Title: Clostridium stain which produces acetic acid from waste gases

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. 2207 Tall Oaks Dr., Fayetteville, AR 72703

Issue Date:

1997-01-01

Research Org.:

Bioengineering Resources, Inc., Fayetteville, AR

OSTI Identifier:

870784

Patent Number(s):

5593886

Assignee:

Gaddy, James L. (2207 Tall Oaks Dr., Fayetteville, AR 72703)

Patent Classifications (CPCs):

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

C12P7/56 - Lactic acid

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DOE Contract Number:  

FC02-90CE40939

Resource Type:

Patent

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

clostridium; stain; produces; acetic; acid; waste; gases; method; apparatus; converting; industrial; processes; oil; refining; carbon; black; coke; ammonia; methanol; production; 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; oil refining; extraction chamber; converting waste; various organic; conversion rates; hollow fiber; /435/