4400468 Process for producing adipic acid from biomass

PATE~T ABSTRACTS in the stalk; the stalk is then ground in a hammermill to release the sugars from the central cylinder, the pith, the ligneous cells, and to a small amount from the bark; the sugar juices from the hammermill are collected; the remaining mass of the central cylinder, pith, ligneous cells and bark is squeezed to remove the remaining sugar juices: the entire collected sugar juice is then proc~scd by I) bringing the pH to 4.0-4.5, 2) heating to 80 degrees-82 degrees F., 3) adding yeast, 4) fermenting for approximately 24 hours, and then 5) distilling to produce ethanol. The method produces the maximum quantity of high grade ethanol per acre of plant of any known plant source, permitting the leaves to be used to return a high nitrogen content of the soil, the ground stalk mass to provide protein as an animal food, and the tubers to provide human or animal foods. The method for the first time uses the entire Jerusalem Artichoke while providing the maximum amount of ethanol as a worldwide energy source by the least costly, least complicated, and most energy efficient process.

44OO468 PROCESS FOR PRODUCING ADIPIC ACID FROM BIOMASS Marcel Faber Research Inc

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Hydrocarbon

A process is provided for producing adipic acid from a renewable resource, i.e., biomass. The process comprises: hydrolyzing the renewable resource to provide 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, hydrogenating the 5-hydroxymethylfurfural in the presence of a catalyst to provide 2, 5tetrahydrofurandiomethanol, treating the 2, 5tetrahydrofurandiomethanol with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst to provide I, 6 hexanediol, and oxidizing the I, 6 hexanediol in the presence of a microorganism to provide adipic acid. The formation of the adipic acid is provided with the microorganism of Oluconobacter oxydans subsp, oxydans. The renewable resources are wastes selected from the group consisting of paper, wood, corn stalks, and logging residues.

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4400195 METHOD FOR THE ANAEROBIC DIGESTION OF SOLID ORGANIC WASTE Berend Rijkcns, Zeist, Netherlands assigned to lnstituut voor Bewaring en Verwerking van Landbouwprodukten

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The present invention relates to a method wherein solid organic waste originating from plants or animals or both, is digested by an anaerobic fermentation, that is less labor, time and space consuming than the conventional aerobic fermentation method, and may be performed with waste that has not to be subjected to a pre-treatment wherein a slurry having a rather low solids content is prepared. According to the present method solid organic waste originating from plants or animals or both is decomposed under anaerobic conditions in at least one primary reactor, whereupon the water soluble fatty acids formed by said decomposition together with other soluble organic and inorganic substances are removed to a substantial extent by rinsing with an aqueous liquid in order to avoid that in the reactor the concentration of fermentation inhibiting substances becomes too h/gh and/or the pH of the contents of the reactor becomes too low, and the solution thus formed is fed to at least one auxiliary reactor wherein the organic material is converted into a mixture of carbon dioxide and methane under anaerobic conditions in a way known per se and the dodge formed in the primary reactor is removed therefrom.