Patent ID: 7915017

Claim:
A process for the treatment of a plant biomass, the process comprising: (a) performing an ammonia treatment process comprising: (i) contacting a lignocellulosic plant biomass, which has been ground and which contains varying moisture contents, with a source of ammonia comprising at least one of anhydrous ammonia in the liquid state, anhydrous ammonia in the vapor state, a concentrated ammonia:water mixture in the liquid state, and a concentrated ammonia:water mixture in the vapor state, thereby forming a mixture in which the ratio of ammonia (as NH 3 ) to dry plant biomass is between about 0.1:1 and 0.75:1 and the ratio of water to dry plant biomass is between about 0.2:1 and 1.5:1; (ii) maintaining the mixture in a closed vessel at temperatures between about 50° C. and 140° C. for a period of time; (iii) maintaining the ammonia in contact with the lignocellulosic plant biomass and increasing an amount of the ammonia in the liquid state by managing a headspace volume of the closed vessel; and (iv) rapidly releasing pressure from the vessel by releasing ammonia from the vessel to form a treated biomass, the treated biomass having an increased reactivity of plant polymers comprising hemicellulose and cellulose; and (b) removing the treated plant biomass which has increased reactivity from the vessel.