Method and bioreactor for producing synfuel from carbonaceous material
AssigneeGeobiotics, Inc.
InventorWilliam Kohr
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of producing fuel from biodegradable carbonaceous material using a stacked particle bioreactor is provided. A stacked particle bioreactor is formed from particles including biodegradable carbonaceous material. The biodegradable carbonaceous material in the stacked particle bioreactor is aerobically and/or anaerobically bioconverted into one or more synfuels, which are collected from the reactor. The synfuels produced by the method may include synthetic petroleum, alcohol, and/or a gaseous fuel containing methane. Preferably the method includes an aerobic biotreatment phase followed by an anaerobic bioconversion phase. A stacked particle bioreactor for carrying out the anaerobic, and preferably aerobic, degradation is also described.
Claims48
A method of producing gaseous fuel from biodegradable carbonaceous material using a stacked particle bioreactor, the method comprising the steps of:
- a. forming a stacked particle bioreactor from particles comprising biodegradable carbonaceous material;
- b. forming an anaerobic microorganism supporting environment within the bioreactor;
- c. anaerobically bioconverting biodegradable carbonaceous material in the stacked particle bioreactor into a gaseous fuel;
- and
- d. collecting the gaseous fuel from the bioreactor.
A method of converting biodegradable carbonaceous material into synthetic petroleum and/or gaseous fuel using a stacked particle bioreactor, the method comprising the steps of:
- a. forming a stacked particle bioreactor from particles comprising biodegradable carbonaceous material;
- b. inoculating the bioreactor with a culture comprising one or more aerobic and/or facultative anaerobic microorganisms capable of fermenting carbonaceous matter;
- c. aerobically fermenting carbonaceous matter in the stack;
- d. collecting synthetic petroleum and/or gaseous fuel from the stack;
- e. converting the environment within the stack from an aerobic environment to an anaerobic environment;
- f. inoculating the stack with a culture comprising one or more anaerobic microorganisms;
- g. anaerobically biotreating the aerobically biotreated stack to produce synthetic petroleum and/or gaseous fuel;
- and
- h. collecting synthetic petroleum and/or gaseous fuel from the anaerobically biotreated stack.
A method of bioconverting organic carbonaceous material into fuel using a stacked particle bioreactor, the method comprising the steps of:
- a. coating the surface of a plurality of substrates having a particle size greater than or equal to about 0.3 cm with organic carbonaceous material and thereby forming a plurality of coated substrates;
- b. forming a stacked particle bioreactor with the coated substrates, the stacked particle bioreactor having a void volume greater than or equal to about 15%;
- c. forming an anaerobic environment within the stacked particle bioreactor;
- d. anaerobically biotreating the stacked particle bioreactor until a desired amount of organic carbonaceous material within the stacked particle bioreactor has been converted to a gaseous fuel;
- and
- e. collecting the gaseous fuel from the stacked particle bioreactor.
A method of bioconverting organic carbonaceous material into fuel using a stacked particle bioreactor, the method comprising the steps of:
- a. agglomerating particles comprising organic carbonaceous material with an agglomeration aid into a plurality of agglomerates having a particle size greater than or equal to about 0.3 cm;
- b. forming a stacked particle bioreactor with the agglomerates, the stacked particle bioreactor having a void volume greater than or equal to about 15%;
- c. forming an anaerobic environment within the stacked particle bioreactor;
- d. anaerobically biotreating the stacked particle bioreactor until a desired amount of organic carbonaceous material within the stacked particle bioreactor has been converted to a gaseous fuel;
- and
- e. collecting the gaseous fuel from the stacked particle bioreactor.
A method of converting organic carbonaceous material into fuel using a stacked particle bioreactor, the method comprising the steps of:
- a. providing particles of solid carbonaceous organic material having a particle size of less than about 5.0 cm;
- b. screening the particles into two or more size fractions;
- c. forming a plurality of stacked particle bioreactors having a void volume greater than or equal to about 15%, each bioreactor being formed with particles from one of the separated size fractions;
- d. forming an anaerobic environment within each of the stacked particle bioreactors;
- e. anaerobically biotreating each of the stacked particle bioreactors until a desired amount of organic carbonaceous material within the stacked particle bioreactor has been converted to a gaseous fuel;
- and
- f. collecting gaseous fuel from each of the stacked particle bioreactors.
A bioreactor for converting biodegradable carbonaceous material into fuel, the bioreactor comprising:
- a. a plurality of particles stacked to form a heap having a void volume of greater than or equal to about 15%, the particles comprising biodegradable carbonaceous material;
- b. means for communicating gases to the heap;
- c. means for communicating aqueous solutions to the heap;
- d. means for communicating gas from the heap;
- e. means for collecting liquids that drain from the heap;
- f. a gas impermeable barrier covering the heap;
- and
- g. a microbial consortium within the heap capable of biodegrading biodegradable carbonaceous material within the heap to synfuel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.