Multiphase Biocatalytic Reactor With In Situ Product Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing biocatalytic reactor systems face challenges in efficiently recovering lipophilic products and managing product inhibition, toxicity, and instability, which limits the scalability and efficiency of bio-based production processes, particularly in simulating industrial conditions for strain and fermentation development.
Innovation Solution
A biocatalytic reactor system with an upflow reaction section, lateral separation section, and recycle flow section, utilizing gravitational forces for continuous phase separation and recycling, allowing controlled product recovery and decoupling of reaction conditions to manage product concentration and inhibit toxicity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If biocatalytic processes are used to produce lipophilic products, then sustainable production routes are achieved, but product solubility in water is limited and product inhibition/toxicity occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The reactor is divided into distinct functional zones: a reaction zone for biocatalytic conversion and a separation zone for product-enzyme separation. This spatial segmentation allows continuous removal of lipophilic products from the aqueous reaction medium, preventing product accumulation and associated inhibition/toxicity effects while maintaining sustainable biocatalytic production
Solution Approach 2:
A liquid-liquid extraction system using an organic solvent phase acts as an intermediary to transfer lipophilic products from the aqueous reaction phase to the organic phase. This intermediary mechanism enables continuous product removal without direct contact between products and microorganisms, eliminating product inhibition and toxicity while preserving sustainable biocatalysis
2Object-affected harmful factors
If in situ product removal is implemented, then product inhibition is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The reaction and separation functions are merged into a single integrated continuous flow reactor system. The reaction zone and separation zone operate concurrently in series, eliminating the need for separate batch processing steps. This merging reduces overall process complexity while achieving continuous product removal to prevent inhibition
Solution Approach 2:
The system operates continuously with steady-state flow through the reaction and separation zones.substrate feed, product formation, product extraction, and enzyme recycling occur simultaneously without interruption. This continuous operation maintains low product concentrations in the reaction zone, preventing inhibition while avoiding the complexity of batch processing cycles
3Productivity
If product concentration is increased to improve production rate, then productivity increases, but product stability decreases and inhibition increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lipophilic product is continuously extracted from the aqueous reaction medium into an organic solvent phase as it forms. This extraction removes the product from the reaction environment, preventing accumulation and associated stability issues. High productivity is achieved through continuous extraction without compromising product stability
Solution Approach 2:
The product rapidly transitions from the aqueous phase to the organic phase through the extraction interface, minimizing its residence time in the aqueous environment. This rapid phase transfer prevents product degradation and inhibition by reducing exposure time to destabilizing conditions while maintaining high production rates
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
Enables efficient recovery of biocatalytically produced substances, improving product stability, reducing residence time, and controlling inhibition, thereby enhancing process development and strain selection for continuous fermentation processes.
Implementation Method 1
utilizing gravitational forces for continuous phase separation and recycling
Implementation Method 2
Gas phase inlet (12) arranged to introduce gas phase (G) into the upflow reaction section (2)
Implementation Method 3
separation section (3) configured to separate the effluent flow into a lower liquid phase (LP) and an upper liquid phase (UP)
Implementation Method 4
upflow reaction section (2) configured to receive substrate and biocatalyst and flowing the reaction mixture upwards
Implementation Method 5
In such a fermentation process, micro-organisms are used to convert a suitable substrate into an organic substance of interest
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides an integrated multiphase biocatalytic reactor and separator system (1), comprising, an upflow reaction section (2), a separation section (3), and a recycle flow section (4), wherein: the upflow reaction section (2) comprises a gas phase inlet (12), arranged to introduce a gas phase (G) for lifting a reactor flow (C) comprising a first and a second phase liquid; the separation section includes a first separation zone (31) configured to degas an effluent flow from the upflow section, and a second separation zone (32), i.e. a liquid-liquid phase separator, configured to separate the degassed effluent in a lower liquid phase (LP) and an upper liquid phase (UP), said second separation zone further comprising an outlet (15) for collecting the upper liquid phase and an outlet for recirculating the lower liquid phase back to the upflow reaction section via the recycle flow section (4).