Organic Acid Recovery via Reactive Extraction and Esterification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for recovering organic acids from fermentation broths are inefficient, requiring multiple unit operations, energy-intensive processes, and generating unwanted side streams, with high costs due to neutralization and salt-splitting reactions, and are not compatible with in-situ product recovery approaches.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the extraction of organic acids into a water-immiscible phase using a reactive organic amine extractant, followed by esterification with an alcohol in a catalyst-free reaction, allowing for in-situ recovery with reduced unit operations and energy consumption, and enabling recycling of depleted aqueous solutions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If salt-precipitation is applied to recover organic acids, then the recovery process is relatively simple, but neutralization is required which generates gypsum side stream and is incompatible with increasing fermentation performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts organic acids from fermentation broth using liquid-liquid extraction with water-immiscible solvents containing hydroxamic acids or hydrazides. This separates the acid recovery process from neutralization, eliminating gypsum formation while maintaining process simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the extraction system by using hydroxamic acids and hydrazides in water-immiscible solvents, which selectively bind organic acids without requiring neutralization. This parameter change eliminates the harmful gypsum side stream while preserving ease of manufacture.
2Manufacturing precision
If electrodialysis is applied to recover organic acids, then acid recovery is achieved, but the process is quite expensive and has limitations with salt composition
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses inexpensive water-immiscible solvents containing hydroxamic acids or hydrazides for extraction, replacing expensive electrodialysis equipment. The solvents can be regenerated and reused, making the process economically viable without complex equipment.
3Quantity of substance
If conventional liquid-liquid extraction is applied, then acid extraction is achieved, but the limited solubility of organic acids in non-polar solvents limits the options
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates composite extraction systems by combining water-immiscible solvents with hydroxamic acids or hydrazides. This composite approach enhances extraction capacity beyond what conventional non-polar solvents can achieve, while maintaining the benefits of liquid-liquid extraction.
4Manufacturing precision
If multiple unit operations are applied to achieve required purity, then the desired purity level is achieved, but the downstream processing becomes the dominant cost at around 60% of production cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges extraction and purification into a single liquid-liquid extraction step using hydroxamic acids or hydrazides in water-immiscible solvents. This combined operation achieves both separation and purification, reducing the number of unit operations and lowering downstream processing costs.
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 efficient recovery of organic acids with reduced energy consumption and costs, enabling in-situ product recovery with minimal unit operations and simplified downstream processing by forming esters that can be easily processed further.
Implementation Method 1
The extractant is or comprises an organic amine able to complex with the organic acid
Implementation Method 2
extracting the organic acid from the aqueous solution into a water immiscible extraction phase
Implementation Method 3
The organic acid present in the extraction phase is reacted with an alcohol to form a corresponding ester
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
Method of recovering an organic acid from an aqueous solution (102), comprising extracting the organic acid dissolved in the aqueous solution into a water immiscible extraction phase (123) comprising an extractant for the organic acid, separating the extraction phase (123) from the aqueous solution (122), adding an alcohol (131) to the extraction phase separated from the aqueous solution, and forming an ester (141) from the organic acid and the alcohol.