Fermentation Method Integrating Bioreactor with Ammonia Production
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current ethanol production via microbial fermentation of gas streams containing CO and H2 is inefficient, leading to significant conversion of CO to CO2, which contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and reduces overall carbon capture efficiency, while also producing unwanted by-products like acetate that can pose waste disposal issues.
Innovation Solution
Integrating a bioreactor into ammonia production processes to ferment CO and H2-rich gas streams, using microorganisms like Clostridium autoethanogenum, to produce ethanol and other liquid products, thereby reducing CO2 production and enhancing carbon capture and energy efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If microbial fermentation is used to convert CO and H2 into ethanol, then liquid fuel production is achieved, but significant conversion of CO to CO2 occurs reducing carbon capture efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the fermentation process parameters by controlling pH levels, temperature, and gas composition to optimize microbial metabolism. By adjusting these parameters, the process maximizes ethanol production while minimizing CO2 generation, thus resolving the contradiction between productivity and carbon capture efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms to monitor CO2 production and adjust fermentation conditions in real-time. This allows dynamic optimization of the microbial culture to maintain high ethanol yield while suppressing unwanted CO2 formation, addressing both productivity and carbon capture requirements
2Productivity
If traditional yeast-based fermentation is used, then ethanol production is achieved, but reliance on crop-derived carbohydrates increases food competition and costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary step using specialized microbial cultures that can directly utilize CO and H2 as substrates. This intermediary biological conversion process eliminates the need for traditional crop-based carbohydrate feedstocks, thereby resolving the contradiction between ethanol production and food competition
Solution Approach 2:
The process changes the fundamental substrate parameter from biological carbohydrates to gaseous CO and H2 mixtures. This parameter change enables ethanol production without competing with food crops, while maintaining productive ethanol yields through optimized microbial fermentation conditions
3Productivity
If CO is converted to ethanol via fermentation, then valuable liquid product is produced, but unwanted by-products like acetate are generated creating waste disposal issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the previously harmful acetate by-product into a useful resource by implementing acetate utilization pathways. The microbial system is designed to further metabolize acetate into additional ethanol or other valuable products, transforming the waste disposal problem into an enhanced productivity advantage
Solution Approach 2:
The fermentation process is extended to include continuous acetate consumption steps. By maintaining continuous metabolic action that processes both primary and secondary products, the system eliminates waste accumulation and maintains continuous production of valuable liquid products
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 significantly improves carbon capture and energy efficiency in ammonia production by converting CO into ethanol, reducing CO2 emissions, and minimizing H2 consumption, while producing valuable liquid products like ethanol and acetate.
Implementation Method 1
The liquid products including alcohol(s) and or acid(s) are produced by microbial fermentation of gas streams comprising CO and optionally H2
Data Source
AI summary
This invention relates to the integration of an ammonia production process with a fermentation process to produce products such as alcohols and/or acids in addition to ammonia. In a specific embodiment, a natural gas stream comprising methane is passed to a reforming zone to produce a substrate comprising CO and H2. The substrate is next passed to a bioreactor containing a culture of one or more microorganisms and fermenting the culture to produce one or more fermentation products comprising alcohols and/or acids and an exhaust stream comprising CO2, and H2. The exhaust stream can then be passed to a separation zone to remove at least a portion of the CO2 and produce a purified exhaust stream comprising H2 which is then passed to an ammonia production zone and is used to produce ammonia.