Process for continuous solvent production
OwnerThaddeus Ezeji, Nasibuddin Qureshi +1inventors
InventorsThaddeus Ezeji, Nasibuddin Qureshi, Hans Blaschek
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Abstract
A continuous process for production of solvents, particularly acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) using fermentation of solventogenic microorganisms and gas stripping is provided. The solventogenic microorganisms are inoculated in a nutrient medium containing assimilable carbohydrates (substrate) and optional other additives. Control of the solventogenic microorganism concentration in the fermentor (cell concentration) and the assimilable carbohydrate concentration in the fermentor, along with removal of solvents formed results in a continuous process for production of solvents.
Claims33
A continuous process for production of solvents comprising:
- establishing and maintaining a culture in a fermentor, said culture comprising solventogenic microorganisms and a nutrient medium comprising assimilable carbohydrates and optional additives;
- maintaining the carbohydrate concentration in the fermentor at a level sufficient to maintain a continuous process;
- maintaining the concentration of solventogenic microorganisms at a level sufficient to maintain a continuous process;
- removing solvents from the fermentor by passing a flow of stripping gas through the culture, forming enriched stripping gas;
- adding water or other suitable liquid to the fermentor to maintain an approximately constant volume in the fermentor;
- and
- removing the solvents from the enriched stripping gas.
A continuous process for production of solvents comprising:
- establishing and maintaining a culture in a fermentor, said culture comprising solventogenic microorganisms and a nutrient medium comprising assimilable carbohydrates and optional additives;
- monitoring the carbohydrate concentration in the fermentor;
- maintaining the carbohydrate concentration in the fermentor at a level sufficient to maintain a continuous process;
- monitoring the concentration of solventogenic microorganisms in the fermentor;
- maintaining the concentration of solventogenic microorganisms in the fermentor at a level sufficient to maintain a continuous process;
- removing solvents from the fermentor by passing a flow of stripping gas through the culture, forming enriched stripping gas;
- adding water or other suitable liquid to the fermentor to maintain an approximately constant volume in the fermentor;
- and
- removing the solvents from the enriched stripping gas.
A continuous process for production of solvents comprising:
- establishing and maintaining a culture in a fermentor, said culture comprising solventogenic microorganisms and a nutrient medium comprising assimilable carbohydrates and optional additives;
- maintaining the carbohydrate concentration in the fermentor at between about 20 and 75 g/L by adding a carbohydrate solution having a carbohydrate concentration of greater than about 250 g/L when the carbohydrate concentration in the fermentor is less than about 20 g/L;
- maintaining the concentration of solventogenic microorganisms at below about 15 g/L by removing a portion of the culture when the concentration of solventogenic microorganisms in the fermentor is greater than about 15 g/L;
- removing solvents from the fermentor by passing a flow of stripping gas through the culture, forming enriched stripping gas;
- adding water or other suitable liquid to the fermentor to maintain an approximately constant volume in the fermentor;
- and
- removing the solvents from the enriched stripping gas.
An apparatus for formation of gas bubbles comprising one or more gas flow arms having one or more gas flow holes, said one or more gas flow arms attached to a central gas inlet, said central gas inlet connected to a gas source.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.