Three-Phase Biomass Extraction in Aqueous Salt Streams
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing extraction methods for natural products from biomass, such as algal biomass, are energy-intensive and inefficient, particularly due to the need for drying and the presence of salt, which corrodes equipment and reduces capacity, and current separation techniques are costly and difficult to scale up.
Innovation Solution
A liquid-liquid-solid extraction process that involves contacting a feedstock stream containing aqueous salt solution with an extraction solvent at temperatures below 90°C, forming a three-phase system for efficient separation into solvent extract, raffinate, and rag layers, using equipment like mixer-settlers and centrifugal extractors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If drying is performed before extraction, then extraction efficiency is improved, but energy consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temperature parameter to below 90°C, which allows extraction to proceed effectively without prior drying. This temperature parameter change enables the extraction process to work with wet biomass directly, eliminating the energy-intensive drying step while maintaining extraction efficiency for hydrophobic natural products.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary separation of salt from biomass through centrifugation before extraction. This preliminary action removes the harmful salt component that would otherwise interfere with the extraction process and cause equipment corrosion, allowing direct extraction from wet biomass without requiring drying.
2Quantity of substance
If salt is present in the feedstock stream, then biomass concentration is maintained, but equipment corrosion increases and capacity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes salt from the biomass feedstock stream through centrifugal separation before the extraction process. This taking out of the harmful salt component eliminates corrosion issues and capacity reductions, while still allowing the process to handle concentrated biomass feeds.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses centrifugal force as an intermediary mechanism to separate salt from biomass. This intermediary separation method effectively removes salt without requiring the biomass to be dried, thus preventing equipment corrosion while maintaining biomass concentration for efficient extraction.
3Quantity of substance
If salt is present in the feedstock stream, then biomass concentration is maintained, but leaching equipment capacity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes salt from the feedstock stream through centrifugal separation before extraction. This removal of salt prevents it from occupying volume in the leaching equipment, thereby maintaining full equipment capacity while still processing concentrated biomass feeds.
4Productivity
If high temperature extraction is used, then extraction rate increases, but carotenoid degradation occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temperature parameter to below 90°C, which is sufficient for extracting hydrophobic natural products like carotenoids without causing degradation. This parameter change maintains product quality while achieving effective extraction rates through optimized solvent selection and contact time.
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 process reduces capital and energy costs by allowing efficient extraction without drying, maintains product quality, and enables scalable separation of hydrophobic natural products like carotenoids and oils, while being compatible with high salt concentrations.
Implementation Method 1
contacting a feedstock stream containing a biomass in an aqueous salt solution with an extraction solvent to form a three-phase system
Implementation Method 2
separating the three-phase system into a solvent extract layer, a raffinate layer, and a rag layer
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid-liquid-solid extraction process is disclosed for isolating natural products from a feedstock stream containing a biomass in an aqueous salt solution. The process includes forming a dispersion by contacting the feedstock stream with an extraction solvent in an extraction zone; passing the dispersion to a separation zone; separating the dispersion into multiple layers at a temperature of about 90° C. or less, the layers including: a solvent extract layer, a raffinate layer and a rag layer, and isolating at least part of the solvent extract layer, at least part of the raffinate layer and/or at least part of the rag layer.