Abstract:
Furfural is produced from biomass material containing pentosan, in high yields, in a production process comprising treating the biomass with a solution containing at least one α-hydroxysulfonic acid thereby hydrolyzing the biomass to produce a product stream containing at least one C5-carbohydrate compound in monomeric and/or oligomeric form, and dehydrating the C5-carbohydrate compound in the presence of an acid, in a biphasic reaction medium comprising an aqueous phase and a water-immiscible organic phase, at a temperature in the range of from about 100° C. to about 250° C. to produce a dehydration product stream containing furfural. An aqueous stream is separated from the dehydration product that can be optionally recycled to the hydrolysis step.
Abstract:
Fermentable sugar useful for the production of biofuels can be produced from biomass by contacting the biomass with a solution containing at least one α-hydroxysulfonic acid. The α-hydroxysulfonic acid can be easily removed from the product and recycled.
Abstract:
The present disclosure relates to enhanced oil recovery methods including the injection of solvent and polymer floods to increase hydrocarbon production from oil bearing underground rock formations. One method includes injecting a solvent slug into the underground formation for a first time period from a first well. The solvent slug solubilizes the oil and generates a mixture of mobilized oil and solvent. An aqueous polymer slug may then be injected into the underground formation for a second time from the first well. The polymer slug may have a viscosity greater than the solvent slug and thereby generates an interface between the solvent slug and the polymer slug. The solvent slug and the mobilized oil are then forced towards a second well using a buoyant hydrodynamic force generated by the aqueous polymer slug. Oil and/or gas may then be produced from the second well.
Abstract:
An acid-generating fluid includes a thermally activated strong acid precursor. The thermally activated strong acid precursor can include a component selected from aldehydes, ketones, and combinations thereof, in combination with a precursor of a compound adapted to react to liberate sulfur dioxide; or it can include sulfur dioxide in combination with a precursor of a compound adapted to react to liberate a component selected from aldehydes, ketones, and combinations thereof.
Abstract:
An acid-generating fluid includes a thermally activated strong acid precursor. The thermally activated strong acid precursor can include a component selected from aldehydes, ketones, and combinations thereof, in combination with a precursor of a compound adapted to react to liberate sulfur dioxide; or it can include sulfur dioxide in combination with a precursor of a compound adapted to react to liberate a component selected from aldehydes, ketones, and combinations thereof.
Abstract:
Furfural is produced from biomass material containing pentosan, in high yields, in a production process comprising treating the biomass with a solution containing at least one α-hydroxysulfonic acid thereby hydrolyzing the biomass to produce a product stream containing at least one C5-carbohydrate compound in monomeric and/or oligomeric form, and dehydrating the C5-carbohydrate compound in the presence of a heterogeneous solid acid catalyst, in a biphasic reaction medium comprising an aqueous phase and a water-immiscible organic phase, at a temperature in the range of from about 100° C. to about 250° C. to produce a dehydration product stream containing furfural. An aqueous stream is separated from the dehydration product, which can be optionally recycled to the hydrolysis step.
Abstract:
Since biomass is always accompanied by caustic inorganic materials, we have found that the formation of the anion salt of α-hydroxysulfonic acid represent the largest “loss” of the α-hydroxysulfonic acid in the potential reversible acid pretreatment process. By titrating the α-hydroxysulfonic acid salt with strong mineral acid and then reverting the alfa-hydroxysulfonic acid as its primary components, the acid components can be recovered substantially quantitatively.
Abstract:
A method of producing fatty acid esters in situ from microbial biomass such as algae is provided by treating microbial biomass with a solution containing an alcohol and at least one α-hydroxysulfonic acid. Fatty acid ester can be directly recovered from the treated microbial biomass. The α-hydroxysulfonic acid can be easily removed from the treated microbial biomass and recycled.