Two-Stage Fermentation for Carbon Capture and Chemical Production
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current gas fermentation technologies face challenges in achieving significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and insufficient production of sustainable food, chemicals, and fuels, necessitating improved methods for carbon capture and utilization.
Innovation Solution
A two-step fermentation process involving a first-stage microorganism that converts CO or CO2 and H2 into acetate or ethanol, followed by a second-stage microorganism that converts these products into various second-stage products, including alcohols, acids, and other chemicals, utilizing recombinant C1-fixing microorganisms in bioreactors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If gas fermentation technology is used to convert CO/CO2 and H2 into chemicals and fuels, then sustainable product production is improved, but greenhouse gas emission reduction is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The fermentation process is divided into two distinct stages: first-stage fermentation converts CO/CO2 and H2 into acetate and/or ethanol, while second-stage fermentation converts these intermediates into diverse final products. This segmentation allows optimization of each stage for maximum carbon capture efficiency and product yield, thereby improving both productivity and emission reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
Acetate and ethanol serve as intermediary products that bridge the first-stage and second-stage fermentations. These intermediates are produced by the first-stage microorganism and then consumed by the second-stage microorganism to generate diverse final products, enabling efficient carbon flow and maximizing greenhouse gas utilization.
2Productivity
If a two-stage fermentation process is implemented to improve carbon capture efficiency, then product yield is enhanced, but process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fermentation system is segmented into two functional stages with distinct microbial cultures and product profiles. The first stage focuses on converting C1 substrates to acetate and ethanol, while the second stage diversifies these intermediates into multiple final products. This segmentation enhances overall carbon capture efficiency and product yield while maintaining manageable process complexity through modular design.
3Productivity
If first-stage products are used as feedstock for second-stage fermentation, then carbon utilization efficiency is improved, but product purification difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
Acetate and ethanol function as intermediary compounds that are deliberately produced in the first stage and then consumed in the second stage. This intermediary approach maximizes carbon utilization efficiency by ensuring that carbon atoms from C1 substrates flow through multiple transformation steps. The purification challenge is managed by selecting intermediates with distinct physical and chemical properties that facilitate separation and recovery.
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
Enhances the production of commodity chemicals and sustainable products, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by integrating carbon fixation and fermentation processes, and optimizing product yield and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a first microorganism ferments a first feedstock to produce an intermediate
Implementation Method 2
recombinant C1-fixing microorganism capable of producing at least one first product
Implementation Method 3
a second microorganism ferments a second feedstock to produce the product from the intermediate
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure relates to a method for producing at least one product from CO and optionally H2, or from CO2 and H2. The method comprises introducing a gaseous substrate comprising at least CO and optionally H2, or at least CO2 and H2 into a first-stage bioreactor containing a culture of at least one microorganism in a liquid nutrient medium and fermenting the gaseous substrate to produce one or more first-stage product; and incorporating the one or more first products into one or more articles or converting the one or more first products into one or more second products. The converting may be a second stage fermentation process. The fermentations may be any combination of aerobic and anaerobic, batch and continuous.