Biopolymer extraction from plant materials

Abstract

Disclosed is a method and apparatus for the extraction of high molecular weight biopolymers from plants. Specifically, invention described herein relates to the commercial processing of plant material, including that from desert plants native to the southwestern United States and Mexico, such as the guayule plant ( Parthenium argentatum ), for the extraction of biopolymers, including natural rubbers. More specifically, the invention relates to laboratory to commercial scale extraction of high molecular weight biopolymers from plant materials including the chemical and mechanical processing of the plants and purification of the extracted biopolymer.

1 - 26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . An apparatus for extracting a biopolymer from a non- Hevea  plant material, comprising:
 a milling system, wherein the milling system is capable of mixing ground plant material with a buffer and water to form a milled product comprised of a bagasse and a liquid homogenate;   a screw press filtration system, fluidly coupled to the milling system, wherein the screw press filtration system is capable of separating the milled product into the bagasse and the liquid homogenate;   a homogenate storage tank, fluidly coupled to the screw press filtration system, wherein the homogenate storage tank is capable of storing a liquid homogenate comprised of milled plant material, the buffer and water;   a phase separating system, fluidly coupled to the homogenate storage tank, wherein the phase separating system is capable of separating the liquid homogenate into a light phase and a heavy phase; and   a biopolymer storage tank, fluidly coupled to the phase separating system, wherein the biopolymer storage tank is capable of storing a liquid biopolymer.   
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the plant material is guayule. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the biopolymer is rubber latex. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , further comprising a plant material chopper, wherein the chopper is capable of cutting the plant material into pieces. 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , further comprising a de-barking system, wherein the de-barking system is capable of removing bark from the plant material. 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , further comprising a plant material separator, wherein the separator is capable of removing the leaves, flower parts and stems from the biopolymer-containing plant material. 
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , further comprising a biopolymer concentrator fluidly coupled to the phase separating system, wherein the biopolymer concentrator is capable of producing a useable biopolymer from the light phase. 
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 33 , further comprising a creaming system fluidly coupled to the biopolymer concentrator, wherein the creaming system is capable of concentrating the biopolymer and removing subnants from the light phase. 
     
     
         35 - 39 . (canceled) 
     
     
         40 . The apparatus of  claim 34 , wherein the creaming system comprises a mixing tank and an insulated non-agitated settling tank. 
     
     
         41 . The apparatus of  claim 40 , wherein the insulated non-agitated settling tank maintains an internal settling temperature of 20-30° C. 
     
     
         42 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the milling system comprises at least one mill selected from the group consisting of a hammer mill, a wet mill, a dry mill, a shredder, and a ball grinder. 
     
     
         43 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the screw press filtration system comprises a screw auger, a screw press and a screen, wherein the liquid homogenate passes through the screen but the bagasse does not. 
     
     
         44 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , further comprising a paddle washer, wherein the paddle washer washes any remaining latex particles from the bagasse that is separated from the liquid homogenate in the screw filtration system. 
     
     
         45 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the apparatus is a small scale, pilot plant scale or commercial scale apparatus. 
     
     
         46 . The apparatus of  claim 45 , wherein the commercial scale apparatus has a plant processing capacity of over 1,000 pounds plants per hour. 
     
     
         47 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the commercial scale apparatus has a plant processing capacity of 15,000 pounds of plants per day.