The invention is directed to compositions and processes concerning efficient downstream processing of products derived from organic acids pretreatment of plant materials.

The invention is directed to compositions and processes concerning efficient downstream processing of products derived from organic acids pretreatment of plant materials.

The invention is directed to compositions and processes concerning efficient downstream processing of products derived from organic acids pretreatment of plant materials.

A startup burner assembly for a recovery boiler, the startup burner assembly includes a housing having a burner end and a second end distal to the burner end; a main fuel conduit disposed within the housing; and high-pressure air conduits disposed within the burner end of the housing. The high-pressure air conduits include angled air injection nozzles configured to direct high-pressure air exiting the burner end of the startup burner assembly in a rotational direction.

A startup burner assembly for a recovery boiler, the startup burner assembly includes a housing having a burner end and a second end distal to the burner end; a main fuel conduit disposed within the housing; and high-pressure air conduits disposed within the burner end of the housing. The high-pressure air conduits include angled air injection nozzles configured to direct high-pressure air exiting the burner end of the startup burner assembly in a rotational direction.

A process for isolating lignin from an alkaline process stream of thickened black liquor which is introduced continuously into a lower region of at least one circulation reactor having two reactor zones in concentric arrangement, liquid level of the alkaline process stream in the interior of the reactor is at a level with an upper end of an inner tubular reactor zone, a CO.sub.2-containing gas is blown continuously from the bottom into the inner tubular reactor zone of the reactor, wherein the CO.sub.2-containing gas is absorbed by the alkaline process stream in the inner circulation reactor zone and offgas is drawn off with residual amounts of the CO.sub.2 at the top of the reactor, the process is run at 1 atm, and thickened black liquor with a reduced lignin content together with precipitated lignin present are drawn off optionally after settling at the base of the reactor.

A catalyst free organosolv process for a more efficient delignification and bio-product production by fractionating lignocellulosic materials comprises of providing one or more lignin dissolving chemicals with water and placing it in contact with lignocellulosic biomass. The process also includes producing used solvent as a result of placing biomass in contact with lignin dissolving chemicals and water, separating it into organic and aqueous layers, extracting poly lignin from the organic layer to produce recyclable lignin dissolving chemicals, and extracting dissolved solid from the aqueous layer to produce recyclable water. The catalyst free organosolv process can use any combination of fresh, used, or recyclable water and lignin dissolving chemicals, with or without any pH adjustment and placing them in contact with any biomass in process, or any new biomass. The recyclable lignin dissolving chemicals can be further separated to remove any excess or desired organic chemicals from it. The separated chemicals can be recycled as new lignin dissolving solvent or sold, while poly lignin can be used as a natural and renewable colorant for other polymers such as poly lactic acid, or can be mixed with other polymers as an additive and be compounded, co-extruded, injected to make consumable polymeric parts, or can be used as a natural source of renewable aromatics. Application of the catalyst free organosolv process helps to preserve fiber strength which is important for certain applications. At the end, the catalyst free organosolv fractionation process produces good quality fibers, various organic chemicals, and poly lignin that together make the process very economically attractive.

A catalyst free organosolv process for a more efficient delignification and bio-product production by fractionating lignocellulosic materials comprises of providing one or more lignin dissolving chemicals with water and placing it in contact with lignocellulosic biomass. The process also includes producing used solvent as a result of placing biomass in contact with lignin dissolving chemicals and water, separating it into organic and aqueous layers, extracting poly lignin from the organic layer to produce recyclable lignin dissolving chemicals, and extracting dissolved solid from the aqueous layer to produce recyclable water. The catalyst free organosolv process can use any combination of fresh, used, or recyclable water and lignin dissolving chemicals, with or without any pH adjustment and placing them in contact with any biomass in process, or any new biomass. The recyclable lignin dissolving chemicals can be further separated to remove any excess or desired organic chemicals from it. The separated chemicals can be recycled as new lignin dissolving solvent or sold, while poly lignin can be used as a natural and renewable colorant for other polymers such as poly lactic acid, or can be mixed with other polymers as an additive and be compounded, co-extruded, injected to make consumable polymeric parts, or can be used as a natural source of renewable aromatics. Application of the catalyst free organosolv process helps to preserve fiber strength which is important for certain applications. At the end, the catalyst free organosolv fractionation process produces good quality fibers, various organic chemicals, and poly lignin that together make the process very economically attractive.

The invention relates to a heat transfer tube (9) for falling film evaporation having a heating medium surface (21) to be heated by a heating medium, a falling film surface (20) to have spent liquor passing over it, and being made from an iron based high alloy stainless steel material with an alloy content above 16.00% for Chromium and above 1% for Nickel. The falling film surface of the heat transfer tube is equipped with one or several protrusions/indentations forming a multitude of stamped bumps (SB) on the envelope surface of a heat transfer tube such that the distance between adjacent stamped bumps (SB) along a line on the envelope surface parallel to the longitudinal axis of the heat transfer tube is within the range of 3 to 250 mm, said stamped bumps (SB) having a height (hp) in the range 0.3 to 5.0 mm, a width (wp) in the range 1.0-20 mm, and an inclination angle (a) versus a plane orthogonal to a longitudinal axis (CC) of the heat transfer tube in a range of 0-70 degrees so that each stamped bump (SB) is inclined and extends along at least a portion of the heat transfer tube or extend within a plane orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the heat transfer tube. The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing said heat transfer tube.

The invention relates to a heat transfer tube (9) for falling film evaporation having a heating medium surface (21) to be heated by a heating medium, a falling film surface (20) to have spent liquor passing over it, and being made from an iron based high alloy stainless steel material with an alloy content above 16.00% for Chromium and above 1% for Nickel. The falling film surface of the heat transfer tube is equipped with one or several protrusions/indentations forming a multitude of stamped bumps (SB) on the envelope surface of a heat transfer tube such that the distance between adjacent stamped bumps (SB) along a line on the envelope surface parallel to the longitudinal axis of the heat transfer tube is within the range of 3 to 250 mm, said stamped bumps (SB) having a height (hp) in the range 0.3 to 5.0 mm, a width (wp) in the range 1.0-20 mm, and an inclination angle (a) versus a plane orthogonal to a longitudinal axis (CC) of the heat transfer tube in a range of 0-70 degrees so that each stamped bump (SB) is inclined and extends along at least a portion of the heat transfer tube or extend within a plane orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the heat transfer tube. The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing said heat transfer tube.