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US 11,572,539 B2Granted
Gas-fed fermentation reactors, systems and processes utilizing gas/liquid separation vessels
AssigneeCalysta, Inc.
InventorsLuan Thanh Nguyen, Joshua A. Silverman, Graham Ian Aylen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Reactors, systems and processes for the production of biomass by culturing microorganisms in aqueous liquid culture medium circulating inner loop reactor which utilize nonvertical pressure reduction zones are described. Recovery and processing of the culture microorganisms to obtain products, such as proteins or hydrocarbons is described.
Claims32
A process for stimulating production of biomass comprising:
- flowing through a loop section of a loop reactor, a multi-phase mixture of a gas and a liquid culture medium;
- introducing a nutrient into the multi-phase mixture;
- flowing the multi-phase mixture of a gas and a liquid culture medium through a substantially vertical upflow zone after flowing the multi-phase mixture through the loop section of a loop reactor;
- flowing the multi-phase mixture of a gas and a liquid culture medium from the substantially vertical upflow zone into an inlet side section of a gas/liquid separation vessel of the loop reactor via a bend having a radius of curvature between 0.5 to 3 times a diameter of the vertical upflow zone;
- separating the multi-phase mixture of a gas and a liquid culture medium into a gas phase and a liquid phase in the gas/liquid separation vessel by:
- flowing the multi-phase mixture of a gas and a liquid culture medium into a lower portion of the gas/liquid separation vessel through the inlet side section of the gas/liquid separation vessel, the inlet side section of the gas/liquid separation vessel having a shape of an oblique conical frustum and having an increasing diameter in a direction of flow of the multi-phase mixture through the inlet side section;
- and
- flowing the multi-phase mixture through an intermediate section located between an outlet side section of the gas/liquid separation vessel and the inlet side section of the gas/liquid separation vessel, the intermediate section having a constant diameter;
- and
- removing the liquid phase from an outlet of the gas/liquid separation vessel and delivering the removed liquid phase to an inlet of the loop section.
7 more elements
A process for stimulating production of biomass comprising:
- flowing through a substantially horizontal section of a loop reactor, a multi-phase mixture of a gas and a liquid culture medium;
- introducing a nutrient into the multi-phase mixture;
- flowing the multi-phase mixture of a gas and a liquid culture medium through a substantially vertical upflow zone after flowing the multi-phase mixture through the substantially horizontal section of a loop reactor;
- flowing the multi-phase mixture of a gas and a liquid culture medium from the substantially vertical upflow zone into an inlet side section of a gas/liquid separation vessel of the loop reactor via a bend having a radius of curvature between 0.5 to 3 times a diameter of the vertical upflow zone;
- separating the multi-phase mixture of a gas and a liquid culture medium into a gas phase and a liquid phase in the gas/liquid separation vessel by:
- flowing the multi-phase mixture of a gas and a liquid culture medium into a lower portion of the gas/liquid separation vessel through the inlet side section of the gas/liquid separation vessel, the inlet side section of the gas/liquid separation vessel having a shape of an oblique conical frustum and having an increasing diameter in a direction of flow of the multi-phase mixture through the inlet side section;
- and
- flowing the multi-phase mixture through an intermediate section located between an outlet side section of the gas/liquid separation vessel and the inlet side section of the gas/liquid separation vessel, the intermediate section having a constant diameter;
- and
- removing the liquid phase from an outlet of the gas/liquid separation vessel and delivering the removed liquid phase to an inlet of the substantially horizontal section.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.