Bioconversion of coal-derived synthesis gas to liquid fuels

Technical Report · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:5709661

Jain, M K; Grethlein, H E; Datta, R ^[1]; Worden, R M ^[2]

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1. Michigan Biotechnology Inst., Lansing, MI (USA)
2. Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (USA) Michigan Biotechnology Inst., Lansing, MI (USA)

The purpose of this project is to develop a biological process for the production of liquid fuels from coal-derived synthesis gas feedstocks. A two-stage, anaerobic bioconversion process 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. During this second quarter our efforts were focused on completing the tolerance studies for B. methylotrophicum to sulfur species, which may be present in the synthesis gas at concentrations of 0.1% to 5.0%. Product formation data were analyzed and collated with the growth studies. The effect of COS in the gas phase during growth of B. methylotrophicum was also examined. Results showed no significant inhibition of growth by gas phase COS up to 2% (v/v) concentrations. Optimization studies were conducted for the CO fermentation in a continuous, cell recycle system. Several fermentations were conducted with B. methylotrophicum is this system with the pH at either 5.5, 5.3, or 5.1 and the results analyzed. pH values of 5.1 and 5.3 led to culture death, and the fermentation could not be maintained. Optimization studies for C. acetobutylicum showed that butyrate uptake could be markedly improved by continuously supplying H{sub 2} gas. 9 figs., 6 tabs.

• Research Organization: Michigan Biotechnology Inst., Lansing, MI (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; ILDENR; USDOE, Washington, DC (USA); Illinois Dept. of Energy and Natural Resources, Springfield, IL (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: FG22-90PC90176
• OSTI ID: 5709661
• Report Number(s): DOE/PC/90176-T20; ON: DE91014054
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010405* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Hydrogenation & Liquefaction
550700 -- Microbiology
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ACETIC ACID
ACETONE
ALCOHOL FUELS
ALCOHOLS
BACTERIA
BIOCONVERSION
BUTYRIC ACID
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON MONOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CHALCOGENIDES
CLOSTRIDIUM
DOCUMENT TYPES
ELEMENTS
ETHANOL
FERMENTATION
FLUIDS
FUELS
GASES
HYDROGEN
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
KETONES
MICROORGANISMS
MONOCARBOXYLIC ACIDS
NONMETALS
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PRODUCTION
PROGRESS REPORT
SYNTHESIS GAS
SYNTHETIC FUELS