Patents by Inventor Leonardo Da Costa Sousa

Leonardo Da Costa Sousa 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).

  • Patent number: 11440999
    Abstract: A method is provided for pretreating cellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass comprising de-esterifying the biomass with an alkali treatment to produce de-esterified biomass; and pretreating the de-esterified biomass with ammonia to produce de-esterified ammonia pretreated biomass. In various embodiments, the de-esterified ammonia pretreated biomass has an amide concentration ranging from about 0.04 to about 25 mg/g biomass. In other embodiments, the amide concentration is no more than 0.04 mg/g biomass. Various ammonia pretreatment processes may be used, including liquid or gaseous ammonia pretreatments, including, but not limited to, liquid ammonium hydroxide pretreatments, various AFEX pretreatments, with or without biomass densification, and various cellulosic conversion pretreatments including “COBRA” pretreatments. Products (e.g., animal feed) and systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Venkatesh Balan, Leonardo da Costa Sousa
  • Patent number: 10730958
    Abstract: A method to convert at least a majority of native cellulose I? to cellulose IIII in pretreated or untreated densified biomass is disclosed. The densified biomass (cellulosic or lignocellulosic) is pretreated with anhydrous liquid ammonia or liquid ammonia comprising a solution of at least 80% ammonia. The pretreating can be performed at a temperature from about 4° C. to about 140° C. and a pressure from about 14.7 to about 200 psi. In one embodiment, the densified cellulosic converting pretreatment process is followed by lignin extraction (LE). The total moisture content of the densified biomass and the solution is 30% or less and a weight ratio of liquid ammonia to the densified biomass is from about 0.3:1 to about 2:1. Various products and systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Venkatesh Balan, Leonardo da Costa Sousa
  • Publication number: 20190010295
    Abstract: A method is provided for pretreating cellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass comprising de-esterifying the biomass with an alkali treatment to produce de-esterified biomass; and pretreating the de-esterified biomass with ammonia to produce de-esterified ammonia pretreated biomass. In various embodiments, the de-esterified ammonia pretreated biomass has an amide concentration ranging from about 0.04 to about 25 mg/g biomass. In other embodiments, the amide concentration is no more than 0.04 mg/g biomass. Various ammonia pretreatment processes may be used, including liquid or gaseous ammonia pretreatments, including, but not limited to, liquid ammonium hydroxide pretreatments, various AFEX pretreatments, with or without biomass densification, and various cellulosic conversion pretreatments including “COBRA” pretreatments. Products (e.g., animal feed) and systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Publication date: January 10, 2019
    Inventors: Venkatesh Balan, Leonardo da Costa Sousa
  • Publication number: 20180258190
    Abstract: A method to convert at least a majority of native cellulose I? to cellulose III1 in pretreated or untreated densified biomass is disclosed. The densified biomass (cellulosic or lignocellulosic) is pretreated with anhydrous liquid ammonia or liquid ammonia comprising a solution of at least 80% ammonia. The pretreating can be performed at a temperature from about 4° C. to about 140° C. and a pressure from about 14.7 to about 200 psi. In one embodiment, the densified cellulosic converting pretreatment process is followed by lignin extraction (LE). The total moisture content of the densified biomass and the solution is 30% or less and a weight ratio of liquid ammonia to the densified biomass is from about 0.3:1 to about 2:1. Various products and systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2018
    Publication date: September 13, 2018
    Inventors: Venkatesh Balan, Leonardo da Costa Sousa
  • Patent number: 9873896
    Abstract: Several mutated strains of Scheffersomyces stipitis are generated by repetitive culturing of the parent strain on two types of concentrated hydrolyzates and with ethanol-challenged xylose-fed continuous culture. Isolates collected from various enriched populations are screened and ranked based on relative xylose uptake rate and ethanol yield. Ranking on hydrolyzates with and without nutritional supplementation is used to identify those isolates with best performance across diverse conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignees: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of Agriculture, Board of Trustees of Michigan State University
    Inventors: Patricia J. Slininger, Stephanie R. Thompson, Venkatesh Balan, Leonardo Da Costa Sousa, Bruce E. Dale, Maureen A. Shea Andersh, Bruce S. Dien
  • Patent number: 9650657
    Abstract: Methods for producing extracted and digested products from pretreated lignocellulosic biomass are provided. The methods include converting native cellulose I? to cellulose IIII by pretreating the lignocellulosic biomass with liquid ammonia under certain conditions, and performing extracting or digesting steps on the pretreated/converted lignocellulosic biomass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Shishir Chundawat, Leonardo Da Costa Sousa, Albert M. Cheh, Venkatesh Balan, Bruce Dale
  • Publication number: 20160265009
    Abstract: The present invention provides for the use of oleaginous yeast strains that are capable of converting lignocellulosic hydrolysates to lipids. More specifically, under specific molar carbon to nitrogen ratios of treated biomass hydrolysates, oleaginous yeasts are able to accumulate lipids that are suitable for the manufacture of biofuels and other products of interest. Additionally, some yeast species provided herein produce carotenoids when grown utilizing the disclosed methodologies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2016
    Publication date: September 15, 2016
    Inventors: Patricia J. Slininger, Bruce S. Dien, Cletus P. Kurtzman, Bryan R. Moser, Venkatesh Balan, Mingjie Jin, Leonardo da Costa Sousa, Erica L. Bakota
  • Publication number: 20160160241
    Abstract: Several mutated strains of Scheffersomyces stipitis are generated by repetitive culturing of the parent strain on two types of concentrated hydrolyzates and with ethanol-challenged xylose-fed continuous culture. Isolates collected from various enriched populations are screened and ranked based on relative xylose uptake rate and ethanol yield. Ranking on hydrolyzates with and without nutritional supplementation is used to identify those isolates with best performance across diverse conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2016
    Publication date: June 9, 2016
    Inventors: Patricia J. Slininger, Stephanie R. Thompson, Venkatesh Balan, Leonardo Da Costa Sousa, Bruce E. Dale, Maureen A. Shea Andersh, Bruce S. Dien
  • Patent number: 9297027
    Abstract: Several mutated strains of Scheffersomyces stipitis are generated by repetitive culturing of the parent strain on two types of concentrated hydrolyzates and with ethanol-challenged xylose-fed continuous culture. Isolates collected from various enriched populations are screened and ranked based on relative xylose uptake rate and ethanol yield. Ranking on hydrolyzates with and without nutritional supplementation is used to identify those isolates with best performance across diverse conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignees: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of Agriculture, Board of Trustees of Michigan State University
    Inventors: Patricia J. Slininger, Stephanie R. Thompson, Venkatesh Balan, Leonardo Da Costa Sousa, Bruce Dale, Maureen A. Shea-Andersh, Bruce S. Dien
  • Publication number: 20130217073
    Abstract: The invention relates to methods for treating lignocellulosic biomass to obtain useful products therefrom.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2011
    Publication date: August 22, 2013
    Applicant: Board of Trustees of Michigan State University
    Inventors: Shishir Chundawat, Leonardo Da Costa Sousa, Albert M. Cheh, Venkatesh Balan, Bruce Dale