Fermentation of waste gases
AssigneeLanzatech New Zealand Limited
InventorsSimon David Oakley, Joss Anton Coombes, Sean Dennis Simpson, Bjorn Daniel Heijstra, Michael Anthony Schultz, Sean Molloy
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Abstract
The invention relates to the microbial fermentation of gaseous substrates to produce one or more products. The invention relates to the microbial fermentation of a gaseous substrate derived from the conversion of a biogas stream. The invention relates to the conversion of a biogas stream comprising methane to a gaseous substrate comprising CO or CO plus H2, and the production of one or more products from the microbial fermentation of said gaseous substrate.
Claims20
A method for producing at least one product by microbial fermentation, the method comprising:
- a) passing a biogas stream comprising methane to a steam reforming zone, operated at reforming conditions whereby at least a portion of the methane in the biogas stream is converted to a substrate comprising CO and H2;
- and
- b) passing the substrate to a bioreactor comprising a culture of at least one carboxydotrophic microorganisms, and anaerobically fermenting the substrate to at least one product selected from the group consisting of alcohols, acids and mixtures thereof.
A method for producing at least one product by microbial fermentation, the method comprising:
- a) passing a biogas stream comprising CH4 and CO2 to a pressure swing zone (PSA) operated at conditions to remove at least a portion of the CO2 and provide a methane enriched biogas stream;
- b) passing the methane enriched biogas stream to a steam reforming zone, operated at steam reforming conditions whereby at least a portion of the methane in the biogas stream is converted to a substrate comprising CO and H2;
- c) admixing a gas stream comprising CO with the substrate to provide a blended substrate having a CO:H2 molar ratio from about 20:1 to about 1:2;
- and
- d) passing the substrate to a bioreactor comprising a culture of at least one carboxydotrophic microorganisms, and anaerobically fermenting the substrate to at least one product selected from the group consisting of alcohols, acids and mixtures thereof.
A method for producing at least one product by microbial fermentation, the method comprising:
- a) passing a biogas stream comprising CH4 and CO2 to a pressure swing zone (PSA) operated at conditions to remove at least a portion of the CO2 and provide a methane enriched biogas stream;
- b) passing the methane enriched biogas stream to a steam reforming zone, operated at steam reforming conditions whereby at least a portion of the methane in the biogas stream is converted to a substrate comprising CO and H2;
- c) admixing a gas stream comprising CO with the substrate to provide a blended substrate having a CO:H2 molar ratio from about 20:1 to about 1:2;
- and
- d) passing the substrate to a bioreactor comprising a culture of Clostridium autoethanogenum and anaerobically fermenting the substrate to a product selected from the group consisting of ethanol, 2,3-butanediol, acetate, lactic acid and mixtures thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.