Patents by Inventor Meri Ventola

Meri Ventola 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: 20240200110
    Abstract: A method is provided for controlling enzymatic hydrolysis in a manufacturing process of chemical bioproducts. The method comprises performing at least one FTIR measurement on at least one process fluid, and controlling the value of at least one process parameter based on the results obtained. Said results indicate the content of one or more carbohydrates in the respective process fluid. Said controlling of the value of the process parameter is performed in order to affect at least one of: the conversion of cellulose and hemicellulose into monomeric carbohydrates in said enzymatic hydrolysis, the relative content of soluble lignin in relation to monomeric carbohydrates in said enzymatic hydrolysis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2021
    Publication date: June 20, 2024
    Inventors: Vilho NISSINEN, Meri VENTOLA, Juha TAMPER, Sami TURUNEN, Juha SEPPĂ„-LASSILA
  • Publication number: 20240084409
    Abstract: A wood-derived carbohydrate composition is disclosed. The wood-derived carbohydrate composition comprises monomeric C6 sugars and monomeric C5 in a total amount of at least 94 weight-% based on the total dry matter content of the carbohydrate composition, wherein the weight ratio of the monomeric C5 sugars to the monomeric C6 sugars is at most 0.1. Disclosed is also a method for producing a wood-derived carbohydrate composition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2021
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Inventors: Juha Tamper, Jere Salminen, Meri Ventola, Barbara Gall
  • Publication number: 20230279448
    Abstract: A method and a process arrangement for improving a solid-liquid separation of solids from a hydrolyzed material formed in an enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulosic material, comprising following step: i) adding a flocculant additive to the hydrolyzed material or to a stream separated from the hydrolyzed material to form a mixture, and ii) separating a solid stream and a liquid stream from the mixture by means of a decantation or gravitational separation. Further is disclosed a solid product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2021
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Inventors: Mauno Miettinen, Juha Tamper, Sami Turunen, Meri Ventola
  • Publication number: 20230272121
    Abstract: A wood-derived carbohydrate composition is disclosed. The wood-derived carbohydrate composition comprises monomeric C6 sugars and monomeric C5 sugars in a total amount of at least 80 weight-% based on the total dry matter content of the carbohydrate composition. The ratio of the monomeric C5 sugars to the monomeric C6 sugars is at most 0.15. Disclosed is also a method for producing a wood-derived carbohydrate composition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2021
    Publication date: August 31, 2023
    Inventors: Juha Tamper, Jere Salminen, Meri Ventola
  • Publication number: 20230225383
    Abstract: A hardwood-derived carbohydrate composition is disclosed. The hardwood-derived carbohydrate composition comprises monomeric sugars in an amount of 50-80 weight-% based on the total dry matter content of the carbohydrate composition, wherein the monomeric sugars include monomeric glucose and monomeric xylose, the amount of monomeric xylose in the carbohydrate composition being 40-60 weight-% based on the total dry matter content of the carbohydrate composition, and the weight ratio of monomeric glucose to monomeric xylose being 0.067-0.2. Disclosed is also a method for producing a wood-derived carbohydrate composition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2021
    Publication date: July 20, 2023
    Inventors: Juha Tamper, Sami Turunen, Mika Laitila, Meri Ventola, Jere Salminen, Vilho Nissinen
  • Publication number: 20230063154
    Abstract: A method for producing mono-ethylene glycol (MEG) from a wood-based raw material, and wherein method includes: i) providing a wood-based feedstock originating from the wood-based raw material and including wood chips, wherein at most 5 weight-% of the wood chips in the wood-based feedstock are overthick wood chips as specified by SCAN-CM 40:01, and subjecting the wood-based feedstock to at least one pretreatment to form a liquid fraction and a fraction including solid cellulose particles; ii) subjecting the fraction comprising solid cellulose particles to enzymatic hydrolysis to form a lignin fraction and a carbohydrate fraction; iii) subjecting the carbohydrate fraction to catalytical conversion to form a liquid composition of glycols; and iv) recovering mono-ethylene glycol from the liquid composition of glycols. Further is disclosed a corresponding arrangement and mono-ethylene glycol obtainable by the method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2021
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Inventors: Juha Tamper, Sami Turunen, Vilho Nissinen, Mika Laitila, Jere Salminen, Meri Ventola, Nina Heiming, Lisa Weigand
  • Patent number: 11407778
    Abstract: In a method and an apparatus for recovering chemicals from an alkaline lignin material, the alkaline lignin material (3) which comprises NaOH or KOH is precipitated in presence of an acid in a precipitation stage (6) for forming a precipitated lignin (7), the precipitated lignin (7) is supplied to a separation stage (8) in which a purified lignin (9) is recovered and from which at least one fraction (10) which comprises Na or K is supplied to a crystallization stage (11), and the fraction (10) which comprises Na or K is treated by crystallization in the crystallization stage (11) for forming a crystallized compound (12). Further, the invention relates to use of the purified lignin, and lignin and chemical products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: UPM-KYMMENE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mauno Miettinen, Sami Turunen, Meri Ventola, Juha Tamper
  • Patent number: 11230691
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for enzymatic hydrolysis where a plant based feed is hydrolysed using an enzyme to form a hydrolysed product. An additive for preventing enzyme adsorption is fed to an enzymatic hydrolysis stage, the plant based feed, the hydrolysed product, a starting material, and/or a plant based material formed from the starting material. The hydrolysed product is supplied from the enzymatic hydrolysis stage to a first solid-liquid separation stage where a lignin fraction comprising the additive and a liquid composition comprising the enzyme are separated. The liquid composition is mixed with the plant based material in a mixing stage, forming a mixture. A solid and liquid fraction are separated from the mixture in a second solid-liquid separation stage. At least part of the solid fraction comprising the enzyme is fed as the plant based feed to the enzymatic hydrolysis stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: UPM-KYMMENE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sami Turunen, Mauno Miettinen, Meri Ventola, Juha Tamper
  • Patent number: 11040950
    Abstract: In a method and an apparatus furfural is recovered from a steam stream (3) which is formed in a treatment of a pretreated wood based material (1). The pretreated wood based material (1) which comprises at least carbohydrates is treated in a steam treatment stage (2) in which the steam is released. The steam stream (3) which comprises furfural is supplied out from the steam treatment stage (2). A pretreated and steam-treated wood based material (4) which comprises carbohydrates is supplied out from the steam treatment stage (2), and the steam stream (3) is treated in a recovery stage (12a, 12b) for recovering a furfural based fraction (14a,14b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: UPM-KYMMENE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Juha Tamper, Jere Salminen, Mauno Miettinen, Sami Turunen, Meri Ventola, Vilho Nissinen
  • Publication number: 20200123121
    Abstract: In a method and an apparatus furfural is recovered from a steam stream (3) which is formed in a treatment of a pretreated wood based material (1). The pretreated wood based material (1) which comprises at least carbohydrates is treated in a steam treatment stage (2) in which the steam is released. The steam stream (3) which comprises furfural is supplied out from the steam treatment stage (2). A pretreated and steam-treated wood based material (4) which comprises carbohydrates is supplied out from the steam treatment stage (2), and the steam stream (3) is treated in a recovery stage (12a, 12b) for recovering a furfural based fraction (14a,14b).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Publication date: April 23, 2020
    Inventors: Juha Tamper, Jere Salminen, Mauno Miettinen, Sami Turunen, Meri Ventola, Vilho Nissinen
  • Publication number: 20190309002
    Abstract: In a method and an apparatus for recovering chemicals from an alkaline lignin material, the alkaline lignin material (3) which comprises NaOH or KOH is precipitated in presence of an acid in a precipitation stage (6) for forming a precipitated lignin (7), the precipitated lignin (7) is supplied to a separation stage (8) in which a purified lignin (9) is recovered and from which at least one fraction (10) which comprises Na or K is supplied to a crystallization stage (11), and the fraction (10) which comprises Na or K is treated by crystallization in the crystallization stage (11) for forming a crystallized compound (12). Further, the invention relates to use of the purified lignin, and lignin and chemical products.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2017
    Publication date: October 10, 2019
    Inventors: Mauno Miettinen, Sami Turunen, Meri Ventola, Juha Tamper
  • Publication number: 20190241862
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for enzymatic hydrolysis where a plant based feed is hydrolysed using an enzyme to form a hydrolysed product. An additive for preventing enzyme adsorption is fed to an enzymatic hydrolysis stage, the plant based feed the hydrolysed product a starting material, and/or a plant based material formed from the starting material. The hydrolysed product is supplied from the enzymatic hydrolysis stage to a first solid-liquid separation stage where a lignin fraction comprising the additive and a liquid composition comprising the enzyme are separated. The liquid composition is mixed with the plant based material in a mixing stage, forming a mixture. A solid fraction and liquid fraction are separated from the mixture in a second solid-liquid separation stage. At least part of the solid which comprises comprising the enzyme is fed as the plant based feed to the enzymatic hydrolysis stage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2017
    Publication date: August 8, 2019
    Inventors: Sami Turunen, Mauno Miettinen, Meri Ventola, Juha Tamper
  • Patent number: 9956561
    Abstract: A method for producing basic products from ash, which includes the provision of a starting material in particle form, crushing the particles of the starting material by high-frequency pressure impulses and the in situ separation of at least two fractions with different average particle sizes, where the energy-efficient production of a basic product with a defined particle size and high reactivity is effected, such that the produced basic products can be used directly for further product production, e.g. as alkalizing agent, for ground stabilization or as filler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: UPM-KYMMENE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Heiko Hilbert, Michael Heberle, Hendrik Krois, Klaus Muller-Gommert, Folke Orsa, Johann Oberndorfer, Meri Ventola
  • Publication number: 20150274978
    Abstract: A method for producing basic products from ash, which includes the provision of a starting material in particle form, crushing the particles of the starting material by high-frequency pressure impulses and the in situ separation of at least two fractions with different average particle sizes, where the energy-efficient production of a basic product with a defined particle size and high reactivity is effected, such that the produced basic products can be used directly for further product production, e.g. as alkalizing agent, for ground stabilization or as filler.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2013
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Applicant: UPM-KYMMENE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Heiko Hilbert, Michael Heberle, Hendrik Krois, Klaus Muller-Gommert, Folke Orsa, Johann Oberndorfer, Meri Ventola
  • Publication number: 20150259767
    Abstract: A method for producing basic products from ashes, minerals, organic solids and other solids, including the provision of a starting material in particle form, mixing the starting material with an additive for synthesis and crushing the particles of the starting material, with a modification of the particles by the supplied additives for synthesis taking place directly during crushing, such that the energy-efficient production of a basic product with a defined particle size and high reactivity is effected and the produced basic products can be used directly for further product production, e.g. as alkalizing agent, for ground stabilization or as filler/pigments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2013
    Publication date: September 17, 2015
    Inventors: Heiko Hilbert, Michael Heberle, Hendrik Krois, Klaus Muller-Gommert, Folke Orsa, Johann Oberndorfer, Meri Ventola