CO2 Recycling Fermentation Bioreactor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial microorganism fermentation processes are energy intensive and result in significant CO2 emissions, necessitating a reduction or elimination of these emissions to mitigate climate change.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the cultivation of microorganisms in bioreactors, capturing CO2, reducing it to an organic feedstock, and recycling it back into the bioreactors, thereby reducing the need for traditional carbon substrates and minimizing CO2 emissions. This process includes electrochemical or microbial reduction of CO2 to formic acid or other organic compounds, which are then used as feedstocks, potentially combined with hydrogen produced from electrolysis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional fermentation processes are used for industrial microorganism production, then high productivity is achieved, but significant CO2 emissions and high energy consumption occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent captures CO2 from the fermentation off-gas and converts it into organic feedstock (formic acid, methanol, ethanol, or other reduced carbon compounds) through electrochemical or microbial reduction processes. This converted CO2 is then fed back into the bioreactor as a carbon source, transforming the harmful emission into a useful resource that sustains microorganism growth and reduces net CO2 release.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the carbon source parameter from traditional sugars to CO2-derived organic compounds. By changing the carbon substrate from carbohydrate-based feedstocks to reduced carbon compounds produced from CO2, the process fundamentally alters the fermentation metabolism, reducing CO2 evolution while maintaining productivity.
2Productivity
If traditional fermentation processes are used, then high productivity is achieved, but high energy consumption occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent recycles CO2 that would otherwise be wasted into a useful carbon source through reduction processes. This circular approach reduces the need for external carbon substrate inputs and decreases the overall energy required for fermentation, as the CO2 reduction process can utilize renewable energy sources and the resulting organic compounds serve as efficient carbon sources for the microorganisms.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If CO2 is captured and reduced to organic feedstock, then CO2 emissions are reduced, but additional process complexity is introduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible system where the same bioreactor can process both traditional carbon substrates and CO2-derived organic feedstocks. The microorganisms are engineered to utilize multiple carbon sources, allowing the system to switch between feedstock types or combine them, thereby reducing the need for separate processing lines and minimizing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces organic feedstock compounds (formic acid, methanol, ethanol, or other reduced carbon compounds) as intermediaries between CO2 capture and microorganism cultivation. These intermediaries serve as bridge molecules that bridge the gap between captured CO2 and microbial metabolism, enabling the integration of CO2 reduction with existing fermentation processes without requiring fundamental system redesign.
4Productivity
If organic feedstock from CO2 reduction is fed back into bioreactors, then biomass yield per sugar increases, but the need for external carbon substrates increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent recovers CO2 from the fermentation off-gas and converts it into organic feedstock that is fed back into the bioreactor. This closed-loop approach recovers carbon that would otherwise be lost as gas, increasing the efficiency of carbon utilization and reducing the net requirement for external carbon substrates. The system effectively recycles carbon within the process rather than discarding it.
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 reduces CO2 emissions, increases biomass yield per sugar used, and decreases the need for external carbon substrates, offering an improved and sustainable production process with potential for negative CO2 emissions.
Implementation Method 1
capturing CO2 from the one or more bioreactors (1), preferably in a capturing unit (2)
Implementation Method 2
reducing the CO2 to an organic feedstock, preferably in a reduction unit (3)... electrochemical or microbial reduction of CO2 to formic acid or other organic compounds
Implementation Method 3
reducing the CO2 to an organic feedstock... microbial reduction of CO2
Implementation Method 4
potentially combined with hydrogen produced from electrolysis
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for cultivating a microorganism capable of utilizing an organic feedstock, comprising the steps of: (i) cultivating the microorganism in one or more bioreactors (1); (ii) capturing CO2 from the one or more bioreactors (1) and reducing the CO2 to an organic feedstock in a reduction unit (3); and (iii) feeding at least a part of the organic feedstock from the reduction unit (3) into one or more bioreactors (1).