a solid-liquid phase separation.

Abstract: Methods of producing renewable materials, such as biofuels, may include separating lignocellulosic feedstock into various fractions, pretreating at least one of the fractions, and further treating the pretreated fraction(s) to produce a renewable material. More particularly, an outer-most stalk tissue, or rind, of the lignocellulosic feedstock having the least-accessible carbohydrates can be separated from the leaves and pith of the feedstock. Then the easily-accessible leaves, pith, and sugars can be processed together, while the rind can either be processed separately to produce a renewable material, or turned into other products. In certain embodiments, a cane tissue fractionation system is included at a front end of a sugar mill.

Abstract: Methods of separating renewable materials, such as lipids, from microorganisms, such as oleaginous yeasts, may include conditioning cell walls of the microorganisms to form, open or enlarge pores, and removing at least a portion of the renewable material through the pores. These methods may result in delipidated microorganisms with cell walls that are substantially intact and with mesopores. These delipidated microorganisms may be used to produce biofuels.

Abstract: Methods of producing renewable materials may include consuming a fermentation feedstock with a fermentation organism to produce a renewable material in fermentation broth; water may then be separated from the feedstock or broth using one or more phase separations, or the renewable material may be concentrated from the feedstock or broth using one or more phase separations. Methods of producing biofuel components may include consuming a lignocellulosic or sugar fermentation feedstock with a fermentation organism to produce either ethanol or butanol in fermentation broth; cooling the feedstock or broth to solidify at least some water therein; and separating the solidified water from the feedstock or broth using a solid-liquid phase separation.

Abstract: Methods, hydrolyzing diffuser units, and/or biorefineries suitable for use in biofuel production. A method of pre-treating biomass for production of biofuels includes contacting a biomass stream countercurrently with a pretreatment solution stream, and producing a hydrolyzate stream and a pretreated biomass stream. A hydrolyzing diffuser unit includes a series of stages, with an inlet for biomass in one stage and an inlet for a pretreatment solution in another stage, and systems for continually moving biomass, a system that continually withdraws the pretreatment solution to produce a hydrolyzate stream, and a system that continually withdraws pretreated biomass to produce a pretreated biomass stream. A biorefinery includes a hydrolyzer diffuser unit, a saccharification unit, and a conversion unit.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and/or feedstock suitable for use in biofuels production, as well as biofuel compositions. A method of producing a biofuel includes hydroprocessing glycerides derived from an oleaginous microorganism and composed of at least 10% by weight of fatty acid chains of length C16 or lower, and producing a biofuel having a cold-flow pour point of about 20° Celsius or lower.

Abstract: Economic conversion of lignocellulose requires both the maximization of conversion of available carbohydrates, as well as minimization of process capital cost. Process intensification minimizes capital cost while preserving conversion yield by combining into a single step those unit operations that are conducted at similar conditions. Flowsheet variations are proposed that minimize process capital while maintaining overall conversion yield.

Abstract: High cell density fermentations of wild-type organisms can result in increased viscosity due to the production of exocellular polysaccharides. Mutant microorganisms with a dry morphology, resulting from reduced exocellular polysaccharide formation, were isolated and characterized. The exocellular polysaccharide composition for these modified microorganisms is shown to be different than the polysaccharide composition of the wild type microorganism. In addition to reduced exocellular polysaccharide formation, dry morphology mutants of multiple strains show reduced viscosity, improved oxygen mass transfer, and improved fatty acid fermentation yield on carbon.

Abstract: This invention relates to a lignin sorbent, a lignin removal unit, a biorefinery, a process for removing lignin, a process for binding lignin, and a renewable material. The lignin sorbent includes a substrate, and a lignin binding material dispersed with respect to the substrate. The lignin binding process includes the step of adding a lignin binding material to an input stream, and the step of converting the input stream into a renewable material.

Abstract: Methods of separating renewable materials, such as lipids, from microorganisms, such as oleaginous yeasts, may include conditioning cell walls of the microorganisms to form, open or enlarge pores, and removing at least a portion of the renewable material through the pores. These methods may result in delipidated microorganisms with cell walls that are substantially intact and with mesopores. These delipidated microorganisms may be used to produce biofuels.

Abstract: Methods of producing renewable materials may include consuming a fermentation feedstock with a fermentation organism to produce a renewable material in fermentation broth; water may then be separated from the feedstock or broth using one or more phase separations, or the renewable material may be concentrated from the feedstock or broth using one or more phase separations. Methods of producing biofuel components may include consuming a lignocellulosic or sugar fermentation feedstock with a fermentation organism to produce either ethanol or butanol in fermentation broth; cooling the feedstock or broth to solidify at least some water therein; and separating the solidified water from the feedstock or broth using a solid-liquid phase separation.

Abstract: Methods, biological oils, biofuels, units, and/or organisms directed to use in compression engines. A method of producing biological oils includes producing an organism and having the organism consume a feedstock. The organism includes a lipid containing fatty acids. The organism meets or exceeds at least two metrics. The metrics include: A) a cell density of at least about 115 grams per liter; B) a fatty acid content of at least about 49 percent on a dry mass basis; C) a fatty acid productivity of at least about 15 grams per liter per day; D) a fatty acid yield of at least about 0.175 grams of fatty acids produced per grams of the feedstock consumed; E) a 24 hour peak fatty acid productivity of at least about 30 grams per liter per day; F) an extraction efficiency on a percent of total fatty acid content basis of at least about 50 percent; and/or G) yield of fatty acids on oxygen of more than about 0.4 as grams of fatty acids produced per gram of oxygen consumed basis.

Abstract: Renewable materials made from inhibiting compounds. A method includes the step of consuming a fermentation inhibiting compound with a biological organism, and the step of producing a renewable material with the biological organism from at least a portion of the fermentation inhibiting compound. The methods may include a net balance of cofactor production and consumption.

Abstract: This invention relates to a lignin sorbent, a lignin removal unit, a biorefinery, a process for removing lignin, a process for binding lignin, and a renewable material. The lignin sorbent includes a substrate, and a lignin binding material dispersed with respect to the substrate. The lignin binding process includes the step of adding a lignin binding material to an input stream, and the step of converting the input stream into a renewable material.

Abstract: This invention relates to an enzyme recovery sorbent, an enzyme recovery unit, a lignocellulosic biorefinery, a process for recycling enzymes, and a renewable material. The invention includes a lytic enzyme recovery sorbent suitable for use in production of renewable materials. The sorbent includes a substrate, and an enzyme binding material dispersed with respect to the substrate.