| 摘要 |
Biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) is 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, to produce ethanol and/or butanol, e.g., by fermentation. Hydrocarbon-containing materials are also used as feedstocks. |
| 主权项 |
1. A method of processing a hydrocarbon-containing material, the method comprising:
irradiating, with an ion beam comprising accelerated charged particles having an energy of from 1 to 6000 MeV/atomic unit, a combination formed by combining the hydrocarbon-containing material with an inorganic material, to produce an irradiated combination, wherein the hydrocarbon-containing material is oil shale; and wherein a lower molecular weight hydrocarbon component is produced in the irradiated combination from a higher molecular weight hydrocarbon component in the hydrocarbon-containing material. |
