Patents by Inventor Brian Foody
Brian Foody 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).
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Patent number: 9574212Abstract: The disclosure provides a process for producing a fermentation product from a lignocellulosic feedstock. The process describes soaking a lignocellulosic feedstock in an aqueous solution to produce a soaked feedstock. The soaked feedstock is at least partially dewatered and the at least partially dewatered feedstock is subjected to pretreating in the presence of sulfur dioxide, sulfurous acid or a combination thereof to produce a pretreated feedstock composition. The pretreated feedstock composition is fed to an enzymatic hydrolysis in which the concentration of dissolved solids fed to the enzymatic hydrolysis is at least 50% (w/w) of the concentration of dissolved solids in the pretreated feedstock composition. The cellulose in the pretreated feedstock composition is hydrolyzed with cellulase enzymes in the presence of the dissolved solids to produce glucose. The glucose is fermented to produce the fermentation product.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2016Date of Patent: February 21, 2017Assignee: Iogen CorporationInventors: Brian Foody, Jeffrey S. Tolan, Daniel MacDonald, Patrick J. Foody
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Publication number: 20160312249Abstract: The present invention provides a process for producing a fermentation product from a lignocellulosic feedstock. The process comprises soaking a lignocellulosic feedstock in an aqueous solution to produce a soaked feedstock. The soaked feedstock is at least partially dewatered and the at least partially dewatered feedstock is subjected to pretreating in the presence of sulfur dioxide, sulfurous acid or a combination thereof to produce a pretreated feedstock composition. The pretreated feedstock composition is fed to an enzymatic hydrolysis in which the concentration of dissolved solids fed to the enzymatic hydrolysis is at least 50% (w/w) of the concentration of dissolved solids in the pretreated feedstock composition. The cellulose in the pretreated feedstock composition is hydrolyzed with cellulase enzymes in the presence of the dissolved solids to produce glucose. The glucose is fermented to produce the fermentation product.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2016Publication date: October 27, 2016Inventors: Brian Foody, Jeffrey S. Tolan, Daniel MacDonald, Patrick J. Foody
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Publication number: 20150344378Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for generating steam and recovering salts during a lignocellulosic conversion process. The process comprises de-salting a still bottoms stream; incinerating a stream comprising lignin and the de-salted still bottoms stream in an incinerator; and utilizing the heat generated from said incinerating to produce steam. Further provided is a process that comprises feeding a concentrated still bottoms stream to a crystallizer and forming insoluble solids therein comprising salts. Furthermore, the invention relates to a process for recovering salts from a lignocellulosic conversion process, which process comprises the addition of solvent to a still bottoms stream to precipitate salts therefrom. Also provided is a still bottoms composition, a fertilizer product and a composition for incineration.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 10, 2015Publication date: December 3, 2015Inventors: Robert Griffin, Ziyad Rahme, Patricia Dawn MacLean, Brian Foody
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Patent number: 9108894Abstract: The present disclosure provides a process for forming a biogenic carbon-based fuel or a fuel intermediate from biogenic carbon dioxide and hydrogen. The hydrogen is sourced from a process that produces hydrogen and fossil carbon dioxide from a fossil-fuel hydrocarbon and separates the fossil carbon dioxide from the hydrogen. The process may further comprise carrying out or arranging for one or more parties to carry out at least one step that contributes to a reduction in the GHG emissions of the biogenic carbon-based fuel, or a fuel made from the fuel intermediate, of at least 20% relative to a gasoline baseline. In various embodiments this includes (a) introducing the fossil carbon dioxide underground, and/or (b) using a biogenic carbon-based product selected from a chemical and energy product produced from the non-fossil organic material to displace the use or production of a corresponding fossil-based product. Methods of using the present invention to enable fuel credit generation are also described.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2014Date of Patent: August 18, 2015Assignee: Iogen CorporationInventors: Patrick J Foody, Brian Foody
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Publication number: 20150225233Abstract: According to the present invention, organic material is converted to biogas through anaerobic digestion and the biogas is purified to yield a combustible fluid feedstock comprising methane. A fuel production facility utilizes or arranges to utilize combustible fluid feedstock to generate renewable hydrogen that is used to hydrogenate crude oil derived hydrocarbons in a process to make transportation or heating fuel. The renewable hydrogen is combined with crude oil derived hydrocarbons that have been desulfurized under conditions to hydrogenate the liquid hydrocarbon with the renewable hydrogen or alternatively, the renewable hydrogen can be added to a reactor operated so as to simultaneously desulfurize and hydrogenate the hydrocarbons. The present invention enables a party to receive a renewable fuel credit for the transportation or heating fuel.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 24, 2015Publication date: August 13, 2015Inventor: Brian Foody
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Patent number: 9102951Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for generating steam and recovering salts during a lignocellulosic conversion process. The process comprises de-salting a still bottoms stream; incinerating a stream comprising lignin and the de-salted still bottoms stream in an incinerator; and utilizing the heat generated from said incinerating to produce steam. Further provided is a process that comprises feeding a concentrated still bottoms stream to a crystallizer and forming insoluble solids therein comprising salts. Furthermore, the invention relates to a process for recovering salts from a lignocellulosic conversion process, which process comprises the addition of solvent to a still bottoms stream to precipitate salts therefrom. Also provided is a still bottoms composition, a fertilizer product and a composition for incineration.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2012Date of Patent: August 11, 2015Assignee: IOGEN ENERGY CORPORATIONInventors: Robert Griffin, Ziyad Rahme, Patricia Dawn MacLean, Brian Foody
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Patent number: 9040271Abstract: According to the present invention, organic material is converted to biogas through anaerobic digestion and the biogas is purified to yield a combustible fluid feedstock comprising methane. A fuel production facility utilizes or arranges to utilize combustible fluid feedstock to generate renewable hydrogen that is used to hydrogenate crude oil derived hydrocarbons in a process to make transportation or heating fuel. The renewable hydrogen is combined with crude oil derived hydrocarbons that have been desulfurized under conditions to hydrogenate the liquid hydrocarbon with the renewable hydrogen. The present invention enables a party to receive a renewable fuel credit for the transportation or heating fuel.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2014Date of Patent: May 26, 2015Assignee: IOGEN CorporationInventor: Brian Foody
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Patent number: 8987509Abstract: A process for recovering a volatile carboxylic acid from an aqueous stream containing same comprising the steps of: (a) evaporating the aqueous stream to produce a vapour stream comprising the volatile carboxylic acid that has been vapourized and water vapour, which aqueous stream is produced by a conversion process using a lignocellulosic feedstock as a substrate; (b) contacting the vapour stream with an organic solvent so as to extract the volatile carboxylic acid present in the vapour stream, thereby producing a liquid stream comprising the organic solvent and the volatile carboxylic acid, and a water vapour stream, wherein the organic solvent has an atmospheric boiling point of at least about 150° C. and is insoluble in water; and (c) separating the volatile carboxylic acid from the organic solvent.Type: GrantFiled: August 18, 2010Date of Patent: March 24, 2015Assignee: Iogen Energy CorporationInventors: Jeffrey S. Tolan, Brian Foody, Vijay Anand, Daphne Wahnon
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Patent number: 8981146Abstract: A process for recovering a volatile carboxylic acid from an aqueous stream comprising same, the process comprising the steps of: (i) steam stripping the carboxylic acid from the aqueous stream, which aqueous stream is produced by a conversion process using a lignocellulosic feedstock as a substrate, the steam stripping comprising contacting the aqueous stream with steam by flowing the aqueous stream and the steam countercurrent to one another, thereby producing a vapor stream comprising vaporized carboxylic acid and steam and a stripped aqueous stream; (ii) extracting the vaporized carboxylic acid with an organic solvent by contacting the vapor stream with the organic solvent to produce (a) a stream comprising the organic solvent and the carboxylic acid and (b) the steam at least substantially depleted of the carboxylic acid, wherein the organic solvent has an atmospheric boiling point of at least about 150° C.Type: GrantFiled: August 18, 2010Date of Patent: March 17, 2015Assignee: Iogen Energy CorporationInventors: Jeffrey S. Tolan, Brian Foody, Vijay Anand
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Patent number: 8980599Abstract: A process for the production of glucose from a pretreated lignocellulosic feedstock is provided. The method comprises enzymatically hydrolyzing the pretreated lignocellulosic feedstock with cellulase enzymes to produce a hydrolyzate slurry comprising glucose and unhydrolyzed cellulose and fermenting the hydrolyzate slurry in a fermentation reaction to produce a fermentation broth comprising alcohol. A process stream is obtained comprising unhydrolyzed cellulose, which is then subjected to a denaturing step, preferably comprising exposing the unhydrolyzed cellulose to elevated temperatures, thereby producing a heat-treated stream comprising the unhydrolyzed cellulose. The heat-treated stream comprising unhydrolyzed cellulose is then further hydrolyzed with cellulase enzymes to hydrolyze the cellulose to glucose.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2008Date of Patent: March 17, 2015Assignee: Iogen Energy CorporationInventors: Jeffrey S. Tolan, Brian Foody, Stephen Rowland
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Patent number: 8945373Abstract: According to the present invention, organic material is converted to biogas through anaerobic digestion and the biogas is purified to yield a combustible fluid feedstock comprising methane. A fuel production facility utilizes or arranges to utilize combustible fluid feedstock to generate renewable hydrogen that is used to hydrogenate crude oil derived hydrocarbons in a process to make liquid transportation or heating fuel. The renewable hydrogen is added to a reactor operated so as to simultaneously desulfurize and hydrogenate crude oil derived hydrocarbons.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2012Date of Patent: February 3, 2015Assignee: Iogen CorporationInventor: Brian Foody
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Patent number: 8911979Abstract: A method for recovering inorganic salt during processing of a lignocellulosic feedstock is provided. The method comprises pretreating the lignocellulosic feedstock by adding an acid to the feedstock to produce a pretreated lignocellulosic feedstock. A soluble base is then added to the pretreated lignocellulosic feedstock to adjust the pH and produce a neutralized feedstock. The neutralized feedstock is then enzymatically hydrolyzed to produce an enzyme hydrolyzed feedstock and a sugar stream. Inorganic salt is recovered from either a stream obtained from the lignocellulosic feedstock prior to the step of pretreating, a stream obtained from the pretreated lignocellulosic feedstock, a stream obtained from the neutralized feedstock, a stream obtained from the sugar stream, or a combination of these streams. The inorganic salt may be concentrated, clarified, recovered and purified by crystallization, electrodialysis drying, or agglomeration and granulation, and then used as desired, for example as a fertilizer.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2012Date of Patent: December 16, 2014Assignee: Iogen Energy CorporationInventors: Brian Foody, Jeffrey S. Tolan, Ziyad Rahme, Vijay Anand
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Publication number: 20140248676Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for generating steam and recovering salts during a lignocellulosic conversion process. The process comprises de-salting a still bottoms stream; incinerating a stream comprising lignin and the de-salted still bottoms stream in an incinerator; and utilizing the heat generated from said incinerating to produce steam. Further provided is a process that comprises feeding a concentrated still bottoms stream to a crystallizer and forming insoluble solids therein comprising salts. Furthermore, the invention relates to a process for recovering salts from a lignocellulosic conversion process, which process comprises the addition of solvent to a still bottoms stream to precipitate salts therefrom. Also provided is a still bottoms composition, a fertilizer product and a composition for incineration.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 24, 2012Publication date: September 4, 2014Applicant: IOGEN ENERGY CORPORATIONInventors: Robert Griffin, Ziyad Rahme, Patricia Dawn MacLean, Brian Foody
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Publication number: 20140242659Abstract: According to the present invention, organic material is converted to biogas through anaerobic digestion and the biogas is purified to yield a combustible fluid feedstock comprising methane. A fuel production facility utilizes or arranges to utilize combustible fluid feedstock to generate renewable hydrogen that is used to hydrogenate crude oil derived hydrocarbons in a process to make transportation or heating fuel. The renewable hydrogen is combined with crude oil derived hydrocarbons that have been desulfurized under conditions to hydrogenate the liquid hydrocarbon with the renewable hydrogen. The present invention enables a party to receive a renewable fuel credit for the transportation or heating fuel.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 6, 2014Publication date: August 28, 2014Applicant: Iogen CorporationInventor: Brian Foody
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Patent number: 8753854Abstract: According to the present invention, organic material is converted to biogas through anaerobic digestion and the biogas is purified to yield a combustible fluid feedstock comprising methane. A fuel production facility utilizes or arranges to utilize combustible fluid feedstock to generate renewable hydrogen that is used to hydrogenate crude oil derived hydrocarbons in a process to make transportation or heating fuel. The renewable hydrogen is combined with crude oil derived hydrocarbons that have been desulfurized under conditions to hydrogenate the liquid hydrocarbon with the renewable hydrogen or alternatively, the renewable hydrogen can be added to a reactor operated so as to simultaneously desulfurize and hydrogenate the hydrocarbons. The present invention enables a party to receive a renewable fuel credit for the transportation or heating fuel.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2012Date of Patent: June 17, 2014Assignee: Iogen CorporationInventor: Brian Foody
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Publication number: 20140134678Abstract: A process for the enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose to produce a hydrolysis product from a pre-treated cellulosic feedstock is provided. The process comprises introducing an aqueous slurry of the pre-treated cellulosic feedstock at the bottom of a hydrolysis reactor. Axial dispersion in the reactor is limited by avoiding mixing and maintaining an average slurry flow velocity of about 0.1 to about 20 feet per hour, such that the undissolved solids flow upward at a rate slower than that of the liquid. Cellulase enzymes are added to the aqueous slurry before or during the step of introducing. An aqueous stream comprising hydrolysis product and unhydrolyzed solids is removed from the hydrolysis reactor. Also provided are enzyme compositions which comprise cellulase enzymes and flocculents for use in the process. In addition, a kit comprising cellulase enzymes and flocculent is provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 16, 2013Publication date: May 15, 2014Applicant: Iogen Energy CorporationInventors: Brian Foody, Ziyad Rahme, Jeffrey S. Tolan
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Patent number: 8658026Abstract: According to the present invention, organic material is converted to a combustible fluid feedstock comprising methane. A fuel production facility utilizes or arranges to utilize combustible fluid feedstock to generate renewable hydrogen that is used to hydrogenate crude oil derived hydrocarbons in a process to make liquid transportation or heating fuel. The renewable hydrogen is combined with crude oil derived hydrocarbons under conditions to hydrogenate the hydrocarbons with the renewable hydrogen.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 2013Date of Patent: February 25, 2014Assignee: Iogen CorporationInventors: Brian Foody, Patrick J. Foody
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Publication number: 20130011886Abstract: The present invention comprises pretreating a lignocellulosic feedstock with acid at a pH between about 2.0 and about 3.5 to produce a composition comprising an acid pretreated feedstock. The acid pretreated feedstock is then enzymatically hydrolyzed with cellulases and ?-glucosidase. The glucose is fermented by microorganisms to produce a fermentation broth comprising the fermentation product, followed by recovery of the fermentation product. The steps of enzymatically hydrolyzing and fermenting are conducted at a pH below about 4.0.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 10, 2011Publication date: January 10, 2013Applicant: IOGEN ENERGY CORPORATIONInventors: Jeffrey S. Tolan, Brian Foody
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Publication number: 20120329096Abstract: A method for recovering inorganic salt during processing of a lignocellulosic feedstock is provided. The method comprises pretreating the lignocellulosic feedstock by adding an acid to the feedstock to produce a pretreated lignocellulosic feedstock. A soluble base is then added to the pretreated lignocellulosic feedstock to adjust the pH and produce a neutralized feedstock. The neutralized feedstock is then enzymatically hydrolyzed to produce an enzyme hydrolyzed feedstock and a sugar stream. Inorganic salt is recovered from either a stream obtained from the lignocellulosic feedstock prior to the step of pretreating, a stream obtained from the pretreated lignocellulosic feedstock, a stream obtained from the neutralized feedstock, a stream obtained from the sugar stream, or a combination of these streams. The inorganic salt may be concentrated, clarified, recovered and purified by crystallization, electrodialysis drying, or agglomeration and granulation, and then used as desired, for example as a fertilizer.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2012Publication date: December 27, 2012Applicant: IOGEN ENERGY CORPORATIONInventors: Brian Foody, Jeffrey S. Tolan, Ziyad Rahme, Vijay Anand
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Patent number: 8298796Abstract: A method for producing glucose from a lignocellulosic feedstock is provided. The method comprises pretreating the lignocellulosic feedstock with acid to produce a pretreated feedstock composition. A calcium-containing stream is provided that comprises calcium that is obtained from the lignocellulosic feedstock and a calcium carbonate-containing stream is obtained by precipitation of the calcium from the calcium-containing stream. The pH of the pretreated feedstock is adjusted with (a) the calcium carbonate-containing stream; (b) a calcium hydroxide-containing stream that is derived from said calcium carbonate-containing stream by subjecting said calcium carbonate-containing stream to calcination; or (c) a combination of the calcium carbonate-containing stream and the calcium hydroxide-containing stream.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 2010Date of Patent: October 30, 2012Assignee: Iogen Energy CorporationInventors: Jeffrey S. Tolan, Brian Foody