Soil conditioner compositions containing lignocellulosic biomass fermentation process syrup

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9499451-B2
Application number	US-201414510148-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 9, 2014
Priority date	Oct 10, 2013
Publication date	Nov 22, 2016
Grant date	Nov 22, 2016

Abstract

Syrup produced in a lignocellulosic biomass fermentation process is used as a binder for soil conditioning materials to make an agricultural composition that is easily handled and applied. The syrup binds powdery soil conditioning materials such as lime and gypsum to form pellets or granules.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An agricultural composition comprising:
a) a lignocellulosic syrup; and
b) at least one soil conditioning material;
wherein the syrup comprises:
a) from about 40% to about 70% solids;
b) from about 10 g/l to about 30 g/l of acetamide; and
c) at least about 40 g/l of sugars;
wherein the cellulosic syrup has a density of about 1 to about 2 g/cm3 and a viscosity of less than 500 SSU at 100° F. (38° C.).

2. The agricultural composition of claim 1 wherein the syrup is a co-product of a process for the production of alcohol from a lignocellulosic biomass.

3. The agricultural composition of claim 2 wherein the process for the production of alcohol from a cellulosic biomass uses ammonia for the pretreatment of the lignocellulosic biomass, and the syrup contains at least about 5 g/l of ammonia.

4. The agricultural composition of claim 2 wherein the lignocellulosic biomass is selected from the group consisting of corn cobs, corn stover, grasses, wheat straw, barley straw, hay, rice straw, switchgrass, waste paper, sugar cane bagasse, sorghum plant material, soybean plant material, woody plants, vegetables, fruits, flowers, empty palm fruit bunch, and energy cane.

5. The agricultural composition of claim 1 wherein the at least one soil conditioning material is selected from the group consisting of lime, gypsum, and combinations thereof.

6. The agricultural composition of claim 1 wherein the at least one soil conditioning material is in the form of a powder.

7. The agricultural composition of claim 1 wherein the syrup is between about 2% and about 20% of the composition, by weight.

8. The agricultural composition of claim 1 wherein 10 the composition is in the form of pellets or granules.

9. A process for the production of an agricultural composition comprising combining a lignocellulosic syrup with at least one soil conditioning material, wherein pellets or granules comprising the syrup and the conditioning material are produced, wherein the syrup comprises:
a) from about 40% to about 70% solids;
b) from about 10 g/l to about 30 g/l of acetamide; and
c) at least about 40 g/l of sugars;
wherein the cellulosic syrup has a density of about 1 to about 2 g/cm3 and a viscosity of less than 500 SSU at 100° F. (38° C.).

10. The process of claim 9 wherein the soil conditioning material is lime, gypsum or a combination thereof.

11. The process of claim 9 wherein the soil conditioning material is lime, gypsum, or a combination thereof.

12. The process of claim 9 wherein the syrup is sprayed over the soil conditioning material in a rotating drum.

13. The process of claim 9 wherein the pellets or granules are dried.

14. The process of claim 9 wherein the lignocellulosic syrup and the soil conditioning material are combined in a ratio that is between about 1:50 and about 1:5.

15. A method for conditioning soil comprising applying the agricultural composition of claim 1 to the soil.

Assignees

• Du Pont

Inventors

• Ogle Steven W
• Vrakas Stephanie C
• Wood David William

Classifications

• C05G3/80

  Soil conditioners · CPC title

• C05G3/44

  for affecting solubility · CPC title

• C08L97/02

  Lignocellulosic material, e.g. wood, straw or bagasse {(manufacture of articles made from lignocellulosic material by dry processes B27N)} · CPC title

• C05F11/00 Primary

  Other organic fertilisers · CPC title

• C09J105/00

  Adhesives based on polysaccharides or on their derivatives, not provided for in groups C09J101/00 or C09J103/00 · CPC title