Water Solvent Crystallization for Organic Acid Purification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for purifying organic acids and salts from fermentation broths are complex, costly, and environmentally inefficient, often requiring additional substances that can contaminate the product and consume significant energy.
Innovation Solution
A method utilizing nanofiltration and water solvent crystallization to produce crystalline forms of organic acids and salts, such as mevalonolactone monohydrate, without the use of organic solvents, followed by cation exchange to convert salts into lactones, achieving high purity products suitable for the personal care industry.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If organic solvent extraction or solid phase absorption is used to purify organic acids from fermentation broth, then purification effectiveness is improved, but process complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the fundamental parameter of the purification approach by using water solvent crystallization instead of organic solvent extraction or solid phase absorption. This involves controlling temperature, pH, and concentration parameters to achieve crystallization of the target organic acid from the fermentation broth, thereby simplifying the process while maintaining high purification effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention exploits the phase transition of the target organic acid from dissolved state in aqueous solution to crystalline solid state through controlled cooling and concentration. This phase transition enables efficient separation of the purified product from the fermentation broth without requiring complex extraction or adsorption equipment.
2Productivity
If additional substances are supplied to enhance crystallization, then crystallization efficiency is improved, but product purity deteriorates due to contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The invention employs self-service crystallization where the target organic acid crystallizes from the fermentation broth through controlled temperature reduction and concentration without requiring additional crystallization promoters or additives. The process utilizes the inherent properties of the organic acid and its aqueous solution to achieve both high efficiency and high purity.
3Quantity of substance
If conventional purification methods are used, then organic acid recovery is achieved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention employs periodic action through controlled temperature cycling - initially concentrating the fermentation broth through evaporation or membrane filtration, then cooling the concentrated solution to induce crystallization. This periodic temperature control enables efficient organic acid recovery with lower energy consumption compared to continuous heating or solvent regeneration processes.
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
The method achieves high-purity organic acid products with minimal color formation, suitable for large-scale manufacturing, reducing environmental impact and operational costs while maintaining product quality.
Implementation Method 1
subjecting the aqueous solution comprising said organic acid or salt or lactone thereof to a nanofiltration to produce a permeate
Implementation Method 2
crystallizing said organic acid or salt or lactone thereof from said permeate by water solvent crystallization
Implementation Method 3
The water solvent crystallization comprises evaporating the permeate to obtain a syrup
Data Source
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AI summary
Compositions and methods are provided for producing crystalline forms of organic acids or salts or lactones thereof from an aqueous solution. More specifically, methods are provided for producing a crystalline form of a salt of mevalonic acid (also referred to as X-MVA) from an aqueous solution, comprising subjecting the aqueous solution comprising said X-MVA to a purification step to produce a purified solution and crystallizing said X-MVA from said purified solution by water solvent crystallization. Methods are also provided for producing mevalonolactone from an aqueous solution comprising X-MVA, comprising subjecting the aqueous solution comprising said X-MVA to cation exchange thereby converting said aqueous solution comprising X-MVA to an aqueous solution comprising mevalonolactone (MVL). Methods are also provided for producing mevalonolactone monohydrate crystals.