Nozzle Separator for PHA Granule Isolation from Cell Fragments
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for isolating polyhydroxyalkanoates from bacterial cells are inefficient, often requiring solvents, complex infrastructure, and incomplete autolysis, resulting in low yields and impurities, especially when trying to separate cell fragments from PHA granules.
Innovation Solution
The use of a continuously operating nozzle separator and high-pressure homogenizer to efficiently separate PHA granules from cell fragments, eliminating the need for solvents and achieving high purity through mechanical disruption at pressures above 2000 bar, allowing for complete cell disruption and effective release of PHA granules.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional centrifuges are used to separate PHA granules from cell fragments, then separation is attempted, but the separation is incomplete and cell fragments remain stuck to PHB granules
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional centrifugal separation with high-pressure homogenization followed by nozzle separator technology. The high-pressure homogenizer mechanically disrupts cell fragments while the nozzle separator uses hydrodynamic forces and centrifugal separation in a continuous flow system to achieve complete separation of PHA granules from cell debris, resolving the incomplete separation issue while maintaining high productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the separation parameters by using extremely high pressures (2000-3000 bar) in the homogenizer and specific nozzle geometries in the separator. These parameter changes enable complete cell disruption and effective separation of subcellular fragments from PHA granules, achieving both high separation completeness and productivity
2Manufacturing precision
If solvents are used to extract PHA granules from biomass, then PHA can be isolated, but complex infrastructure is required for solvent handling and recovery
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts PHA granules from biomass through high-pressure homogenization that mechanically disrupts cell walls and releases intracellular PHA granules into the medium. This physical extraction method eliminates the need for chemical solvents and their associated handling, storage, and recovery infrastructure, significantly simplifying the overall process while maintaining effective PHA isolation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces expensive, reusable solvent systems with a simple aqueous buffer system that can be easily disposed of or treated. The homogenization buffer serves its purpose of releasing PHA granules and can be directly separated from the solid PHA product through filtration or centrifugation, eliminating the need for complex solvent recovery systems
3Manufacturing precision
If solvents are used to extract PHA granules, then PHA can be isolated, but large amounts of solvent are required due to insufficient PHB solubility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces solvent-based extraction with mechanical homogenization that physically disrupts cell walls and releases PHA granules into the aqueous medium. This mechanical approach requires no solvent at all, or only minimal buffer solutions for washing, eliminating the problem of large solvent volumes required for extraction while achieving complete PHA isolation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses simple aqueous buffers instead of large volumes of organic solvents. The buffer serves as a disposable medium that facilitates PHA release and can be easily separated from the product, dramatically reducing the quantity of liquid reagents required compared to solvent extraction methods
4Productivity
If enzymes or chemical methods are used to break down biomass, then PHA can be released, but the process becomes complex and may not achieve complete cell disruption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces enzymatic or chemical cell disruption methods with high-pressure homogenization. The homogenizer uses mechanical shear forces and cavitation at pressures of 2000-3000 bar to completely disrupt cell walls and release intracellular PHA granules. This single mechanical step achieves complete cell lysis without requiring multiple enzymatic treatments or chemical reagents, simplifying the process while maximizing PHA release
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the cell disruption approach from biochemical (enzymes/chemicals) to physical (high pressure). By adjusting pressure parameters to 2000-3000 bar and optimizing homogenization time, the process achieves complete cell disruption in a single step, eliminating the need for complex multi-step enzymatic or chemical protocols
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 achieves high yields of high molecular weight PHA with over 99% cell disruption and nearly complete separation of PHA granules, resulting in a cost-effective and efficient process suitable for industrial scale-up, with the added advantage of producing a high-purity product suitable for thermoplastics without solvent residues.
Implementation Method 1
cell disruption by high-pressure homogenization
Implementation Method 2
mechanically disrupting the biomass (production cell)
Implementation Method 3
separation of polyhydroxyalkanoate particles obtained by fermentation using a nozzle separator
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a process for the isolation of polyhydroxyalkanoates from production cells, characterized in that i) the production cells are disrupted and subsequently ii) the cell fragments are separated from the polyhydroxyalkanoate granules by means of a continuously operating nozzle separator.