Patents by Inventor Bandaru V. Ramarao

Bandaru V. Ramarao 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).

  • Publication number: 20180245285
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2018
    Publication date: August 30, 2018
    Applicant: The Research Foundation for The State University of New York
    Inventors: Thomas E. Amidon, Raymond Francis, Gary M. Scott, Jeremy Bartholomew, Bandaru V. Ramarao, Christopher D. Wood
  • Patent number: 9951363
    Abstract: A significant fraction of short fibers (fines) is produced while recycling Old Corrugated Containerboards (OCC), which are usually rejected as solid waste stream, requiring landfilling and posing environmental problems. The major component of these fines rejects are primarily cellulose that can be hydrolyzed into sugars for possible fermentation into biofuels, bioplastics or other sugar based products. Use of fines also offers benefits such as negative costs and production of fermentable sugars without requiring complex pretreatment processes, now required to hydrolyze and eliminate inhibitors from hydrolyzate. Enzymatic hydrolysis of reject fines from a recycled OCC mill, employing different strains of cellulases, were investigated. Fillers (up to 30 mass %) in the fines increases the required dosage of enzymes and costs. Enzyme loading can be lowered by addition of surfactants to reduce their inhibitory activity. The nonionic surfactant Triton X-80 improved hydrolysis yields by up to 10 percent points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: The Research Foundation for the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry
    Inventors: Byeong Cheol Min, Bhavin V. Bhayani, Bandaru V. Ramarao
  • Patent number: 9945073
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: The Research Foundation for The State University of New York
    Inventors: Thomas E. Amidon, Raymond Francis, Gary M. Scott, Jeremy Bartholomew, Bandaru V. Ramarao, Christopher D. Wood
  • Patent number: 9850512
    Abstract: A method for processing a stream of cellulosic fines containing inorganic particles, to increase a hydrolysis yield of polysaccharide degradation enzymes, such fines in a waste stream from a recycled packaging paper mill to produce a stream of fermentable sugars, comprising treating the fines with a surfactant which selectively binds to the inorganic particles and which reduces binding to the inorganic particles by the polysaccharide degradation enzymes, and degrading polysaccharides in the waste stream with the polysaccharide degradation enzymes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: The Research Foundation For The State University of New York
    Inventors: Byeong Cheol Min, Bhavin V. Bhayani, Bandaru V. Ramarao
  • Publication number: 20170306557
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2017
    Publication date: October 26, 2017
    Applicant: The Research Foundation for The State University of New York
    Inventors: Thomas E. Amidon, Raymond Francis, Gary M. Scott, Jeremy Bartholomew, Bandaru V. Ramarao, Christopher D. Wood
  • Patent number: 9751781
    Abstract: A method of separating a lignin-rich solid phase from a solution suspension, by pretreating a lignocellulosic biomass with a pretreatment fluid having remove soluble components, colloidal material and primarily lignin containing particles; separating the pretreated lignocellulosic biomass from the pretreatment fluid with soluble components, colloidal material and primarily lignin containing particles; flocculating the separated pretreatment fluid with soluble components, colloidal material and primarily lignin containing particles using polyethylene oxide (i.e., PEO) or cationic Poly acrylamide (i.e., CPAM) as a flocculating agent; and filtering the flocculated separated pretreatment fluid with soluble components, colloidal material and primarily lignin containing particles to remove agglomerates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: The Research Foundation for The State University of New York
    Inventors: Lakshmi Rakesh Kumar Yasarla, Bandaru V. Ramarao, Thomas Amidon
  • Patent number: 9683329
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: The Research Foundation for 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: 20160168791
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2016
    Publication date: June 16, 2016
    Applicant: The Research Foundation for 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: 20160083808
    Abstract: A method of flocculating a lignin-containing hydrolyzate solution, comprising adding at least two agents, comprising at least one flocculant, effective for flocculating the hydrolyzate, resulting in a cake having a solids content greater than a solids content of a cake obtained from a hydrolyzate treated with an optimum flocculating amount of the flocculant alone
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Publication date: March 24, 2016
    Inventors: Bandaru V. Ramarao, Vignesh Gnanavel, Mary Jennifer Puthota
  • Patent number: 9273431
    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: January 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: The Research Foundation for 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: 20150259719
    Abstract: A significant fraction of short fibers (fines) is produced while recycling Old Corrugated Containerboards (OCC), which are usually rejected as solid waste stream, requiring landfilling and posing environmental problems. The major component of these fines rejects are primarily cellulose that can be hydrolyzed into sugars for possible fermentation into biofuels, bioplastics or other sugar based products. Use of fines also offers benefits such as negative costs and production of fermentable sugars without requiring complex pretreatment processes, now required to hydrolyze and eliminate inhibitors from hydrolyzate. Enzymatic hydrolysis of reject fines from a recycled OCC mill, employing different strains of cellulases, were investigated. Fillers (up to 30 mass %) in the fines increases the required dosage of enzymes and costs. Enzyme loading can be lowered by addition of surfactants to reduce their inhibitory activity. The nonionic surfactant Triton X-80 improved hydrolysis yields by up to 10 percent points.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2015
    Publication date: September 17, 2015
    Inventors: Byeong Cheol Min, Bhavin V. Bhayani, Bandaru V. Ramarao
  • Publication number: 20150136344
    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: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2015
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: The Research Foundation for 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: 20150044733
    Abstract: A method of separating a lignin-rich solid phase from a solution, comprising: pretreating a lignocellulosic biomass with a pretreatment fluid having to remove soluble components, colloidal material and primarily lignin containing particles; separating the pretreated lignocellulosic biomass from the pretreatment fluid with soluble components, colloidal material and primarily lignin containing particles; flocculating the separated pretreatment fluid with soluble components, colloidal material and primarily lignin containing particles using PEO or CPAM as a flocculating agent; and filtering the flocculated separated pretreatment fluid with soluble components, colloidal material and primarily lignin containing particles to remove agglomerates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Applicant: The Research Foundation for The State University of New York
    Inventors: Lakshmi Rakesh Kumar Yasarla, Bandaru V. Ramarao, Thomas Amidon
  • Patent number: 8940133
    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: March 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: The Research Foundation for 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: 20140273107
    Abstract: A method for processing a stream of cellulosic fines containing inorganic particles, to increase a hydrolysis yield of polysaccharide degradation enzymes, such fines in a waste stream from a recycled packaging paper mill to produce a stream of fermentable sugars, comprising treating the fines with a surfactant which selectively binds to the inorganic particles and which reduces binding to the inorganic particles by the polysaccharide degradation enzymes, and degrading polysaccharides in the waste stream with the polysaccharide degradation enzymes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: The Research Foundation for The State University of New York
    Inventors: Bhavin V. Bhayani, Byeong Cheol Min, Bandaru V. Ramarao
  • Publication number: 20140182796
    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: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: THE RESEARCH FOUNDATION FOR THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
    Inventors: Thomas E. Amidon, Raymond Francis, Gary M. Scott, Jeremy Bartholomew, Bandaru V. Ramarao, Christopher D. Wood
  • 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: 20130112359
    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: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2012
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Inventors: Thomas E. Amidon, Raymond Francis, Gary M. Scott, Jeremy Bartholomew, Bandaru V. Ramarao, Christopher D. Wood
  • Patent number: 8317975
    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: April 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    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
  • Patent number: 5954922
    Abstract: Method and apparatus are presented for use in a papermaking process for determining permeability and/or compressibility characteristics of a pulp suspension within the process. The method/apparatus includes monitoring height of pulp suspension within one or more test columns as a function of time while allowing pulp suspension drainage from each test column. At least one parameter representative of permeability or compressibility of the pulp suspension is determined, via computer processing, using the monitored height as a function of time of the pulp suspension within the test column. The at least one parameter representative of permeability or compressibility can comprise specific surface area (S.sub.w), specific volume (v.sub.f) compressibility constant m or compressibility constant n for the pulp suspension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 21, 1999
    Assignee: The Research Foundation of State University of New York
    Inventor: Bandaru V. Ramarao