Processing material with ion beams

Abstract

Materials such as biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) and hydrocarbon-containing materials are processed to produce useful products, such as fuels. For example, systems are described that can use feedstock materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials and/or starchy materials, or oil sands, oil shale, tar sands, bitumen, and coal to produce altered materials such as fuels (e.g., ethanol and/or butanol). The processing includes exposing the materials to an ion beam.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of making a fuel, the method comprising:
 irradiating a cellulosic or lignocellulosic material with an ion beam comprising a first distribution of ion energies having a full width at half maximum of W and a second distribution of energies with a full width at half maximum W 2  of more than W;   converting the irradiated material to produce a fuel.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second distribution of energies is produced by adjusting the energies of some of the ions based on a thickness of the cellulosic or lignocellulosic material. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the relative dose of irradiation is substantially uniform through the thickness of the cellulosic or lignocellulosic material. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cellulosic or lignocellulosic material has been physically prepared prior to irradiating to render it more uniform. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the material has been prepared to reduce the biomass particle size to an average particle size of r. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the second distribution of energies is produced by adjusting the energy of some of the ions based on the average particle size r. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the irradiation reduces the average molecular weight of the cellulosic or lignocellulosic material. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fuel is an alcohol. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fuel is ethanol, butanol or hydrogen. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the irradiated material is converted utilizing a bacteria. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the irradiated material is converted utilizing a yeast.