Methods and systems for biological coal-to-biofuels and bioproducts
AssigneeThe University of Wyoming Research Corporation
InventorsKaren E. Wawrousek, Patrick Richards, Alan E. Bland
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and systems for the biological conversion of pretreated or solubilized coal or waste coal into biofuels. Coal (10) may be pretreated perhaps in a pretreatment reactor (13). Pretreated coal or even solubilized coal may be introduced into a processing reactor such as a bioreactor (16) containing a plurality of microorganisms (9) such as oleaginous microorganisms which can convert at least some of the pretreated or solubilized coal into lipids (19) or biomass (18), which then may be used directly or as a precursor for various products such as biofuels, feedstock, or the like.
Claims10
A method for producing biofuel from coal comprising the steps of:
- pretreating coal first with an alkali comprising NaOH and second with an acid comprising H2SO4 to provide solubilized coal;
- removing water insoluble fractions from said solubilized coal;
- bioreacting said solubilized coal with at least one type of coal-utilizing bacteria;
- generating biomass and lipids from said step of bioreacting said solubilized coal with at least one type of coal-utilizing bacteria;
- converting said lipids into biodiesel with a transesterification reaction in a biodiesel production unit;
- producing biodiesel and glycerol from said transesterification reaction;
- collecting said biodiesel and glycerol;
- anaerobically digesting excess biomass that cannot be converted into biodiesel;
- producing methane from said step of anaerobically digesting said excess biomass;
- and
- adding at least some of said glycerol to said step of anaerobically digesting said excess biomass.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.