Multiple-Pass Trickle Bed Reactor for Gas Fermentation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current bio-reactor technologies for anaerobic fermentation of gases are limited by high capital and energy costs due to the need for significant gas compression and oxygen generation, making them unsuitable for commercial-scale applications, especially when dealing with gases high in nitrogen content from industrial processes or biomass gasification.
Innovation Solution
A Multiple-Pass Trickle Bed Reactor (MP-TBR) configuration that allows for multiple passes of gases through internal media bed sections within a single reactor vessel, increasing gas velocities and turbulence at near-atmospheric pressures, reducing the need for high-pressure compressors and oxygen generation equipment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If CSTRs or BRs are used for anaerobic fermentation, then fermentation can be performed, but significant gas compression (30-50 psi above atmospheric) is required leading to high power requirements and capital costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the pressure parameter from high pressure (30-50 psi above atmospheric) to near-atmospheric pressure operation. The MP-TBR design allows gas fermentation to proceed effectively at or near atmospheric pressure by using multiple pass configurations and trickle flow over packed media, eliminating the need for high-pressure compressors and significantly reducing energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical compression system (high-pressure compressors) with a trickle bed reactor system that uses gravity-driven liquid flow and gas distribution through packed media. This substitution eliminates the need for mechanical compression while maintaining effective gas-liquid contact for fermentation.
2Reliability
If CSTRs are used for anaerobic fermentation, then fermentation can be performed, but agitation systems are required adding to equipment costs and maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the agitation system from the fermentation reactor design. The MP-TBR uses trickle flow of liquid over packed media to provide mixing and gas-liquid contact, eliminating the need for mechanical agitation systems and their associated complexity, maintenance, and power requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The trickle bed reactor system is self-mixing through the gravity-driven trickle flow of liquid over the packed media. The flowing liquid naturally distributes and mixes the gas-liquid suspension without requiring external agitation mechanisms, making the system self-service and simpler in design.
3Ease of manufacture
If air-blown gasification is used to produce fermentable gas, then capital costs are reduced, but nitrogen content increases to 50-55% volume requiring larger reactor volumes and increasing costs
Solution Approach 1:
The multiple-pass configuration ensures continuous and repeated exposure of the gas to the fermenting microorganisms as the gas percolates through the packed media multiple times. This continuous action increases the effective contact time and mass transfer efficiency, allowing smaller reactor volumes to achieve the same fermentation output even with high-nitrogen feed gas.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameter from single-pass gas flow to multiple-pass gas flow through the reactor. This increases the residence time and contact efficiency between the fermentable components of the gas and the microorganisms, compensating for the dilution effect of high nitrogen content and reducing the required reactor volume.
4Quantity of substance
If oxygen-blown gasification is used to produce low nitrogen syngas, then nitrogen content is reduced to 2-3% volume, but significant capital and energy costs are required for oxygen generation equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of high nitrogen content (which dilutes the fermentable gas) into a beneficial operating condition. By using multiple-pass trickle bed reactors, the system can effectively handle high-nitrogen gases from air-blown gasification without requiring expensive oxygen generation equipment, achieving the same fermentation efficiency with simpler and less costly equipment.
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 configuration enhances mass transfer efficiency, enabling the fermentation of gases with high nitrogen content into valuable products like ethanol and other chemicals without the need for high-pressure systems, thus reducing capital and energy costs and facilitating scalable industrial applications.
Implementation Method 1
increasing gas velocities and turbulence at near-atmospheric pressures
Implementation Method 2
enhances mass transfer efficiency
Implementation Method 3
anaerobic fermentation of gases generated from industrial processes and/or from the gasification of biomass
Data Source
AI summary
The subject matter of this application is using novel biological reactors for the fermentation of gases into liquid products. More specifically, the subject matter relates to the use of a Multiple-Pass Trickle Bed Reactor (MP-TBR) for the anaerobic or aerobic and biological fermentation of gases generated from industrial processes and/or from the gasification of biomass and other organic carbon sources. The products may include, but are not limited to, ethanol and other valuable chemicals.