Microbial Lipid Extraction via Heat Conditioning and Pressing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for extracting lipids from microorganisms are inefficient and costly, particularly when scaling up for meaningful fuel production, due to challenges in extracting oil from microbial biomass.
Innovation Solution
A method involving drying microbial biomass to less than 6% moisture content and heat conditioning to 70° C to 150° C, followed by pressure application using an expeller press with a bulking agent to extract over 75% of the oil, optimizing the physical and physiochemical properties for enhanced oil release.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional lipid extraction methods are used from microbial biomass, then oil can be extracted, but the process is inefficient and expensive with low extraction yield
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by drying the microbial biomass to less than 6% moisture content and heat conditioning it to 70-150°C before extraction. This pre-treatment modifies the physical and physiochemical properties of the biomass, making the subsequent extraction process more efficient and reducing energy costs during the actual extraction phase.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes physical parameters by controlling moisture content to less than 6% and temperature to 70-150°C during heat conditioning. These parameter changes optimize the biomass structure for extraction, improving productivity while reducing the energy required during the extraction process itself.
2Productivity
If pressure is applied to extract oil from microbial biomass, then oil extraction efficiency increases, but the physical and physiochemical properties of the biomass must be optimized first
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by drying the microbial biomass to less than 6% moisture content and heat conditioning it to 70-150°C before extraction. This pre-treatment modifies the physical and physiochemical properties of the biomass, making the subsequent extraction process more efficient and reducing energy costs during the actual extraction phase.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes physical parameters by controlling moisture content to less than 6% and temperature to 70-150°C during heat conditioning. These parameter changes optimize the biomass structure for extraction, improving productivity while reducing the energy required during the extraction process itself.
3Productivity
If moisture content is reduced in microbial biomass, then extraction efficiency improves, but additional drying steps are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by drying the microbial biomass to less than 6% moisture content and heat conditioning it to 70-150°C before extraction. This pre-treatment modifies the physical and physiochemical properties of the biomass, making the subsequent extraction process more efficient and reducing energy costs during the actual extraction phase.
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 significantly increases the efficiency of lipid extraction from microbial biomass, reducing the oil content in spent biomass by at least 45% and producing high-quality oil suitable for biodiesel and renewable diesel production, while also utilizing the spent biomass as a bulking agent or animal feed.
Implementation Method 1
subjecting the heat-conditioned, dry microbial biomass to pressure in an expeller press
Implementation Method 2
pressure sufficient to extract more than 5% of the oil by weight from the biomass
Implementation Method 3
heat conditioning to a temperature in the range of 70° C. to 150° C. (160° F. to 300° F.)
Implementation Method 4
optimizing the physical and physiochemical properties of the biomass for enhanced oil release
Data Source
AI summary
Lipids can be extracted from a microbial biomass that constitutes at least 20% lipids by weight and has a moisture content of less than 4% by weight by applying pressure to the biomass so as to release lipids therefrom, thereby leaving a biomass of reduced lipid content; and collecting the lipids.