Biosolvent Extraction of Microbial Lipids for Fuel Intermediaries
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Solution Overview
Problem
The economical production of biodiesel and renewable fuels from lignocellulose is hindered by the inhibition of enzymatic processes by lignin, leading to low yields in converting woody biomass to sugars.
Innovation Solution
Utilizing a self-generated biosolvent blend derived from cellulosic sugar production processes for washing and extraction of microbial lipids, which can penetrate microbial cell walls and improve lipid recovery, and integrating this blend with hydrophobic biohydrocarbons to create a fuel intermediary for further processing into biodiesel, renewable diesel, and aviation fuels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional hydrolysis processes are used to convert woody biomass to sugar, then the process is simple, but lignin inhibits enzymatic processes creating low yields
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes lignin from the biomass before sugar conversion by using a selective dissolution process that extracts lignin while leaving cellulose and hemicellulose intact. This extraction eliminates the harmful inhibitory effect of lignin on enzymatic processes, thereby improving sugar yield without complicating the overall process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a specific solvent system as an intermediary that selectively interacts with lignin to extract it from the biomass matrix. This intermediary substance facilitates the separation of lignin from the sugar-containing components, enabling efficient sugar conversion while avoiding direct contact between harmful lignin and conversion enzymes.
2Productivity
If complete conversion of sugars in hydrolysates is achieved, then efficient utilization of lignocellulosic biomass is realized, but the process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the complex biomass conversion process into distinct sequential steps: (1) selective lignin extraction, (2) sugar hydrolysis, and (3) fermentation. This segmentation allows each step to be optimized independently, achieving complete sugar conversion while maintaining manageable process complexity through modular operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements continuous processing where the output of one stage feeds directly into the next without interruption. The extracted cellulose and hemicellulose are continuously converted to sugars and then to products, maintaining constant productive action and avoiding idle time that would increase apparent process complexity.
3Productivity
If biosolvent blends from lignocellulose treatment are used to increase lipid recovery, then lipid recovery is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent develops a biosolvent blend that serves multiple functions: it acts as a solvent for lipid extraction, a medium for microbial culture, and a source of nutrients for lipid production. This multi-functionality improves lipid recovery yield while avoiding the need for separate processes, thereby not increasing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the biosolvent blend to facilitate self-extraction of lipids from the biomass matrix without requiring additional external solvents or complex separation equipment. The biosolvent system performs the extraction function inherently, improving lipid recovery while keeping the process simple through self-contained operation.
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 enhances lipid recovery yields and improves the overall efficiency of cellulosic biorefineries, enabling the production of high-quality fuel intermediaries with reduced oxygen content, which is advantageous for downstream hydroprocessing.
Implementation Method 1
penetrate microbial cell walls and improve lipid recovery
Implementation Method 2
hybrid biosolvent washing/extraction process
Data Source
AI summary
A self-generated biosolvent from cellulosic biorefining is used to wash/extract and optionally esterify free fatty acids from microbial oil. Free fatty acids or fatty acid esters and a hydrophobic biohydrocarbon are processed to provide a hybrid liquid fuel intermediary whereas the lipid oil is derived from cellulosic sugars and from microbial conversion of cellulose, hemicellulose, and/cellulosic sugar to lipids. In addition, higher utilization of woody biomass for the production of cellulosic sugars can be further converted to lipid oils, and the remaining hemicellulose/lignin fraction is converted to a novel hydrophobic biohydrocarbon and self-generated biosolvent in which both the processed lipid oils and biohydrocarbon can be reacted together to form a new fuel intermediary. The self-generated biosolvent comprising butanol, butanol esters, and additional biochemicals, can penetrate a microbial cell wall structure to provide higher extraction yields. The process integrates supercritical esterification of the free fatty acids using the self-generated biosolvent blend. Esterification of free fatty acids from microbial oil can be blended with a liquid biohydrocarbon to create a fuel intermediary. A phase separation process for separation of aqueous and hydrophilic materials from hydrophobic liquids is provided, wherein hydrophobic materials are the biosolvent and fatty acid esters.