Skip to main content
OSTI.GOVU.S. Department of Energy Office of Scientific and Technical Information
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information
 

Method and apparatus for the removal of bioconversion of constituents of organic liquids

Patent ·
OSTI ID:869573
 [1];  [2]
  1. Knoxville, TN
  2. Oak Ridge, TN
+ Show Author Affiliations

A method and apparatus for the removal or conversion of constituents from bulk organic liquids. A countercurrent biphasic bioreactor system is utilized to disperse and recoalesce a biocatalyst contained in the aqueous liquid phase into the organic liquid phase containing the constituent. Two transient, high-intensity electrical fields rupture the aqueous drops into a plurality of microdroplets and induce continuous coalescence and redispersion as the microdroplets travel through the organic phase, thus increasing surface area. As the aqueous microdroplets progress through the organic phase, the biocatalyst then reacts with the constituent to produce a product which is then removed from the bioreactor in the aqueous phase or retained in the organic phase. The organic liquid, now free of the original constituents, is ready for immediate use or further processing.

Research Organization:
LOCKHEED MARTIN ENRGY SYST INC
DOE Contract Number:
AC05-84OR21400
Assignee:
Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc. (Oak Ridge, TN)
Patent Number(s):
US 5358614
OSTI ID:
869573
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

Method and apparatus for the removal or bioconversion of constituents of organic liquids
Patent · Tue Oct 25 00:00:00 EDT 1994 · OSTI ID:7001476
Apparatus and method for the desulfurization of petroleum by bacteria
Patent · Tue Oct 17 00:00:00 EDT 1995 · OSTI ID:119041
Apparatus and method for the desulfurization of petroleum by bacteria
Patent · Sat Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1994 · OSTI ID:870117

Related Subjects

/204/435/588/
apparatus
aqueous
aqueous liquid
aqueous phase
biocatalyst
bioconversion
bioreactor
biphasic
bulk
catalyst contained
coalescence
constituent
constituents
contained
containing
continuous
continuous coalescence
conversion
countercurrent
disperse
drops
electrical
electrical field
electrical fields
fields
free
high-intensity
immediate
increasing
induce
intensity electric
liquid
liquid phase
liquids
method
microdroplets
organic
organic liquid
organic liquids
organic phase
original
phase
phase containing
plurality
processing
produce
product
progress
reacts
recoalesce
redispersion
removal
removed
retained
rupture
surface
transient
travel
utilized