Engineered Carbonic Anhydrase for CO2 Capture

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional CO2 capture technologies face challenges such as high energy penalties and capital expenditures due to low CO2 partial pressures in combustion gases, and carbonic anhydrase enzymes have limitations in temperature stability and chemical resistance under process conditions.

Innovation Solution

Development of recombinant carbonic anhydrase polypeptides with improved stability and activity through directed evolution techniques, specifically targeting variants with enhanced performance in CO2 capture solvents and high temperatures, such as those derived from Thermovibrio ammonificans carbonic anhydrase (TACA), to catalyze the hydration and desorption reactions efficiently.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If conventional CO2 capture technologies using aqueous amines are employed, then CO2 absorption capacity is achieved, but high energy penalty and operational expenditure occur due to low CO2 partial pressures in combustion gases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveCO2 absorption capacityVSAvoidenergy penalty

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent modifies the chemical parameters of the absorption solution by incorporating carbonic anhydrase enzyme and adjusting pH levels (maintaining pH between 7-11), which changes the reaction kinetics and allows for lower energy consumption during the capture process while maintaining effective CO2 absorption capacity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

Carbonic anhydrase enzyme acts as a catalyst intermediary that accelerates the hydration reaction of CO2, enabling the process to overcome the kinetic limitations imposed by low CO2 partial pressures without requiring high energy input, thus resolving the contradiction between absorption capacity and energy penalty

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If carbonic anhydrase enzyme is used for CO2 capture, then catalytic activity for hydration reaction is achieved, but temperature stability and chemical resistance under process conditions are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecatalytic activityVSAvoidtemperature stability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes operating parameters including maintaining pH between 7-11 and temperature between 20-100°C, which are specifically tuned to enhance the thermal stability and chemical resistance of carbonic anhydrase while preserving its catalytic activity for CO2 hydration reaction

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs carbonic anhydrase from Thermovibrio ammonificans which naturally exhibits enhanced thermostability, allowing the enzyme to function reliably under industrial process conditions that would otherwise denature conventional carbonic anhydrase variants

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Reliability

If carbonic anhydrase from Thermovibrio ammonificans is used, then temperature stability is improved, but activity under varying ionic strengths and process conditions requires optimization

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetemperature stabilityVSAvoidactivity under varying conditions

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent systematically optimizes ionic strength and pH parameters to enhance the adaptability of TACA enzyme across varying process conditions, allowing it to maintain both temperature stability and catalytic activity under the diverse conditions encountered in industrial CO2 capture operations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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

The engineered carbonic anhydrase variants demonstrate significantly improved stability and activity under industrial CO2 capture conditions, enhancing the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the CO2 capture process by maintaining high residual activity over a range of temperatures and ionic strengths, thus overcoming the limitations of wild-type enzymes.

Implementation Method 1

carbonic anhydrase is an enzyme that has been used for CO2 absorption applications... to catalyze the hydration reaction of CO2 into bicarbonate and hydrogen ions

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCatalysis: Catalysis

Implementation Method 2

to catalyze the hydration reaction of CO2 into bicarbonate and hydrogen ions and the bicarbonate dehydration reaction into CO2 and water

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCatalysis: Catalysis

Data Source

PatentUS10415028B2Variants of thermovibrio ammonificans carbonic anhydrase and CO<sub>2 </sub>capture methods using thermovibrio ammonificans carbonic anhydrase variants

Publication Date: 2019.09.17 SAIPEM SPA

AI summary

The present description relates to recombinant or engineered carbonic anhydrase polypeptides, variants, and functional derivatives thereof, having improved properties that make them advantageous for use in CO2 capture operations (e.g., CO2 capture solvents, alkaline pH, and/or elevated temperatures), as well as polynucleotides and vectors encoding same. The present description also relates to methods, processes and systems for CO2 capture which make use of the recombinant or engineered carbonic anhydrase polypeptides, variants, and functional derivatives thereof.