Process for increasing digestion efficiency of lignocellulosic material in a treatment vessel

Abstract

A process for increasing digestion efficiency of lignocellulosic material in a treatment vessel includes providing lignocellulosic material comprising lignocellulosic biomass, providing an alkyl polyglycoside, an alkoxylated alcohol, and a white liquor comprising sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide, combining the lignocellulosic material, the alkyl polyglycoside, the alkoxylated alcohol, and the white liquor to form a mixture, and heating the mixture in the treatment vessel to a temperature of from about 125° C. to about 185° C. to digest at least a portion of the lignocellulosic material. The alkyl polyglycoside and the alkoxylated alcohol are present in the mixture in a weight ratio of actives from about 5:95 to about 95:5, respectively. The mixture is free of added surfactants that are not the alkyl polyglycoside and/or the alkoxylated alcohol. The process has increased digestion efficiency as compared to a process that does not utilize a combination of the alkyl polyglycoside and the alkoxylated alcohol.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A process for increasing digestion efficiency of lignocellulosic material in a treatment vessel, said method comprising:
 providing lignocellulosic material comprising lignocellulosic biomass;   providing an alkyl polyglycoside;   providing an alkoxylated alcohol;   providing a white liquor comprising sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide;   combining the lignocellulosic material, the alkyl polyglycoside, the alkoxylated alcohol, and the white liquor to form a mixture; and   heating the mixture in the treatment vessel to a temperature of from about 125° C. to about 185° C. to digest at least a portion of the lignocellulosic material;   wherein the lignocellulosic material is present in an amount of from about 10 to about 30 weight percent based on a total weight of the mixture;   wherein the alkyl polyglycoside and the alkoxylated alcohol are present in the mixture in a weight ratio of actives from about 5:95 to about 95:5, respectively;   wherein a combination of the alkyl polyglycoside and the alkoxylated alcohol is present in an amount of from 0.1 to about 10 kg actives/metric ton dry lignocellulosic material;   wherein the white liquor is present in an amount of from about 70 to about 90 weight percent based on a total weight of the mixture;   wherein the mixture is free of added surfactants that are not the alkyl polyglycoside and/or the alkoxylated alcohol; and   wherein said process has an increased digestion efficiency as compared to a process that does not utilize a combination of the alkyl polyglycoside and the alkoxylated alcohol.   
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the alkyl polyglycoside has the following structure: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein m has an average value of from about 1 to about 3 and n has an average value of from about 5 to about 17. 
       
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the alkyl polyglycoside comprises an oligomeric D-Glucopyranose C10-16 alkyl glycoside. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the alkoxylated alcohol is a linear alkyl alcohol alkoxylated with about 1 to about 40 moles of ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, and/or butylene oxide. 
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the alkoxylated alcohol is a linear alkyl alcohol having about 6 to about 18 carbon atoms that is alkoxylated with about 1 to about 40 moles of ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide. 
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the alkoxylated alcohol comprises an eight mole ethoxylate of isotridecyl alcohol. 
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the alkyl polyglycoside and the alkoxylated alcohol are present in the mixture in a weight ratio of actives from about 25:75 to about 75:25. 
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the alkyl polyglycoside and the alkoxylated alcohol are present in the mixture in a weight ratio of actives of about 2:1. 
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the alkyl polyglycoside comprises an oligomeric D-Glucopyranose C10-16 alkyl glycoside and the alkoxylated alcohol comprises an eight mole ethoxylate of isotridecyl alcohol. 
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 9  wherein the alkyl polyglycoside and the alkoxylated alcohol are present in the mixture in a weight ratio of actives of about 2:1. 
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the mixture consists essentially of the lignocellulosic material, the alkyl polyglycoside, the alkoxylated alcohol, and the white liquor. 
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the mixture consists essentially of the lignocellulosic material, the alkyl polyglycoside, the alkoxylated alcohol, and the white liquor, and wherein the alkyl polyglycoside is an oligomeric D-Glucopyranose C10-16 alkyl glycoside, the alkoxylated alcohol is an eight mole ethoxylate of isotridecyl alcohol, and the alkyl polyglycoside and the alkoxylated alcohol are present in the mixture in a weight ratio of actives of about 2:1. 
     
     
         13 . A mixture comprising:
 lignocellulosic material comprising lignocellulosic biomass present in an amount of from about 10 to about 30 weight percent based on a total weight of said mixture;   white liquor comprising sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide and present in an amount of from about 70 to about 90 weight percent based on a total weight of said mixture;   an alkyl polyglycoside; and   an alkoxylated alcohol;   wherein said alkyl polyglycoside and said alkoxylated alcohol are present in said mixture in a weight ratio of actives from about 5:95 to about 95:5, respectively;   wherein a combination of said alkyl polyglycoside and said alkoxylated alcohol is present in an amount of from about 0.1 to about 10 kg actives/metric ton dry lignocellulosic material; and   wherein said mixture is free of added surfactants that are not said alkyl polyglycoside and/or said alkoxylated alcohol.   
     
     
         14 . The mixture of  claim 13  wherein said alkyl polyglycoside and said alkoxylated alcohol are present in said mixture in a weight ratio of actives from about 25:75 to about 75:25. 
     
     
         15 . The mixture of  claim 13  wherein said alkyl polyglycoside and said alkoxylated alcohol are present in said mixture in a weight ratio of actives of about 2:1. 
     
     
         16 . The mixture of  claim 13  wherein said alkyl polyglycoside comprises an oligomeric D-Glucopyranose C10-16 alkyl glycoside and said alkoxylated alcohol comprises an eight mole ethoxylate of isotridecyl alcohol. 
     
     
         17 . The mixture of  claim 16  wherein said alkyl polyglycoside and said alkoxylated alcohol are present in said mixture in a weight ratio of actives of about 2:1. 
     
     
         18 . The mixture of  claim 16  that consists essentially of said lignocellulosic material, said alkyl polyglycoside, said alkoxylated alcohol, and said white liquor. 
     
     
         19 . The mixture of  claim 16  that consists essentially of said lignocellulosic material, said alkyl polyglycoside, said alkoxylated alcohol, and said white liquor, and wherein said alkyl polyglycoside is an oligomeric D-Glucopyranose C10-16 alkyl glycoside, said alkoxylated alcohol is an eight mole ethoxylate of isotridecyl alcohol, and said alkyl polyglycoside and said alkoxylated alcohol are present in said mixture in a weight ratio of actives of about 2:1. 
     
     
         20 . A process for increasing digestion efficiency of lignocellulosic material in a treatment vessel, said method comprising:
 providing lignocellulosic material comprising lignocellulosic biomass;   providing an alkyl polyglycoside;   providing an linear alkyl alcohol having a single (—OH) group and alkoxylated with about 1 to about 40 moles of ethylene oxide,   providing a white liquor comprising sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide;   combining the lignocellulosic material, the alkyl polyglycoside, the alkoxylated alcohol, and the white liquor to form a mixture; and   heating the mixture in the treatment vessel to a temperature of from about 125° C. to about 185° C. to digest at least a portion of the lignocellulosic material;   wherein the lignocellulosic material is present in an amount of from about 10 to about 30 weight percent based on a total weight of the mixture;   wherein the alkyl polyglycoside and the alkoxylated alcohol are present in the mixture in a weight ratio of actives from about 5:95 to about 95:5, respectively;   wherein a combination of the alkyl polyglycoside and the alkoxylated alcohol is present in an amount of from 0.1 to about 10 kg actives/metric ton dry lignocellulosic material;   wherein the white liquor is present in an amount of from about 70 to about 90 weight percent based on a total weight of the mixture;   wherein the mixture is free of added surfactants that are not the alkyl polyglycoside and/or the alkoxylated alcohol; and   wherein said process has an increased digestion efficiency as compared to a process that does not utilize a combination of the alkyl polyglycoside and the alkoxylated alcohol.