Botryococcus sp. Hydrocarbon Production via Nutrient Salt Concentration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for commercial production of liquid transport fuels from Botryococcus species are not economically viable due to high production costs, and there is a lack of a defined system for competitive growth of transport fuels.
Innovation Solution
A novel system for growing hydrocarbons in photosynthetic organisms like Botryococcus species by exploiting their environmental tolerances, using high concentrations of nutrient salts such as nitrogen, phosphates, potassium, and metals like zinc and iron, which allows for rapid growth and hydrocarbon production in a biologically exclusive monocultural environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional nutrient concentrations are used for growing Botryococcus species, then other life forms can compete in the culture environment, but production costs increase and hydrocarbon yields decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by increasing nutrient salt concentrations to levels that are toxic or inhibitory to competing organisms but still support Botryococcus growth. Specifically, nutrient concentrations are increased to greater than 0.01% (w/v), with nitrogen sources at 0.002-0.5%, phosphorus sources at 0.002-0.5%, and potassium sources at 0.002-0.5%, creating a chemically extreme environment that selectively favors Botryococcus species.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful effect of high nutrient concentrations (which would normally inhibit most life forms) into a beneficial selective advantage for Botryococcus species. The high salt and nutrient environment acts as a biological control mechanism, eliminating competing organisms while the Botryococcus thrives, thus achieving both high productivity and elimination of biological competition simultaneously.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If high nutrient salt concentrations are used to outcompete other life forms, then biological competition is eliminated, but production system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by allowing the Botryococcus culture itself to eliminate biological competition through the high nutrient environment. The system uses the organism's own growth characteristics and environmental tolerances to its advantage, where Botryococcus naturally thrives in high-salt conditions that inhibit other organisms, thus the system eliminates competition without requiring additional mechanical or chemical intervention.
3Ease of manufacture
If Botryococcus species are grown in conventional culture conditions, then production costs are high, but maintaining a monocultural environment is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the cultural parameters to high nutrient salt concentrations that create a selective environment favoring Botryococcus species. This parameter change stabilizes the monocultural environment by making the conditions intolerable to other organisms, thus preventing contamination and maintaining cultural purity without requiring additional control measures.
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 enables the commercial-scale production of gasoline and other hydrocarbons by outcompeting other life forms in chemically extreme environments, achieving high hydrocarbon yields and reducing production costs.
Implementation Method 1
Botryococcus is a primitive colonial photosynthetic organism, dating from 300 million years ago
Data Source
AI summary
Acceleration of botryococcenoids and growth by concomitant provision of appropriate light, minerals, and assimilable carbon. Specifically, methods, compositions and systems for the in vitro growth of hydrocarbons in photosynthetic organisms while maintaining a biologically exclusive monocultural environment, as for example, from Botryococcus species, is disclosed. Niche-nutrients can include about 200 ppm to about 3% nitrogen, and about 100 ppm to about 15% P2O5, and about 100 ppm to about 3.5% K2O. In certain embodiments, the present invention relates to the growth of the Chlorophyta such as Botryococcus sp. in a nutrient medium that includes up to 15% phosphates, at least 3 ppm soluble iron, and up to about 70 ppm soluble zinc. Also disclosed is a substantially pure culture of Botryococcus braunii var. Showa, strain Ninsei, having the ATCC Accession No. PTA-7441, its parts, and hydrocarbons produced therefrom.