Bioconversion of coal-derived synthesis gas to liquid fuels. [Butyribacterium methylotrophicum]

Technical Report · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1991

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5986504· OSTI ID:5986504

Jain, M K

The use of coal-derived synthesis gas as an industrial feedstock for production of fuels and chemicals has become an increasingly attractive alternative to present petroleum-based chemicals production. However, one of the major limitations in developing such a process is the required removal of catalyst poisons such as hydrogen sulfide (H{sub 2}S), carbonyl sulfide (COS), and other trace contaminants from the synthesis gas. Purification steps necessary to remove these are energy intensive and add significantly to the production cost, particularly for coals having a high sulfur content such as Illinois coal. A two-stage, anaerobic bioconversion process requiring little or no sulfur removal is proposed, where in the first stage the carbon monoxide (CO) gas is converted to butyric and acetic acids by the CO strain of Butyribacterium methylotrophicum. In the second stage, these acids along with the hydrogen (H{sub 2}) gas are converted to butanol, ethanol, and acetone by an acid utilizing mutant of Clostridium acetobutylicum. 18 figs., 18 tabs.

• Research Organization: Michigan Biotechnology Inst., Lansing, MI (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: FG22-90PC90176
• OSTI ID: 5986504
• Report Number(s): DOE/PC/90176-T53; ON: DE92004189
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
10 SYNTHETIC FUELS
BACTERIA
SYNTHESIS GAS
BIOCONVERSION
ACETIC ACID
ACETONE
ANAEROBIC CONDITIONS
BUTYRIC ACID
CARBON MONOXIDE
CARBONYLS
CLOSTRIDIUM
COAL
ETHANOL
HYDROGEN
HYDROGEN SULFIDES
PH VALUE
PROGRESS REPORT
SULFIDES
SYNTHETIC FUELS
ALCOHOLS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON OXIDES
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CHALCOGENIDES
DOCUMENT TYPES
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GASES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
KETONES
MATERIALS
MICROORGANISMS
MONOCARBOXYLIC ACIDS
NONMETALS
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
010408* - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- C1 Processes- (1987-)
550700 - Microbiology
100200 - Synthetic Fuels- Production- (1990-)