Process for the production of chemicals

Abstract

A process for producing one or more chemical compounds comprising the steps of providing a bioelectrochemical system having an anode and a cathode separated by a membrane, the anode and the cathode being electrically connected to each other, causing oxidation to occur at the anode and causing reduction to occur at the cathode to thereby produce reducing equivalents at the cathode, providing the reducing equivalents to a culture of microorganisms, and providing carbon dioxide to the culture of microorganisms, whereby the microorganisms produce the one or more chemical compounds, and recovering the one or chemical compounds.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates to a process for producing chemicals. More particularly, the present invention relates to a process for producing chemicals using bioelectrochemical systems.BACKGROUND[0002]The global depletion of fossil fuel resources and the increasing awareness of the possible anthropogenic effect on climate change are leading to an increasing drive to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to develop a more sustainable society. Besides renewable electricity, such a sustainable society also needs access to renewably produced fuels and chemicals. To be truly renewable these chemicals need to be produced from renewable raw materials such as biomass or from waste products such wastewater and / or carbon dioxide.[0003]Recently, bioelectrochemical systems, such as microbial fuel cells and microbial electrolysis cells, have emerged as potentially interesting technology for the production of energy and products. Bioelectrochemical systems are based on...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0034]As a result, an undesirable increase in the pH in the cathode compartment is avoided and no acid needs to be dosed in the cathode compartment. The pH and salt concentration in the cathode chamber remain stable and homeostasis is maintained. Dissolved or gaseous CO2 can be transferred from the anode to the cathode alongside with the fluid.

[0035]In yet another one embodiment, the present invention may be operated with a biocathode only. In this embodiment, the anode may comprise an essentially conventional anode. In this embodiment an acid solution (e.g. sulfuric acid) may be provided to the anode compartment and the anode reaction may be a proton generating reaction (e.g. oxygen generation from water). The membrane may comprise a cation exchange membrane. Cation exchange membranes are known to the person skilled in the art and include membranes such as CMI-7000 (Membranes International), Neosepta CMX (ASTOM Corporation), Fumasep® FKB (Fumatech), and Nafion (DuPont). In this embodiment protons migrate through the cation exchange membrane and react with the hydroxyl ions generated in the cathode reaction. As a result, no acid needs to be dosed in the cathode compartment the pH and salt concentration in the cathode chamber remain stable and homeostasis is maintained.

Problems solved by technology

Typically, these organic pollutants are removed by aerobic treatment, which can consume large amounts of electrical energy for aeration.

It might be possible to develop chemical catalysts for this purpose, but these chemical catalysts are likely to become very complex and highly expensive as they likely necessitate the application of precious metals.

A disadvantage of using a defined culture of cathodophilic microorganisms is that these cultures are susceptible to contamination with other microorganisms.

So unless the activity of these other micro-organisms can be suppressed, these other microorganisms will break down the products produced by the defined culture of cathodophilic microorganisms and consequently limit the product output of the bioelectrochemical system.

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