Title: Biological production of acetic acid from waste gases with Clostridium ljungdahlii

Abstract

A method and apparatus for converting waste gases from industrial processes such as oil refining, carbon black, coke, ammonia, and methanol production, into useful products. The method includes introducing the waste gases into a bioreactor where they are fermented to various organic acids or alcohols by anaerobic bacteria within the bioreactor. These valuable end products are then recovered, separated and purified. In an exemplary recovery process, the bioreactor raffinate is passed through an extraction chamber into which one or more non-inhibitory solvents are simultaneously introduced to extract the product. Then, the product is separated from the solvent by distillation. Gas conversion rates can be maximized by use of centrifuges, hollow fiber membranes, or other means of ultrafiltration to return entrained anaerobic bacteria from the bioreactor raffinate to the bioreactor itself, thus insuring the highest possible cell concentration.

Inventors:

Gaddy, James L ^[1]

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1. Fayetteville, AR

Issue Date:

Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1998

Research Org.:

Bioengineering Resources Inc

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE

OSTI Identifier:

871840

Patent Number(s):

5807722

Assignee:

Bioengineering Resources, Inc. (Fayetteville, AR)

Patent Classifications (CPCs):

C - CHEMISTRY C12 - BIOCHEMISTRY C12M - APPARATUS FOR ENZYMOLOGY OR MICROBIOLOGY

C - CHEMISTRY C12 - BIOCHEMISTRY C12P - FERMENTATION OR ENZYME-USING PROCESSES TO SYNTHESISE A DESIRED CHEMICAL COMPOUND OR COMPOSITION OR TO SEPARATE OPTICAL ISOMERS FROM A RACEMIC MIXTURE {

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C - CHEMISTRY C12 - BIOCHEMISTRY C12M - APPARATUS FOR ENZYMOLOGY OR MICROBIOLOGY

C12M21/04 - {for producing gas, e.g. biogas
C12M29/04 - {Filters
C12M29/18 - {External loop
C12M43/02 - {Bioreactors or fermenters combined with devices for liquid fuel extraction

C - CHEMISTRY C12 - BIOCHEMISTRY C12P - FERMENTATION OR ENZYME-USING PROCESSES TO SYNTHESISE A DESIRED CHEMICAL COMPOUND OR COMPOSITION OR TO SEPARATE OPTICAL ISOMERS FROM A RACEMIC MIXTURE {

C12P7/08 - produced as by-product or from waste or cellulosic material substrate
C12P7/54 - Acetic acid
C12P7/56 - Lactic acid

Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

Y02E50/10 - Biofuels
Y02E50/30 - Fuel from waste

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DOE Contract Number:  

FC02-90CE40939

Resource Type:

Patent

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

biological; production; acetic; acid; waste; gases; clostridium; ljungdahlii; method; apparatus; converting; industrial; processes; oil; refining; carbon; black; coke; ammonia; methanol; useful; products; introducing; bioreactor; fermented; various; organic; acids; alcohols; anaerobic; bacteria; valuable; recovered; separated; purified; exemplary; recovery; process; raffinate; passed; extraction; chamber; non-inhibitory; solvents; simultaneously; introduced; extract; product; solvent; distillation; gas; conversion; rates; maximized; centrifuges; hollow; fiber; membranes; means; ultrafiltration; return; entrained; insuring; cell; concentration; gas conversion; waste gases; industrial processes; acetic acid; ethanol production; useful products; waste gas; recovery process; industrial process; carbon black; anaerobic bacteria; organic acids; organic acid; methanol production; clostridium ljungdahlii; oil refining; extraction chamber; converting waste; various organic; conversion rates; hollow fiber; biological production; /435/