Fermentation Broth Esterification for Biobased Chemicals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for producing biologically-derived hydrogenation products like 1,4-butanediol and γ-butyrolactone are inefficient and costly due to the need for multiple downstream processing steps and high waste generation when recovering carboxylic acids from fermentation broths, limiting the economy of scale for high-volume production.
Innovation Solution
A process involving the direct conversion of free organic acids from fermentation broths into esters under supercritical or critical conditions using a CO2 atmosphere without additional acid catalysts, followed by hydrogenation to produce hydrogenation products such as 1,4-butanediol, γ-butyrolactone, and tetrahydrofuran.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If conventional methods are used to recover carboxylic acids from fermentation broths through multiple downstream processing steps, then the acids can be isolated and prepared for chemical transformation, but the process generates significant amounts of byproduct-waste and incurs high costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and utilizes the carboxylic acid salts directly from the fermentation broth without removing them through conventional downstream processing. The esterification reaction is performed in situ on the salts present in the broth, taking out the useful component (carboxylic acid) while leaving the waste streams separate and minimal.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary esterification of the carboxylic acid salts directly in the fermentation broth before any separation or purification steps. By conducting the esterification reaction in situ on the crude broth, the process eliminates the need for subsequent isolation and preparation steps that would otherwise be required.
2Productivity
If multiple downstream processing steps are implemented to isolate and prepare carboxylic acids from fermentation broths, then the acids can be converted to useful compounds, but the economy of scale for high-volume production is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the esterification reaction step with the fermentation broth processing step by performing the reaction in situ. The fermentation broth, previously requiring separate isolation and preparation steps, is directly converted to esters in the same vessel, combining multiple operations into one integrated process unit that can operate at high volumes.
Solution Approach 2:
The fermentation broth serves multiple functions: it is both the source of carboxylic acid salts and the reaction medium for esterification. The process handles both the biological production and chemical transformation in a unified system, making the processing unit versatile and suitable for high-volume production without requiring separate dedicated equipment for each step.
3Productivity
If conventional acid catalysts are used for esterification of carboxylic acids, then the reaction proceeds efficiently, but additional processing steps are required to remove the catalyst and manage waste
Solution Approach 1:
The carboxylic acid salts in the fermentation broth serve as self-catalysts for the esterification reaction. The inherent acidity of the carboxylic acid groups enables the reaction to proceed without adding external acid catalysts, and the reaction byproducts can be directly utilized or disposed of without additional treatment steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The fermentation broth itself acts as an intermediary medium that facilitates the esterification reaction. The broth provides the aqueous environment necessary for dissolving the carboxylic acid salts and serves as the reaction medium, eliminating the need for separate catalyst addition and removal steps.
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 method simplifies the recovery and processing of carboxylic acids, reduces waste, and enhances the economy of scale by allowing direct esterification and hydrogenation, resulting in higher yields and purity with fewer operational units, thus overcoming the inefficiencies of conventional methods.
Implementation Method 1
obtaining a fermentation broth from the fermentation of sugar or other plant-derived carbohydrates
Implementation Method 2
drying said fermentation broth into a powder
Implementation Method 3
reacting said organic acid in said powder with an alcohol solvent under a CO2 atmosphere in substantial absence of any other extrinsic acid catalyst at a reaction temperature and pressure that corresponds to supercritical, critical or near critical conditions
Implementation Method 4
hydrogenating said ester to form a hydrogenation product
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3A~3D
AI summary
The production of organic acids in low-cost, high-efficiency fermentation system makes available a new route to chemical production from biomass. A process for producing a hydrogenation product involving carboxylic acid esters recovered directly from a fermentation process is described.