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Alcohol production process

a technology of alcohol production and process, applied in the direction of biomass after-treatment, biofuels, specific use bioreactors/fermenters, etc., can solve the problem of reducing the supply of substrates, and achieve the effect of improving the overall efficiency of microbial fermentation

Inactive Publication Date: 2011-09-01
LANZATECH NZ INC
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0018]In a second broad aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of increasing efficiency of fermentation of a substrate comprising CO in a bioreactor, by a culture of one or more carboxydotrophic microorganisms, to produce products including acid(s) and / or alcohol(s), wherein the substrate is provided such that acid levels are maintained between predetermined threshold concentrations in the bioreactor.
[0024]In a fourth broad aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of improving overall efficiency of microbial fermentation of a substrate to produce products, the method comprising providing the substrate to a microbial culture substantially towards an optimum level, at an optimum level or within an optimum range.
[0029]In a fifth broad aspect, there is provided a method of improving overall efficiency of microbial fermentation of a substrate to produce products, the method including monitoring pH and controlling substrate supply based on pH changes. In particular embodiments, the substrate comprises CO.
[0033]In a sixth broad aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of improving overall efficiency of microbial fermentation of a substrate to produce products, the method comprising providing the substrate to a microbial culture substantially towards an optimum level, at an optimum level or within an optimum range.
[0037]In a seventh broad aspect, there is provided a method of improving overall efficiency of microbial fermentation of a substrate to produce products, the method including monitoring hydrogen produced by a microbial culture and controlling substrate supply based on hydrogen production.
[0041]In an eighth aspect, there is provided a method of improving overall efficiency of microbial fermentation of a substrate to produce products, the method comprising providing the substrate comprising CO, to a microbial culture such that the specific uptake of the microbial culture is substantially maintained between 0.6-1.5 mmol CO consumed per gram of biomass per minute (mmol / g / min). In particular embodiments, the substrate comprising CO is provided such that specific uptake is substantially maintained between 0.8-1.2 mmol / g / min.

Problems solved by technology

In particular embodiments, a decrease in acid level between the first and second time points results in a decrease in substrate supply.

Method used

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Examples

Experimental program
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Effect test

example 1

Batch Fermentation

[0210]Approximately 1400 mL of solution A was transferred into a 1.5 L fermenter and sparged with nitrogen. Resazurin (1.5 mL of a 2 g / L solution) and H3PO4 (85% solution, 2 mL) was added and the pH adjusted to 5.3 using concentrated NH4OH (aq). Chromium(II)chloride was added until the ORP of the solution decreased to approximately −150 mV. Sodium polysulfide (4.2 mL of a 4.3M solution) was added, the solution sparged with N2, then solution D (1.5 mL), solution B (15 mL) and Na2WO3 (1.5 mL of a 0.01M solution) were added. Solution F (15 mL) was added, the pH was adjusted to 5.5 and the solution sparged with N2 before switching to CO containing gas (50% CO; 50% N2) at 40 mL / min. The reactor was then inoculated with 150 ml of a Clostridium autoethanogenum culture. The bioreactor was maintained at 37° C. and stirred at 300 rpm. During the growth phase, the agitation was increased to stepwise to 800 rpm.

[0211]Metabolite and microbial growth can be seen in FIG. 3. Durin...

example 2

[0213]Media was prepared at pH 5.5 as follows. All ingredients in solution E with the exception of Cysteine-HCl were mixed in 400 ml distilled water. This solution was made anaerobic by heating to boiling and allowing it to cool to room temperature under a constant flow of 95% CO, 5% CO2 gas. Once cool, the Cysteine-HCl was added and the pH of the solution adjusted to 5.5 before making the volume up to 1000 ml; anaerobicity was maintained throughout the experiments.

[0214]A 1 L bioreactor was charged with 400 ml Solution E media, prepared as described above under a constant flow of N2. The gas was switched to CO containing gas (50% CO; 50% N2) at atmospheric pressure prior to inoculation with 400 ml of a Clostridium autoethanogenum culture. The bioreactor was maintained at 37° C. stirred at 400 rpm at the start of the culture. During the growth phase, the agitation was increased to 400 rpm. The pH was maintained at 5.5 before allowing it to drop to pH 5.3. Following the initial growt...

example 4

[0220]Approximately 1400 mL of solution A was transferred into a 1.5 L fermenter and sparged with nitrogen. Resazurin (1.5 mL of a 2 g / L solution) and H3PO4 (85% solution, 2 mL) was added and the pH adjusted to 5.3 using concentrated NH4OH(aq). Chromium(II)chloride was added until the ORP of the solution decreased to approximately −150 mV. Sodium polysulfide (4.2 mL of a 4.3M solution) was added, the solution sparged with N2, then solution B (15 mL), solution G (1.5 mL) and Na2WO3 (1.5 mL of a 0.01M solution) were added. Solution F (15 mL) was added, the pH was adjusted to 5.5 and the solution sparged with N2 before switching to CO containing gas (50% CO; 50% N2) at 40 mL / min. The reactor was then inoculated with 150 ml of a Clostridium autoethanogenum culture. The bioreactor was maintained at 37° C. and stirred at 300 rpm. During the growth phase, the agitation was increased to stepwise to 800 rpm.

[0221]Metabolite and microbial growth can be seen in FIG. 9. During the growth phase ...

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Abstract

The invention relates to the production of products such as alcohols and acids by microbial fermentation, particularly microbial fermentation of substrates comprising CO. It more particularly relates to methods and systems for improving efficiency of production products by microbial fermentation. In particular embodiments, the invention provides a method of controlling substrate supply, such that production of desired metabolites is optimised.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]This invention relates generally to methods for increasing the efficiency of microbial growth and production of products by microbial fermentation of substrates. More particularly the invention relates to processes for producing alcohols, particularly ethanol, by microbial fermentation of gaseous substrates containing carbon monoxide. In particular embodiments, the invention relates to methods of optimising substrate supply such that overall efficiency of microbial fermentation increases.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Ethanol is rapidly becoming a major hydrogen-rich liquid transport fuel around the world. Worldwide consumption of ethanol in 2005 was an estimated 12.2 billion gallons. The global market for the fuel ethanol industry has also been predicted to continue to grow sharply in future, due to an increased interest in ethanol in Europe, Japan, the USA and several developing nations.[0003]For example, in the USA, ethanol is used to produce E10, a ...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): C12Q3/00C12P7/40C12P7/02C12P7/54C12P7/06C12M1/36
CPCC12P7/065C12P7/54Y02E50/17C12M41/26C12M41/34C12M41/48C12Q3/00Y02E50/10
Inventor BARKER, WILL DAVIDHEIJSTRA, BJORN DANIELCHAN, WING CHUENMIHALCEA, CHRISTOPHE DANIELTRAN, PHUONG LOANCOLLET, CHRISTOPHEBROMLEY, JASON CARLAL-SINAWI, BAKIR
Owner LANZATECH NZ INC
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