Biofuel Production via Ester Synthase and Transesterification

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The petroleum industry faces challenges including high exploration and extraction costs, environmental damage, inefficient refining processes, and the limited and dwindling nature of petroleum resources, along with the environmental impacts of burning petroleum-based fuels.

Innovation Solution

Production of fatty acids and derivatives, such as fatty esters, from genetically engineered microorganisms using ester synthase genes to create biofuels that are economically and energy-efficient, reducing the need for traditional petroleum-based fuels.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If petroleum is extracted and refined to produce fuels and petrochemicals, then commercial products are obtained, but exploration and extraction costs are high and environmental damage occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduct productionVSAvoidenvironmental damage

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the fundamental parameter of feedstock source from petroleum to renewable biological materials (vegetable oils, animal fats, waste oils). This parameter change eliminates the need for petroleum exploration and extraction, thereby removing the associated environmental damage while still producing commercial fuel products through transesterification or hydroprocessing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes waste oils and greases (used cooking oil, waste animal fat) as feedstock. These are inexpensive, readily available materials that would otherwise be discarded. By converting these waste streams into valuable fuel products, the process eliminates environmental pollution from waste disposal while producing commercial fuels without requiring expensive petroleum exploration

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Productivity

If long chain hydrocarbons are cracked to produce petrochemical raw materials, then monomers and aromatics are obtained, but the process is expensive and energy-intensive

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepetrochemical productionVSAvoidcracking energy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical composition parameter of the feedstock from long-chain hydrocarbons to triglycerides (vegetable oils and fats). Triglycerides contain ester linkages that can be directly converted to fatty acid methyl esters (biodiesel) or fatty acid ethyl esters through transesterification, eliminating the need for high-energy cracking processes while still producing fuel-grade products with desirable combustion properties

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If crude petroleum is refined into fuels, then transportation fuel is produced, but the refining process is complex and costly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefuel productionVSAvoidrefining process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and utilizes the triglyceride portion of biological materials directly as feedstock, bypassing the complex petroleum refining process. By taking out the ester bonds in triglycerides through transesterification, the process directly produces fatty acid alkyl esters (biodiesel) and glycerol, simplifying the production pathway while maintaining fuel quality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of refining crude petroleum through multiple complex steps (distillation, cracking, reforming, treatment), the patent inverts the approach by directly converting triglycerides to fuel esters through a single transesterification reaction. This inverted pathway achieves fuel production with significantly reduced process complexity and lower costs

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

4Quantity of substance

If petroleum resources are exploited, then fuels and chemicals are produced, but petroleum is limited and dwindling

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefuel supplyVSAvoidresource availability

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the resource base parameter from finite petroleum reserves to renewable biological materials. Vegetable oils, animal fats, and waste oils can be continuously produced through agriculture and animal husbandry, providing a sustainable, replenishable feedstock source that eliminates resource depletion concerns while maintaining adequate fuel supply to meet demand

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach provides a renewable source of petroleum-like products that are environmentally friendly, economically viable, and do not require extensive resource extraction or refinement, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional petroleum-based fuels.

Implementation Method 1

Production of fatty acids and derivatives, such as fatty esters, from genetically engineered microorganisms using ester synthase genes

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCatalysis: Catalysis

Data Source

PatentUS9133406B2Production of fatty acid derivatives

Publication Date: 2015.09.15 LS9 INC

AI summary

Methods and compositions for producing fatty acid derivatives, for example, fatty esters, and commercial fuel compositions comprising fatty acid derivatives are described.