SUPERCRITICAL FLUID COMMINUTION OF BIOMASS

APPROXIMATELY 40% OF THE TREE IS EITHER BURNED OR TREATED ASA WASTE PROBLEM. A GREATER PERCENTAGE OF THE TREE CAN BE UTILIZED THROUGH IMPROVED OR NEW TECHNIQUES OF COMMINUTION SO THAT NEW OR IMPROVED RECONSTITUTED PRODUCTS CAN BE MADE. THE INTENT OF THIS PROPOSAL IS TO DEVELOP AN IMPROVED TECHNIQUE OF COMMINUTION WHICH CAN BE USED TO EFFECTIVELY DEFIBRATE AND FRACTIONATE WOODY BIOMASS INTO ITS VARIOUS CONSTITUENTS SO THAT THEY CAN BE READILY AND ECONOMICALLY CONVERTED INTO MARKETABLE PRODUCTS. CURRENTLY, STREAM EXPLOSION IS ONE OF THE MOST PROMISING METHODS OF PRETREATING AND FRACTIONATING WOODY BIOMASS WASTE. HOWEVER, THIS PROCESS HAS SEVERAL DISADVANTAGES INCLUDING DEGRADATION OF CELLULOSE AND HEMICELLULOSES, LOSS OF BRIGHTNESS, DETERIORATION OF FIBER STRENGTH, REDUCTION INYIELD, AND OPERATING COST REQUIREMENTS. WE PROPOSE TO IMPROVE ON THE STEAM EXPLOSION PROCESS BY USING SUPERCRITICAL OR NEAR-CRITICAL FLUIDS WHICH HAVE THE COMBINED CAPABILITY TO DEFIBRATE BIOMASS AT LOWER OPERATING TEMPERATURES AND TO FRACTIONATE WOOD INTO ITS CONSTITUENTS. AN IMPROVED PRETREATMENT PROCESS FOR BIOMASS WASTE WILL FACILITATE THE PRODUCTION OF ETHANOL, GASOHOL AND OTHER CHEMICALS FROM WOODY BIOMASS WASTES, AND UNDERUTILIZED RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCE. THE IMPROVED PROCESS WILL BE OF UTILITY TO THE HARDBOARD AND CONSTRUCTION PAPER INDUSTRIES, AND MAY FIND USE IN THE WASTE PAPER RECYCLING INDUSTRY. AN IMPROVED PROCESS COULD ALSO LEAD TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN ALTERNATE PULPING PROCESS WHICH PRODUCES A SUPERIOR CELLULOSIC FIBER, REDUCES CHEMICAL USAGE IN THE PULP AND PAPER INDUSTRY, AND MINIMIZES THE IMPACT OF SPENT PULPING LIQUORS ON OUR ENVIRONMENT.