Continuous Chemical Treatment Or Continuous Charging Or Discharging Patents (Class 162/17)
  • Patent number: 11186949
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for impregnating biomass (10). In a step (S100) of the method, a reactor unit (11) is fed with biomass (10) by means of a plug screw (12). In another step (S200), the reactor unit (11) is at least partially filled up to a predetermined fill level (13) with a reactant (18), such that a reaction between the fed biomass (10) and the reactant (18) takes place in order to obtain an impregnated biomass. In another step (S300), the impregnated biomass (10) is discharged from the reactor unit (11) for further processing (S300). The invention further relates to a device (1) for impregnating biomass (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Valmet AB
    Inventors: Andreas Averheim, Per Grundström, Anders Löfström
  • Patent number: 10590604
    Abstract: The invention relates to a water-soluble polymer product in particle form, comprising amphoteric polyacrylamide, which is obtained by gel polymerisation of acrylamide together with anionic and cationic monomers. The amphoteric polyacrylamide has a mass average molecular weight MW of 1 500 000-6 000 000 g/mol, and a total ionicity of 4-15 mol-%, whereby the polymer product has a polymer content of at least 60 weight-%. The invention relates also to uses of the polymer product in paper and board making.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Kemira Oyj
    Inventors: Asko Karppi, Matti Hietaniemi, Anneli Lepo, Kimmo Strengell
  • Patent number: 10557665
    Abstract: A centrifugal pellet dryer is provided that includes a housing accommodating a rotor surrounded by a screen, and a feeding system for feeding a water-pellet-slurry to the rotor. The feeding system includes a pre-dewatering system for separating water from the water-pellet-slurry upstream of the rotor. The pre-dewatering system may include a feeding pipe having a dewatering perforation, with the pipe being configured to be mounted in different positions to adjust the amount of dewatering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: GALA INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Louis Cody Shortt, Richard Borland Thrasher, Jr., Kerry Patrick Morris
  • Patent number: 10384212
    Abstract: An industrial powder making device having spiked hammer and blade arms. The device includes a powder making cylinder body, spiked hammer arms, a front oblique hammer, vertical hammers, a hammer arm, a detachable rack, a detachable rack inner bulge, spiked blade arms, a front oblique blade, high-hardness wear-resistant alloy sheets, a blade arm, a rotating shaft, a rotating shaft groove, a clamping piece, a feeding port, a discharging port, bearings, a rotating power module, a liquid nitrogen storage tank, a pipeline, a valve, nitrogen input holes, a nitrogen output hole, a fine particle collection device and a disc bevel discharging control device. An operating method is: crushing the ore by the spiked hammer arms, grinding the ore by the spiked blade arms, cooling with nitrogen, controlling equivalent input and output of the ore, and crushing and grinding the ore according to an established route, thereby realizing rapid powder making.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: SHENZHEN TONGYIKA TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yong Chen, Zhenghui He
  • Patent number: 10087578
    Abstract: Provided is a discharge device for discharging pretreated biomass from a pressurized reactor. The device comprises: a vessel having an opening to a high pressure region at the top, and configured to be connected with a pressurized biomass pretreatment device; one or more inlet openings situated along the sides of the vessels through which water or liquid may be added; an orifice or valve at a lower part of said vessel, said orifice or valve being configured to eject pretreated biomass, optionally into a pipeline. The discharge device is characterised in that it comprises mechanical agitation means, said agitation means comprising an agitation element arranged in the interior of said vessel at a lower part of said vessel, and being configured to provide agitation of the content of said vessel, wherein said agitation means being adapted to withstand a pressure in the interior of a said vessel of 10 bar or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: INBICON A/S
    Inventors: Jesper Dohrup, Brian Eskesen, Kit Kellebjerg Mogensen
  • Patent number: 10053816
    Abstract: A method for continuously cooking grass raw materials, includes: (1) preparing grass raw materials by conventional dry or wet method to obtain a chopped grass; (2a) conveying the chopped grass into a T-shaped tube, adding a cooking liquor from a top of the tube and mixing with the chopped grass tube to obtain a forage; (2b) adding steam to the forage being in the horizontal tube, the forage being heated and going into a spherical mixer; (2c) adding a cooking liquor extruded by a dehydration spiral into the spherical mixer, mixing uniformly with the forage in the spherical mixer; (3) conveying the forage after the pre-cooking process to a digester, heating the cooking liquor by a heater arranged outside the digester, and sending the cooking liquor back to the digester for cooking the forage to obtain a pulp of the grass raw materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: SHANDONG TRALIN PAPER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hongfa Li, Mingxin Song, Songtao Chen, Qingtao Wang, Jixing Chu, Yingwen Dong
  • Patent number: 10041031
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and process for continuous saccharification of marine algae and cellulosic biomass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignees: Biol Systems Co., Ltd., Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Myung Kyo Shin, Dong In Jeong, In Sik Kim, Dongjoong Im
  • Patent number: 10006168
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method for treating chemical paper pulp comprising a step of treating the pulp with ozone followed by a step of alkaline extraction, in which alkaline extraction takes place in the presence of magnesium ions (Mg2+).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignees: L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude, Association de Gestion De L'Ecole Francaise de Papeterie et des Industries Graphiques (AGEFPI), Degremont France, Xylem Water Solutions Herford GmbH, Arkema France
    Inventors: Frederic Pouyet, Dominique Lachenal, Christine Chirat
  • Patent number: 10000889
    Abstract: A method of wood pulping having a significantly increased yield is disclosed. Wood chips are chemically pulped to a high kappa number, providing a first accepts component and a first rejects component. The first rejects component is subjected to a high consistency pulping process such as a substantially mechanical pulping process to generate a second accepts component and a second rejects component. The first accepts component may be used in the production of saturating kraft paper with excellent saturability and resin pick up. The second accepts may be used as a second fiber source in the production of multiply linerboard and unbleached paperboard with enhanced stiffness, strength, and smoothness. Alternatively, the first accepts component may be blended with the second accepts component to produce fiber blends, which may be used in a production of paper-based products having enhanced strength and stiffness at low basis weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: WestRock MWV, LLC
    Inventors: Peter W. Hart, Darrell M. Waite, Dale E. Nutter, Jr., Jared Bradberry
  • Patent number: 9915030
    Abstract: According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a mechanism and method is provided to clean and remove or separate cellulose fibers from the source fibrous material without stressing and/or damaging the cellulose fibers. The mechanism includes an agitator that directs the washing fluid in a vertical direction into engagement with the fibrous material to effect maximum cleaning of the cellulose from the remainder of the fibrous material without damaging or stressing the cellulose, thereby providing cellulose that can enhance the strength and other beneficial characteristics of a biocomposite material formed using the cellulose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: CNH Industrial Canada, Ltd.
    Inventors: James Henry, Satyanarayan Panigrahi, Radhey Lal Kushwaha
  • Patent number: 9856601
    Abstract: A method for treating cellulosic biomass feed stock including: feeding the feed stock to an upper inlet of a vertical reactor vessel, wherein the feed stock is deposited on a pile of feed stock within the vertical reactor vessel; adding heat energy to heat the feed stock by injecting steam to an upper region of the vertical reactor vessel; propelling the feed stock through an outlet in a lower region of the vertical reactor vessel by injecting steam into the biomass at, near or after the bottom outlet of the vertical reactor vessel, and moving the propelled feed stock through an expansion device, such as a steam explosion device, to subject the feed stock to a steam explosion process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Andritz Inc.
    Inventor: Bertil Stromberg
  • Patent number: 9708762
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of and an arrangement for transferring a process liquid from a washing and thickening device to a subsequent process stage. In accordance with an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the method and the arrangement are applicable, for example, in transferring fiber suspensions or pulps from washing and thickening device to a subsequent process stage in pulp and paper making industry such that the dilution of pulp after a washing and thickening device is performed in a stand pipe (18) below the surface level control range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Sulzer Management AG
    Inventors: Reijo Vesala, Vesa Vikman
  • Patent number: 9617350
    Abstract: The invention is a method for efficiently preparing alkali cellulose having a uniform alkali distribution therein. More specifically, the invention is a method for preparing alkali cellulose comprising steps of bringing pulp into continuous contact with an alkali metal hydroxide solution in a bucket conveyor type contactor to generate a contact mixture, and draining the contact mixture; a method for preparing a cellulose ether comprising use of the alkali cellulose thus prepared; and an apparatus for preparing alkali cellulose comprising a bucket conveyor contactor comprising at least one inlet port for introducing pulp and an alkali metal hydroxide solution at one end and at least one outlet port for discharging a contact mixture wherein the pulp and the alkali metal hydroxide solution can be moved from one end to the other end while bringing them into contact with each other to generate the contact mixture; and a drainer for separating a cake from the contact mixture discharged from the outlet port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuo Narita, Masaki Tabata, Atsushi Yoshida, Hiroshi Umezawa
  • Patent number: 9611333
    Abstract: The invention is a method for efficiently preparing alkali cellulose having a uniform alkali distribution therein. More specifically, pulp and an excess alkali metal hydroxide solution are introduced continuously in a screw conveyor type contactor and brought into contact with each other in the screw conveyor type reactor. By changing at least one factor selected from the group consisting of a rotation speed of the screw conveyor, a screw pitch and a length of immersion zone, a ratio of an alkali to cellulose in the alkali cellulose obtained by draining is controlled. The alkali cellulose thus obtained is etherified into the corresponding cellulose ether.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuo Narita, Masaki Tabata, Atsushi Yoshida, Hiroshi Umezawa
  • Patent number: 9540770
    Abstract: A system includes at least one common support configured to span at least a width of a web of material in a manufacturing or processing system. The system also includes multiple sensor heads each configured to move independently along at least part of the at least one common support. The sensor heads can be configured to move simultaneously along the at least one common support, and at least one controller can be configured to control movement of the sensor heads so that the sensor heads do not contact one another. Each sensor head could include one or more sensors configured to measure one or more characteristics of the web. Different sensor heads could include different types of sensors. The sensor heads can be configured to move in non-overlapping patterns over or under the web. Different sensor heads can be configured to move at different speeds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Honeywell Limited
    Inventor: Cristian Andronic
  • Patent number: 9416491
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of and an arrangement for transferring a process liquid from a washing and thickening device to a subsequent process stage. In accordance with an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the method and the arrangement are applicable, for example, in transferring fibre suspensions or pulps from washing and thickening device to a subsequent process stage in pulp and paper making industry such that the dilution of pulp after a washing and thickening device is performed in a stand pipe (18) below the surface level control range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: Sulzer Management AG
    Inventors: Reijo Vesala, Vesa Vikman
  • Patent number: 9371612
    Abstract: A pulp cooking system including: a cellulosic material feed system, a pre-hydrolysis reactor vessel and a Kraft cooking reactor vessel. The feed material system includes a steaming chip bin and a high pressure transfer device. The pre-hydrolysis reactor vessel maintains the feed material in a mildly acidic condition and allows hydrolysate to be extracted through screens below a hydrolysis zone in the vessel. A wash zone is below the screens and allows wash liquid to flow through the feed material in a cross-current direction. The wash liquid and hydrolysate removed from the feed material is extracted through the screens. The feed material is maintained in a mildly acidic condition through the pre-hydrolysis reactor vessel until the material enters the Kraft cooking vessel where the feed material is treated with alkaline cooking liquors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: ANDRITZ INC.
    Inventors: Aaron Leavitt, Jussi Pakarinen, Brian F. Greenwood
  • Patent number: 9255189
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of producing ethanol from lignocellulosic biomass, including a two stage steam pretreatment process. The first stage of the steam pretreatment is carried out by heating the biomass with high pressure steam to a first stage temperature of 140° C. to 180° C. for a first stage time of 30 minutes to 2 hours at a first stage pressure of 105 to 150 psig; and the second steam pretreatment stage is carried out by heating the biomass with high pressure steam to raise the biomass temperature to a second stage temperature of 190° C. to 210° C. for a second stage time of 2 to 10 minutes at a second stage pressure of 167 to 262 psig. Hemicellulose and inhibitors (inhibitory compounds) to downstream hydrolysis and fermentation are preferably removed between the first and second pretreating stages, more preferably after each pretreatment stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: GreenField Specialty Alcohols Inc.
    Inventors: Frank A. Dottori, Robert Ashley Cooper Benson, Regis-Olivier Benech
  • Patent number: 9200406
    Abstract: The invention relates to an improved process to break down lignin macromolecules and liberating cellulose fibers in lignocellulosic material using delignifying reactants with a gaseous organic agent as a heating and reaction-accelerating media. Lignocellulosic material is first impregnated with reactant chemicals, e.g. commonly used agents such as sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide. Subsequently, the energy required for the delignification reactions is provided through heating with a gaseous organic agent such as methanol or ethanol, condensing and releasing energy to the solid lignocellulosic material. The temperature during the heating step with a gaseous organic agent is higher than the temperature during the impregnation step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: Valmet Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Enqvist, Panu Tikka, Leopold Heinrich, Matti Luhtanen
  • Patent number: 9139955
    Abstract: A method is presented, by which dewatering in paper product production, optical properties, bulk and surface smoothness of the paper product can be increased. The method involves at least one step physical treatment of the vegetable fiber raw material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Inventor: Olli Joutsimo
  • Patent number: 9103603
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a thermal conductive cylinder installed with U-type core piping and loop piping for being installed within natural thermal storage body or artificial thermal storage body; wherein the piping segments of fluid inlet terminal and/or outlet terminal of the U-type core piping and loop piping are directly made of thermal insulating material, or thermal insulating structure is installed between the inlet terminal and the outlet terminal; so as to prevent thermal energy loss between adjacent piping segments on the same side when thermal conductive fluid with temperature difference passing through.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Inventor: Tai-Her Yang
  • Patent number: 8980050
    Abstract: A method for treating a cellulosic material comprising extracting the cellulosic material with an extractant to selectively extract hemicellulose therein and separating the extracted hemicellulose to form a cellulosic product comprising less hemicellulose than the cellulosic material. The extractant comprises an amine oxide and a non-solvent. The cellulosic product retains the cellulosic fiber morphology.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Celanese International Corporation
    Inventors: Rongfu Li, Jay Mehta, Xiaoyan Tu, Prabuddha Bansal, Michael Combs, Denis Fallon, Lawton E Kizer
  • Patent number: 8974633
    Abstract: The system and method is for the pumping of finely divided cellulose material to a continuous digester. The system has a concentric arrangement of pipes. A fluid (Liq) is added to a chamber formed between the pipes to establish a cylindrical film of fluid around a rod-shaped flow of cellulose material before the inlet to the pump. It is possible in this way to reduce the pressure drop in the lines, reduce wear in the pump, and ensure a maximal pressure build up in the pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Valmet Aktiebolag
    Inventor: Anders Samuelsson
  • Patent number: 8888954
    Abstract: The feed system is for a continuous digester where at least two pumps are arranged in parallel at the bottom of a pre-treatment vessel and a stirrer is provided in direct connection to inlets to pumps. The system makes it possible to provide a feed system with an improved accessibility and operational reliability, and to operate the main part of the pumps at optimal efficiency even if the production capacity is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Valmet AB
    Inventors: Anders Samuelsson, Jonas Saetherasen, Daniel Trolin
  • Patent number: 8801898
    Abstract: The method and arrangement is for adding treatment liquor to comminuted cellulose material, preferably wood chips, during the manufacture of chemical pulp in a continuous process. The process uses a down-flow vessel where chips are descending down the vessel in a plug-flow and where treated chips are continuously fed out at the bottom of the vessel. By arranging more than two parallel pipes offset from the center of the vessel a better distribution of treatment liquor is obtained. Any disturbance of the chip plug flow descending down the vessel is reduced to a minimum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Valmet AB
    Inventors: Daniel Trolin, Fredrik Wilgotson, Peter Henricsson
  • Patent number: 8747612
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the production of microfibrillated cellulose wherein the process comprises the steps of, providing a slurry comprising fibers, adding the slurry to an extruder, treating the slurry in the extruder so that the fibers are defibrillated and microfibrillated cellulose is formed. The invention further relates to a microfibrillated cellulose produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Stora Enso OYJ
    Inventors: Isto Heiskanen, Ali Harlin, Kaj Backfolk, Risto Laitinen
  • Patent number: 8668806
    Abstract: An omnibus process of pulping and bleaching lignocellulosic materials in which a charge of a lignocellulosic material is biopulped and/or water extracted prior to pulping and bleaching. The lignocellulosic material may be mechanically pulped and bleached in the presence of an enzyme that breaks lignin-carbohydrate complexes. The aqueous extract in embodiments including a water extract step is separated into acetic acid and hemicellulose sugar aqueous solutions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: The Research Foundation of the State University of New York
    Inventors: Thomas E. Amidon, Raymond Francis, Gary M. Scott, Jeremy Bartholomew, Bandaru V. Ramarao, Christopher D. Wood
  • Publication number: 20140053993
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for refining and reclaiming rejects in a sulfite pulping process. Wood chips and sulfite cooking liquor are provided to a digester for delignification. The slurry obtained from the digester is screened to obtain a reject portion containing sulfite rejects. The sulfite rejects are disintegrated in a refiner, such that the rejects are refined to a freeness suitable for digestion in a subsequent re-cooking step. Refined rejects are then returned to the digester for re-cooking with wood chips.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2013
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: University of New Brunswick
    Inventors: Yonghao Ni, Guojun Kang
  • Patent number: 8647469
    Abstract: The method, system and a withdrawal screen section are for the impregnation of chips during the manufacture of chemical pulp. Chips are both steamed and impregnated in a low pressure impregnation vessel, using pressurized hot spent cooking liquor BL as the main part of the impregnation liquid. The hot spent cooking liquor produces most of the steam BLST necessary for steaming the chips. At least two independent first and second screen rows, SC1 and SC1b respectively, are installed in order to improve the process in the impregnation vessel. The first screen row withdraws acidified treatment liquor for disposal which otherwise would be a parasitic acidified waste fluid in the system. The second screen row recirculates treatment fluid back to center of treatment vessel in order to even out the pH profile over the cross section of the vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Metso Paper Sweden AB
    Inventors: Daniel Trolin, Hans Furhem
  • Publication number: 20140014283
    Abstract: The invention relates to methods of manufacturing nano pulp, wherein cellulose containing raw material is accelerated in a continuous gas and/or liquid flow, whereby the material is disintegrated and nano pulp is produced. The gas and/or liquid flow may be created by reduction of an elevated pressure in a reactor holding the cellulose containing raw material. The invention also relates to the nano pulp produced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2012
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Applicant: INNVENTIA AB
    Inventors: Mikael E. Lindström, Daniel Söderberg, Gunnar Henriksson
  • Publication number: 20130240167
    Abstract: The method, system and a withdrawal screen section are for the impregnation of chips during the manufacture of chemical pulp. Chips are both steamed and impregnated in a low pressure impregnation vessel, using pressurized hot spent cooking liquor BL as the main part of the impregnation liquid. The hot spent cooking liquor produces most of the steam BLST necessary for steaming the chips. At least two independent first and second screen rows, SC1 and SC1b respectively, are installed in order to improve the process in the impregnation vessel. The first screen row withdraws acidified treatment liquor for disposal which otherwise would be a parasitic acidified waste fluid in the system. The second screen row recirculates treatment fluid back to center of treatment vessel in order to even out the pH profile over the cross section of the vessel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2010
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Inventors: Daniel Trolin, Hans Furhem
  • Patent number: 8524037
    Abstract: A process is provided for delignifying lignocellulosic material, including feeding a lignocellulosic blend comprising a Western Red Cedar (WRC) chip furnish and a second lignocellulosic material into an aqueous alkaline pulping solution at the feed end of a digester to produce a lignocellulosic mass. The second lignocellulosic material is provided in a proportion that increases the density of the mass to enable the mass to move through the digester while minimizing production effects associated with low density WRC chips. The mass moves through the digester to produce a pulp that may be bleached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Canfor Pulp and Paper Sales Ltd.
    Inventors: Ranbir Heer, Paul Watson
  • Patent number: 8486228
    Abstract: Provided is a lignocellulosic biomass saccharification pre-treatment device capable of producing a pretreated material for saccharification. The lignocellulosic biomass saccharification pre-treatment device comprises a separation unit 4 which separates ammonia gas by heating a pretreated material for saccharification obtained from a substrate mixture obtained by mixing lignocellulosic biomass and ammonia water; a first heat recovery unit 25 which recovers heat-of-dissolution generated when ammonia gas is dissolved in water, and the heat supply units 8, 9, 10 which generate heat by using heat-of-dissolution recovered by the frst heat recovery unit 25 and supply the heat to the separation unit 4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Baba, Junji Yasuda
  • Patent number: 8475627
    Abstract: A process of treating a lignocellulosic material includes a pre-extraction step in which hemicellulose is extracted from the lignocellulosic material. In one embodiment, the pre-extraction step involves contacting the lignocellulosic material with an aqueous solution under conditions that release acidic material from the lignocellulosic material into the aqueous solution, and the aqueous solution includes a basic material that at least partly neutralizes the acidic material so that the aqueous solution at the end of the pre-extraction step has a pH within a range of from 4.5 to 11. The process also includes a pulping step, after the pre-extraction step, in which the lignocellulosic material is separated into pulp. The process further includes an adsorption step, after the pulping step, in which hemicellulose is adsorbed on the pulp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignees: University of Maine System Board of Trustees, International Paper Company
    Inventors: Adriaan Reinhard Pieter van Heiningen, Sung-Hoon Yoon, Haixuan Zou, Jianer Jiang, Gopal C. Goyal
  • Patent number: 8449717
    Abstract: The method is for influencing the flow from a strainer construction in a continuous digester. In order to avoid clogging of the withdrawal compartment in the strainer construction, an additive that counteracts precipitation processes is added directly to the withdrawal compartment while the cooking fluid is withdrawn from the withdrawal compartment. The addition of chemicals can take place at the same time as the withdrawn cooking fluid is withdrawn from the digester and the strainer construction, or while the withdrawn cooking fluid is fully or partially re-circulated back to the withdrawal compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Metso Paper Sweden AB
    Inventor: Jonas Saetherasen
  • Patent number: 8328983
    Abstract: A method of producing a modified pulp for use in paper or paper web products, the method comprising treating wood chips in an extraction process to remove hemicellose to form treated wood chips; and subjecting said treated wood chips to chemical or semichemical pulping to form a modified Kraft pulp wherein the amount of hemicellulose contained in the modified Kraft pulp is from about 5 to about 10% by dry weight of the modified pulp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: International Paper Company
    Inventors: Zheng Tan, Gopal Goyal, Alexander A Koukoulas
  • Patent number: 8303767
    Abstract: Methods of pretreating comminuted cellulosic material with an acidic solution and then a carbonate-containing solution to produce a pretreated cellulosic material are provided. The pretreated material may then be further treated in a pulping process, for example, a soda-anthraquinone pulping process, to produce a cellulose pulp. The pretreatment solutions may be extracted from the pretreated cellulose material and selectively re-used, for example, with acid or alkali addition, for the pretreatment solutions. The resulting cellulose pulp is characterized by having reduced lignin content and increased yield compared to prior art treatment processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: The Research Foundation of State University of New York
    Inventor: Raymond Francis
  • Publication number: 20120261084
    Abstract: The system and method is for the pumping of finely divided cellulose material to a continuous digester. The system has a concentric arrangement of pipes. A fluid (Liq) is added to a chamber formed between the pipes to establish a cylindrical film of fluid around a rod-shaped flow of cellulose material before the inlet to the pump. It is possible in this way to reduce the pressure drop in the lines, reduce wear in the pump, and ensure a maximal pressure build up in the pump.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2010
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Inventor: Anders Samuelsson
  • Patent number: 8273212
    Abstract: The method increases the yield and improves the beatability of kraft pulp. During the progression of the cooking process, more than one cooking liquor with a dissolved content of hemicellulose is drawn off and then reintroduced to the last phases of the cooking process, to re-precipitate the hemicellulose on the fibers. The hemicellulose rich cooking liquors are adjusted so that they, upon being added to the last phase of the cooking process are optimized. Early dissolved hemicellulose has a longer chain length than the hemicellulose that dissolves in the cooking liquor in the later phases of the cooking process, and they also have different tendencies to precipitate on the wood chips softened in the cooking process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Metso Paper Sweden AB
    Inventor: Vidar Snekkenes
  • Publication number: 20120216971
    Abstract: The method and arrangement is for adding treatment liquor to comminuted cellulose material, preferably wood chips, during the manufacture of chemical pulp in a continuous process. The process uses a down-flow vessel where chips are descending down the vessel in a plug-flow and where treated chips are continuously fed out at the bottom of the vessel. By arranging more than two parallel pipes offset from the center of the vessel a better distribution of treatment liquor is obtained. Any disturbance of the chip plug flow descending down the vessel is reduced to a minimum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2009
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Inventors: Daniel Trolin, Fredrik Wilgotson, Peter Henricsson
  • Patent number: 8197639
    Abstract: The system and method reduce the liquid/wood ratio at the top of a vapor phase digester in a continuous digester plant. Chips that are to be cooked in the vapor phase digester are fed as a mixture of chips and liquid at a liquid/wood ratio that exceeds 8:1 in a transfer line to an inverted top separator arranged at the top of the vapor phase digester. The top separator feeds the chips upwardly. More than 50% of the liquid content of the mixture of chips and liquid is withdrawn in the top separator and the remaining liquid is fed out from the top separator to the top of the vapor phase digester. A pile of chips and a liquid volume are established at the top, wherein the pile of chips is disposed above the liquid surface of the liquid volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: METSO PAPER Sweden AB
    Inventor: Vidar Snekkenes
  • Publication number: 20120125548
    Abstract: Biomass pretreatment using anhydrous ammonia is effective in a static reactor vessel when the ammonia can penetrate through the biomass particles or pieces in vapor state, and when biomass is continuously fed and moved through the reactor. To achieve this condition, total system moisture content is kept below 40 weight % based on total mass in the system. The pretreated biomass product is effectively saccharified to produce fermentable sugars for biocatalyst production of a product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2011
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Applicant: E. I. DU PONT DE NEMOURS AND COMPANY
    Inventor: JEFFREY DAVID COHEN
  • Patent number: 8182650
    Abstract: A method of producing a modified pulp comprising treating wood chips in an extraction process to remove hemicellose to form treated wood chips; and subjecting said treated wood chips to chemical or semichemical pulping to form a modified Kraft pulp wherein the amount of hemicellulose contained in the modified Kraft pulp is from about 5 to about 10% by dry weight of the modified pulp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: International Paper Company
    Inventors: Zheng Tan, Gopal Goyal, Alexander A. Koukoulas
  • Publication number: 20120048492
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for optimization of continuous digestion process. Exemplary embodiments can control a delignification process in a continuous pulp digester in an optimal way for different pulp grades taking into account process disturbances and model uncertainties. This can be achieved by customizing a generic mathematical model for a continuous digestion process which runs through a software application on a dedicated electronic device. The model can be updated periodically based on on-line information, and used with a plant optimization component involving multiobjective optimization to evaluate optimal set points for the controllers. A system is also disclosed for optimizing control of a continuous pulp digester.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2011
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: ABB RESEARCH LTD
    Inventors: Shrikant BHAT, Babji Buddhi Srinivasa, Prasanna Pathath
  • Patent number: 8080128
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for increasing the concentration of xylose in lignocellulosic hydrolysate. The method includes the step of extruding lignocellulosic material and mixing the lignocellulosic material with diluted acid and the step of conducting hot-water extraction on the mixture. Hence, the concentration of the xylose in the lignocellulosic hydrolysate can achieve a high concentration of 60 g/L, and the yield of the xylose can reach to 90%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Atomic Energy Council - Institute of Nuclear Research
    Inventors: Wen-Hua Chen, Sheng-Shieh Chen, Wen-Song Hwang, Lee-Chung Men, Jia-Baau Wang
  • Patent number: 8017820
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a continuous process for pretreating a lignocellulosic feedstock. A feedstock slurry is provided, which has a solids concentration of 10% to 33% by weight. The feedstock slurry is pumped through a heating train of at least two stages, each stage including a pump to increase stage pressure and a direct steam injection to heat the feedstock slurry. Acid is also added to the feedstock slurry prior to the heating train, during a heating stage, or after leaving the heating train; the acid is added at a concentration of 0% to 12% weight of acid on weight of initial feedstock. A heated, acidified feedstock slurry is thus produced. The heated, acidified feedstock slurry is flowed through a pre-treatment reactor at a temperature of 160° C. to 280° C. for a time sufficient to increase efficiency of conversion of cellulose in the feedstock to glucose using cellulase enzymes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Iogen Energy Corporation
    Inventors: Brian Foody, Vijay Anand, David Rea
  • Patent number: 7998310
    Abstract: A method for the impregnation of untreated chips during the manufacture of chemical pulp. The untreated chips are fed without preceding steam treatment into an impregnation vessel that has an upper part with a first area (A1) and a lower part with a second area (A2) that is larger than the first area (A1) by a factor of at least ?{square root over (2)}. The chips establish in the upper part a level of chips that is located at a level (h) above a level of fluid consisting of liquor. The chips after passage of the upper part pass through a transitional part, where an increase in area from the first area (A1) to the second area (A2) takes place, and it is here that the angle of repose of the chips is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Metso Paper Sweden AB
    Inventors: Lennart Gustavsson, Jonas Saetherasen, Vidar Snekkenes
  • Publication number: 20110186250
    Abstract: A process is provided for delignifying lignocellulosic material, including feeding a lignocellulosic blend comprising a Western Red Cedar (WRC) chip furnish and a second lignocellulosic material into an aqueous alkaline pulping solution at the feed end of a digester to produce a lignocellulosic mass. The second lignocellulosic material is provided in a proportion that increases the density of the mass to enable the mass to move through the digester while minimizing production effects associated with low density WRC chips. The mass moves through the digester to produce a pulp that may be bleached.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2011
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Inventors: Ranbir Heer, Paul Watson
  • Patent number: 7943009
    Abstract: A process of treating a lignocellulosic material includes a pre-extraction step in which hemicellulose is extracted from the lignocellulosic material. In one embodiment, the pre-extraction step involves contacting the lignocellulosic material with an aqueous solution under conditions that release acidic material from the lignocellulosic material into the aqueous solution, and the aqueous solution includes a basic material that at least partly neutralizes the acidic material so that the aqueous solution at the end of the pre-extraction step has a pH within a range of from 4.5 to 11. The process also includes a pulping step, after the pre-extraction step, in which the lignocellulosic material is separated into pulp. The process further includes an adsorption step, after the pulping step, in which hemicellulose is adsorbed on the pulp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignees: University of Maine System Board of Trustees, International Paper Company
    Inventors: Adriaan Reinhard Pieter van Heiningen, Sung-Hoon Yoon, Haixuan Zou, Jianer Jiang, Gopal C. Goyal
  • Patent number: 7901541
    Abstract: The method is for the impregnation of chips during the manufacture of chemical pulp. The chips are continuously fed without preceding steam treatment to the top of an impregnation vessel that maintains atmospheric pressure. Impregnation fluid (BL) is added to the impregnation vessel and establishes a fluid level (LIQ_LEV). The chips that have been added establish a chips level (CH_LEV) that lies at least 3-5 meters over the fluid level. The temperature at the top of the vessel essentially corresponds to ambient temperature. Impregnation fluid BL is fed in to the impregnation vessel in such an amount and at such a temperature that the temperature that is established at the fluid level (LIQ_LEV) is established within the interval 90-115° C., preferably within the interval 95-105° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Metso Fiber Karlstad AB
    Inventors: Vidar Snekkenes, Lennart Gustavsson, Daniel Trolin, Mats Nasman