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US 12,116,563 B2Granted
Gas-fed fermentation reactors, systems and processes
AssigneeCalysta, Inc.
InventorsLuan Thanh Nguyen, Arild Johannessen, Graham Ian Aylen, Joshua A. Silverman
Life of this patent
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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.
Claims18
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, the multi-phase mixture containing a biomass, the loop section including a portion sloped upward in the direction of flow of the multi-phase mixture in the loop section and an outlet;
- introducing nutrients into the multi-phase mixture;
- introducing a carbon-containing gas into the multi-phase mixture;
- passing the multi-phase mixture of a gas and a liquid culture medium from the loop section of the loop reactor into a first non-vertical pressure reduction zone of the loop reactor, the first non-vertical pressure reduction zone of the loop reactor including an eccentric expander that includes an inner diameter that transitions from a first end having a first diameter to a second end having a second diameter larger than the first diameter and an edge extending between the first end and a beginning of the second end that is parallel to a portion of the loop section to which the first non-vertical pressure reduction zone is connected;
- separating the multi-phase mixture of a gas and a liquid culture medium into a gas phase and a liquid phase in the first non-vertical pressure reduction zone;
- flowing the gas phase and the liquid phase separated from the multi-phase mixture of a gas and a liquid culture medium into a gas/liquid separation vessel;
- 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.
5 more elements
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, the multi-phase mixture containing a biomass, the loop section including an outlet;
- introducing nutrients into the multi-phase mixture;
- introducing a carbon-containing gas into the multi-phase mixture;
- passing the multi-phase mixture of a gas and a liquid culture medium from the loop section of the loop reactor into a first non-vertical pressure reduction zone of the loop reactor, the first non-vertical pressure reduction zone of the loop reactor including an eccentric expander that includes an inner diameter that transitions from a first end having a first diameter to a second end having a second diameter larger than the first diameter and an edge extending between the first end and a beginning of the second end that is parallel to a portion of the loop section to which the first non-vertical pressure reduction zone is connected;
- separating the multi-phase mixture of a gas and a liquid culture medium into a gas phase and a liquid phase in the first non-vertical pressure reduction zone;
- flowing the gas phase and the liquid phase separated from the multi-phase mixture of a gas and a liquid culture medium into a gas/liquid separation vessel;
- 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.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.