Abstract: This invention relates to an environmentally preferred process for the delignification of a cellulosic biomass comprising pulp. The process uses the oxidative properties of nascent oxygen to complete pulping and bleaching operations. The process may be used in a pulping stage, a bleaching stage or can be used for both the pulping and bleaching stages of a delignification process. The process does not rely on large volumes of environmentally offensive chemicals such as caustic soda, sulfur, and chlorine to achieve delignification of the pulp.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a pelletized fuel including the steps of hydrolizing cellulose containing material to form a binder, mixing the binder with combustible fines including preferably coal fines and wood chips or saw dust in which the binder is about two percent to eight percent by weight of the mixture, and forming the mixture into pellets. The pellets are dried by subjecting them to a temperature sufficient to drive off substantially the water content thereof to provide pellets which are crush resistant and weather resistant and which may thereby by handled for use as a fuel such as in a boiler for generating steam.

Abstract: An apparatus for use in the continuous treatment of cellulosic matter to improve the digestibility thereof, comprising means for receiving finely divided cellulosic matter, acidic process chemicals, and steam; a first attrition mill wherein the steam, cellulosic matter, and process chemicals are intimately mixed and initially reacted; a reactor with rotatable sweeps therein to complete the reaction; and a second attrition mill wherein the reacted material is neutralized to the desired level.

Abstract: A process of treating cellulosic plant matter to increase the digestability thereof by animals, in which finely divided plant matter, such as sawdust, rice hulls, bagasse, wheat straw, or the like, is mixed with water and nitric acid or a combination of water, nitric acid and a nonoxidizing acid, such as sulfuric, phosphoric, hydrochloric or acetic, to produce a mixture of about 20% water, 1/4 to 1% oxygen based on the oven dried weight of organic material, the oxygen being released from the nitric acid, and a pH of 0.5 to 3.5, and cooking the mixture in a pressurized vessel at about 125 psig for 30 to 60 minutes. The cooked product may then be neutralized to raise the pH to a desired level for animal feed.

Abstract: A process for treating plant organic matter particles to increase the digestability thereof by ruminants including mixing the organic particles with water, a nontoxic acid catalyst to produce a Ph lower than 3.0, and a metallic catalyst of either iron or manganese, oxidizing the mixture under elevated pressure and temperature to fragment the cellulose molecules and break the lignin-cellulose bond, and hydrolizing the oxidized mixture under elevated pressure and temperature to convert at least a portion of the cellulose molecules to saccharides and saccharide acids.