Patents by Inventor Yoshitoshi Nakamura

Yoshitoshi Nakamura 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: 20120220005
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive and efficient ethanol production method using lignocellulosic biomass as a raw material. The method for producing ethanol from lignocellulosic biomass of the present invention includes a lignocellulose decomposition step of subjecting lignocellulosic biomass to a steam explosion treatment or hydrolysis in a subcritical state followed by a flash treatment; a lignin removal step of immersing a solid residue resulting from the decomposition step in ethanol to remove lignin; and a C6 saccharification/simultaneous fermentation step of saccharifying the solid residue resulting from the lignin removal step with an enzyme and further fermenting the resulting product into ethanol with a C6 fermentation microorganism. By combining the steam explosion treatment and the lignin removal process by ethanol immersion, higher rates are achieved for the saccharification and fermentation of the biomass.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2009
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Applicants: THE UNIVERSITY OF TOKUSHIMA, KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Chikanori Kumagai, Noriyuki Taniyama, Yoshitoshi Nakamura