Patents by Inventor Marcel Ropars

Marcel Ropars 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: 20230265464
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing alcohols comprising: a. an IBE-type fermentation step in at least one bioreactor (R1) in the presence of a natural strain microorganism, and fed at least with an aqueous solution (1) of C5 and/or C6 sugars and a recycled acetone stream (3), in order to produce fermentation gases and a fermentation broth containing fermentation products; b. a step of recovering the fermentation products, in order to obtain a stream of fermentation products (2); c. a step of treating the stream of fermentation products comprising an acetone separation section in order to produce at least an acetone effluent (3) and an aqueous alcohol effluent (4); d. a step for recycling at least a fraction of the acetone effluent (3) from step c) to step a).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2021
    Publication date: August 24, 2023
    Applicant: IFP Energies Nouvelles
    Inventors: Marcel ROPARS, Nicolas LOPES FERREIRA, Sandra MENIR, Helena GONZALEZ PENAS, Eszter TOTH, Vincent COUPARD
  • Patent number: 11453853
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for cleaning a solid support of a fermentation reactor for the production of alcohols by fermentation using a sugary fluid, the solid support comprising a polyurethane foam inoculated with a biomass produced by a solvent-producing strain belonging to the genus Clostridium, the process comprising placing the solid support in contact with a fluid originating from the fermentation must enriched in alcohol and/or acetone and/or an aqueous solution at basic pH.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: IFP Energies Nouvelles
    Inventors: Helena Gonzalez Penas, Marcel Ropars, Eszter Toth, Belinda Perez Bibbins, Nicolas Lopes Ferreira, Vincent Coupard, Angelique Bisson, Jean-Christophe Gabelle
  • Publication number: 20220041972
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for cleaning a solid support of a fermentation reactor for the production of alcohols by fermentation using a sugary fluid, the solid support comprising a polyurethane foam inoculated with a biomass produced by a solvent-producing strain belonging to the genus Clostridium, the process comprising placing the solid support in contact with a fluid originating from the fermentation must enriched in alcohol and/or acetone and/or an aqueous solution at basic pH.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Applicant: IFP Energies Nouvelles
    Inventors: Helena GONZALEZ PENAS, Marcel ROPARS, Eszter TOTH, Belinda PEREZ BIBBINS, Nicolas LOPES FERREIRA, Vincent COUPARD, Angelique BISSON, Jean-Christophe GABELLE
  • Publication number: 20210340480
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing alcohols, in which a sugary fluid is introduced into a fermentation reactor (2) to produce a fermentation must enriched in isopropanol, butanol, ethanol and acetone relative to the sugary fluid, the fermentation reactor (2) comprising a biomass produced by a strain belonging to the genus Clostridium which is supported on a solid support (9) comprising a polyurethane foam; and to a fermentation reactor (2) comprising said biomass supported on said solid support (9).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Applicant: IFP Energies nouvelles
    Inventors: Helena GONZALEZ PENAS, Marcel ROPARS, Eszter TOTH, Vincent COUPARD, Sandra MENIR, Nicolas LOPES FERREIRA
  • Patent number: 10253380
    Abstract: The present invention relates to mutant bacteria of the genus Clostridium beijerinckii, CNCM I-4985, CNCM I-4986, CNCM I-4987 and CNCM I-4988, deposited at the Institut Pasteur (CNCM, 25 rue du Docteur Roux, F-75724 PARIS Cedex 15, France) on 27 May 2015, and CNCM I-5027, CNCM I-5028 and CNCM I-5029 deposited at the Institut Pasteur (CNCM, 25 rue du Docteur Roux, F-75724 PARIS Cedex 15, France) on 26 Nov. 2015, which are useful in the fermentation of sugars for the production of isopropanol and butanol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignees: IFP Energies nouvelles, Stichting Wageningen Research
    Inventors: Hadrien-Felix Mate De Gerando, Laetitia Rudant, Marcel Ropars, Nicolas Lopes Ferreira, Ana Maria Lopez Contreras
  • Patent number: 9994874
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the production of alcohols from biomass that comprises a stage in which at least one aqueous internal flow that comprises at least one alcohol that has n carbon atoms, with n between 2 and 5, is recycled, provided that when the alcohol comprises 2 carbon atoms, it is mixed with at least one other alcohol in such a way as to recover a vapor phase effluent that contains alcohols exiting from said pretreatment reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: IFP Energies nouvelles
    Inventors: Caroline Aymard, Marcel Ropars
  • Patent number: 9994873
    Abstract: The present invention describes a process for the production of alcohols and/or solvents from a cellulosic or lignocellulosic substrate, comprising at least the following steps: a step A for alkaline pre-treatment of said substrate, comprising a step for heating in the presence of an alkaline chemical reagent and an optional washing step; a step B constituted by a step for adjusting the pH and a step for enzymatic hydrolysis of the pre-treated substrate, at the end of which a hydrolysate is obtained constituted by a liquid phase containing sugars and a solid residue; a step for alcoholic fermentation of the hydrolysate obtained; a step for separation/purification (step C2) at the end of which one or more purified alcohols and/or solvents are obtained; a step for extracting the solid residue; a step D for acid digestion of at least a fraction of the extracted solid residue, at the end of which a portion or all of the product obtained is recycled to step B.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: IFP ENERGIES NOUVELLES
    Inventors: Marcel Ropars, Caroline Aymard
  • Publication number: 20180142311
    Abstract: The present invention relates to mutant bacteria of the genus Clostridium beijerinckii, CNCM I-4985, CNCM I-4986, CNCM I-4987 and CNCM I-4988, deposited at the Institut Pasteur (CNCM, 25 rue du Docteur Roux, F-75724 PARIS Cedex 15, France) on 27 May 2015, and CNCM I-5027, CNCM I-5028 and CNCM I-5029 deposited at the Institut Pasteur (CNCM, 25 rue du Docteur Roux, F-75724 PARIS Cedex 15, France) on 26 Nov. 2015, which are useful in the fermentation of sugars for the production of isopropanol and butanol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2016
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Applicants: IFP Energies nouvelles, Stichting Wageningen Research
    Inventors: Hadrien-Felix MATE DE GERANDO, Laetitia RUDANT, Marcel ROPARS, Nicolas LOPES FERREIRA, Ana Maria LOPEZ CONTRERAS
  • Patent number: 9758798
    Abstract: Embodiments provided here relate to second generation processes for the production of alcohols or solvents, wherein the lignocellulosic or cellulosic biomass undergoes a pre-treatment before being converted into ethanol after an enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation. The glucidic polymers of the pre-treated plant material are hydrolysed by cellulases. The alcoholigenic microorganisms used for the ethanolic fermentation principally use hexoses, for example, glucose and mannose. The alcohols of the liquor, with or without separation of the suspended material are extracted by distillation. The stillage, containing pentoses which have not been used, are fermented into an ex-pentose ethanolic liquor and at least a portion of the liquor is recycled upstream of the enzymatic hydrolysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: IFP ENERGIES NOUVELLES
    Inventors: Marcel Ropars, Caroline Aymard, Rejane Dastillung, Sandra Menir
  • Patent number: 9453245
    Abstract: This invention describes a process for the production of second generation alcohols and/or solvents starting from cellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass wherein the lignocellulosic or cellulosic biomass undergoes a pretreatment before being converted into ethanol after an enzymatic hydrolysis and an ethylic fermentation, wherein glucidic polymers of the pretreated plant are hydrolyzed by cellulases; microorganisms that primarily use hexoses and preferably glucose and mannose are used for the ethylic fermentation; wines, with or without separation of materials in suspension are extracted by distillation; pentoses in the vinasses are fermented by a solventogenic microorganism into a butyl wine, and at least one portion of the butyl wine is recycled upstream from enzymatic hydrolysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: IFP ENERGIES NOUVELLES
    Inventors: Marcel Ropars, Caroline Aymard, Rejane Dastillung, Remy Marchal, Sandra Menir, Benjamin Clement
  • Publication number: 20150240268
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the production of alcohols from biomass that comprises a stage in which at least one aqueous internal flow that comprises at least one alcohol that has n carbon atoms, with n between 2 and 5, is recycled, provided that when the alcohol comprises 2 carbon atoms, it is mixed with at least one other alcohol in such a way as to recover a vapor phase effluent that contains alcohols exiting from said pretreatment reactor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2013
    Publication date: August 27, 2015
    Applicant: IFP Energies nouvelles
    Inventors: Caroline Aymard, Marcel Ropars
  • Patent number: 8980595
    Abstract: The present invention describes a process for the production of alcohol, known as second generation production, from a lignocellulosic substrate, in which a controlled quantity of furfural is produced in situ and which comprises at least the following steps: a first step for alkaline chemical pre-treatment of the substrate; a step for adjusting the pH of the substrate; then a step for enzymatic hydrolysis of said pre-treated substrate; a step for alcoholic fermentation of the hydrolysate obtained with an alcohol-producing microorganism; a step for separation/purification; and a step for acid conversion of at least one liquid fraction into furfural, said liquid fraction being obtained during one of the preceding steps; a step for mixing said furfural obtained with the pre-treated substrate during the pH adjusting step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: IFP Energies Nouvelles
    Inventors: Marcel Ropars, Caroline Aymard, Flora Ghisoni, Sandra Menir
  • Publication number: 20140242656
    Abstract: This invention describes a process for the production of alcohols and/or solvents from cellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass that comprises at least the following stages: a) Alkaline chemical pretreatment of a cellulosic or lignocellulosic substrate; b) Optionally washing of the pretreated substrate; c) Enzymatic hydrolysis of the substrate that is pretreated and optionally washed using cellulolytic and/or hemicellulolytic enzymes that produce a hydrolyzate and a water-insoluble residue; d) Microorganism fermentation of the hydrolyzate that is obtained from stage c) and production of a fermentation must that contains at least one alcohol and/or solvent; e) Separation/purification of alcohol and/or solvent, and f) Separation of a cake that contains the insoluble residue, in which at least a portion of the cake that is obtained in stage f) is sent into at least one reactor for regeneration of cellulose, before being recycled downstream from stage a) for alkaline chemical pretreatment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2014
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: IFP ENERGIES NOUVELLES
    Inventors: Marcel ROPARS, Caroline AYMARD, Anais GUILLAUME, Sandra MENIR
  • Publication number: 20140242657
    Abstract: This invention describes a process for the production of alcohols and/or solvents from cellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass that comprises at least the following stages: a) Alkaline chemical pretreatment based on sodium sulfate of a cellulosic or lignocellulosic substrate; b) Washing of the pretreated substrate; c) Enzymatic hydrolysis of the substrate that is pretreated and washed using cellulolytic and/or hemicellulolytic enzymes that produce a hydrolyzate and a water-insoluble residue; d) Microorganism fermentation of the hydrolyzate that is obtained from stage c) and production of a fermentation must that contains at least one alcohol and/or solvent; e) Separation/purification of alcohol and/or solvent, and f) Separation of a cake that contains the insoluble residue, in which at least a portion of the cake that is obtained in stage f) is recycled upstream from the pretreatment stage a) and/or upstream from the washing stage b).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2014
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: IFP Energies nouvelles
    Inventors: Marcel ROPARS, Caroline AYMARD
  • Publication number: 20140134692
    Abstract: The present invention describes a process for production of alcohols and/or solvents from a cellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass, comprising: a step for thermochemical pre-treatment of a cellulosic or lignocellulosic substrate; an optional step for washing the pre-treated substrate and adjusting the pH; a step for enzymatic hydrolysis of the pre-treated substrate; a step for ethanolic fermentation of the hexoses contained in the hydrolysate obtained from step (c) into ethanol by a hexose-fermenting microorganism and for obtaining an ex-hexose ethanolic liquor; an extraction step; a step for ethanolic fermentation of the pentoses contained in at least one of the streams obtained from one of the preceding steps with a pentose-fermenting microorganism and for obtaining an ex-pentose ethanolic liquor; in which at least a portion of the ex-pentose ethanolic liquor is recycled upstream of at least one of the enzymatic hydrolysis and/or ethanolic fermentation steps.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2012
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: IFP ENERGIES NOUVELLES
    Inventors: Marcel Ropars, Caroline Aymard, Rejane Dastillung, Sandra Menir
  • Publication number: 20140065683
    Abstract: A process for the production of alcohols and/or solvents starting from cellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass comprising at least: a) Thermochemical pretreatment of a cellulosic or lignocellulosic substrate; b) Optionally, washing pretreated substrate and setting the pH; c) Enzymatic hydrolysis of pretreated, optionally washed, substrate, using cellulolytic and/or hemicellulolytic enzymes producing a hydrolyzate and a water-insoluble residue; d) Ethylic fermentation of hexoses in hydrolyzate obtained from c) into ethanol by alcohologenic microorganism and production of ethyl wine; e) One extraction stage comprising e1) Separation and purification of ethanol and/or solvents obtained from d), and e2) Separation of a solid cake containing insoluble residue and production of vinasses; f) Butylic fermentation of pentoses contained in vinasses obtained in e2) by a solventogenic microorganism and production of butyl wine; at least a portion of butyl wine is recycled upstream from at least one enzymatic hydrolys
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2012
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: IFP ENERGIES NOUVELLES
    Inventors: Marcel Ropars, Caroline Aymard, Rejane Dastillung, Remy Marchal, Sandra Menir, Benjamin Clement
  • Publication number: 20130017586
    Abstract: This invention describes a process for the production of alcohols and/or solvents from cellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass that comprises at least the following stages: a) Alkaline chemical pretreatment of a cellulosic or lignocellulosic substrate; b) Optionally washing of the pretreated substrate; c) Enzymatic hydrolysis of the substrate that is pretreated and optionally washed using cellulolytic and/or hemicellulolytic enzymes that produce a hydrolyzate and a water-insoluble residue; d) Microorganism fermentation of the hydrolyzate that is obtained from stage c) and production of a fermentation must that contains at least one alcohol and/or solvent; e) Separation/purification of alcohol and/or solvent, and f) Separation of a cake that contains the insoluble residue, in which at least a portion of the cake that is obtained in stage f) is sent into at least one reactor for regeneration of cellulose, before being recycled downstream from stage a) for alkaline chemical pretreatment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Applicant: IFP Enegies nouvelles
    Inventors: Marcel Ropars, Caroline Aymard, Anais Guillaume, Sandra Menir
  • Publication number: 20130017585
    Abstract: This invention describes a process for the production of alcohols and/or solvents from cellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass that comprises at least the following stages: a) Alkaline chemical pretreatment based on sodium sulfate of a cellulosic or lignocellulosic substrate; b) Washing of the pretreated substrate; c) Enzymatic hydrolysis of the substrate that is pretreated and washed using cellulolytic and/or hemicellulolytic enzymes that produce a hydrolyzate and a water-insoluble residue; d) Microorganism fermentation of the hydrolyzate that is obtained from stage c) and production of a fermentation must that contains at least one alcohol and/or solvent; e) Separation/purification of alcohol and/or solvent, and f) Separation of a cake that contains the insoluble residue, in which at least a portion of the cake that is obtained in stage f) is recycled upstream from the pretreatment stage a) and/or upstream from the washing stage b).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Applicant: IFP ENERGIES NOUVELLES
    Inventors: Marcel Ropars, Caroline Aymard
  • Publication number: 20120122170
    Abstract: The present invention describes a process for the production of alcohol, known as second generation production, from a lignocellulosic substrate, in which a controlled quantity of furfural is produced in situ and which comprises at least the following steps: a first step for alkaline chemical pre-treatment of the substrate; a step for adjusting the pH of the substrate; then a step for enzymatic hydrolysis of said pre-treated substrate; a step for alcoholic fermentation of the hydrolysate obtained with an alcohol-producing microorganism; a step for separation/purification; and a step for acid conversion of at least one liquid fraction into furfural, said liquid fraction being obtained during one of the preceding steps; a step for mixing said furfural obtained with the pre-treated substrate during the pH adjusting step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2010
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: IFP Energies nouvelles
    Inventors: Marcel Ropars, Caroline Aymard, Flora Ghisoni, Sandra Menir
  • Publication number: 20120100585
    Abstract: The present invention describes a process for the production of alcohols and/or solvents from a cellulosic or lignocellulosic substrate, comprising at least the following steps: a step A for alkaline pre-treatment of said substrate, comprising a step for heating in the presence of an alkaline chemical reagent and an optional washing step; a step B constituted by a step for adjusting the pH and a step for enzymatic hydrolysis of the pre-treated substrate, at the end of which a hydrolysate is obtained constituted by a liquid phase containing sugars and a solid residue; a step for alcoholic fermentation of the hydrolysate obtained; a step for separation/purification (step C2) at the end of which one or more purified alcohols and/or solvents are obtained; a step for extracting the solid residue; a step D for acid digestion of at least a fraction of the extracted solid residue, at the end of which a portion or all of the product obtained is recycled to step B.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2010
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Applicant: IFP ENERGIES NOUVELLES
    Inventors: Marcel Ropars, Caroline Aymard