Patents by Inventor Alan McFARLANE

Alan McFARLANE has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • RECOVERY OF LIGNIN AND WATER SOLUBLE SUGARS FROM PLANT MATERIALS
    Publication number: 20110282038
    Abstract: In one aspect, a process for treating woody plant material is provided, the process involving contacting the plant material with a continuous flow of an aqueous ethanol solution at elevated temperature and pressure under conditions that promote extraction of ethanol-soluble lignin from the plant material and retention of hemicellulose sugars, xylose and cellulose in the treated plant material solids. In another aspect, a process for extracting hemicellulose sugars from lignin-depleted plant material solids is provided, the process involving contacting lignin-depleted plant material with water at elevated temperature and pressure under conditions that promote extraction of hemicellulose sugars from the plant material; and recovering hemicellulose sugars from the liquid mixture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2011
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Applicant: BIOJOULE LIMITED
    Inventors: Helene BELANGER, Ross L. PRESTIDGE, Tony James LOUGH, James D. WATSON, Jia-Long Yao, Clare ELTON, Alan McFarlane, Mohammed Mehdi Farid, John Chen
  • RECOVERY OF LIGNIN AND WATER SOLUBLE SUGARS FROM PLANT MATERIALS
    Publication number: 20100136642
    Abstract: In one aspect, a process for treating woody plant material is provided, the process involving contacting the plant material with a continuous flow of an aqueous ethanol solution at elevated temperature and pressure under conditions that promote extraction of ethanol-soluble lignin from the plant material and retention of hemicellulose sugars, xylose and cellulose in the treated plant material solids. In another aspect, a process for extracting hemicellulose sugars from lignin-depleted plant material solids is provided, the process involving contacting lignin-depleted plant material with water at elevated temperature and pressure under conditions that promote extraction of hemicellulose sugars from the plant material; and recovering hemicellulose sugars from the liquid mixture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Applicant: BIOJOULE LIMITED
    Inventors: Helene BELANGER, Ross L. PRESTIDGE, Tony James LOUGH, James D. WATSON, Clare ELTON, Alan McFARLANE, Mohammed Mehdi FARID, John CHEN