Microbial Oil Extraction Without Volatile Solvents
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current processes for obtaining polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) containing oils from microbial cells are inefficient due to the use of volatile organic solvents, high energy consumption, and degradation of oils, leading to increased costs and environmental concerns.
Innovation Solution
A process involving lysing microbial cells to form a lysed cell composition, followed by demulsification using an emulsifier, and subsequent oil separation, which can include heating and pH adjustment, to recover high-quality PUFA containing oils without the need for organic solvents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If volatile organic solvents are used to extract oil from microbial cells, then oil extraction efficiency is improved, but safety hazards and environmental pollution increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the harmful volatile organic solvent from the oil extraction process, replacing it with water-immiscible organic solvents that do not create safety hazards or environmental pollution, while maintaining effective oil extraction from microbial cells
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the extraction system by selecting solvents with specific properties (water-immiscible, non-volatile, non-flammable) that maintain extraction efficiency while eliminating harmful effects
2Speed
If heat is used to dry cells and remove solvent, then processing speed is improved, but PUFA oil degradation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temperature parameter from high-heat processing to low-temperature or ambient temperature processing, preventing PUFA oil degradation while maintaining acceptable processing speeds through the use of non-volatile solvents that do not require high-temperature removal
3Reliability
If expensive explosion-proof equipment is used, then operational safety is improved, but processing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the need for expensive explosion-proof equipment by extracting and eliminating the flammable volatile organic solvent from the process, replacing it with non-flammable solvents that can be processed using standard, cost-effective equipment while maintaining operational safety
4Object-affected harmful factors
If solvent recovery processes are implemented, then environmental compliance is improved, but processing complexity and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the need for complex solvent recovery processes by removing the volatile organic solvent from the system and replacing it with non-volatile solvents that do not require recovery, thereby simplifying the overall process while maintaining environmental compliance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies the principle of discarding the harmful solvent entirely rather than recovering it, using non-volatile solvents that can be safely disposed of or separated without complex recovery systems, thus reducing processing complexity while meeting environmental requirements
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 reduces processing costs, minimizes environmental impact, and enhances oil recovery efficiency by eliminating solvent use and heat-induced degradation, while maintaining oil quality.
Implementation Method 1
demulsifying the lysed cell composition comprising adding an emulsifier prior to, during, or after (a) to form a demulsified lysed cell composition
Implementation Method 2
The use of heat in the above processes to dry the cells and/or remove the solvent from the recovered oil can degrade the PUFA containing oils
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are processes for obtaining a microbial oil comprising one or more polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) from one or more microbial cells by lysing the cells to form a lysed cell composition and then recovering the oil from the lysed cell composition. Further disclosed is microbial oil comprising one or more PUFAs that is recovered from microbial cells by at least one process described.