# US 7,745,197 B1 · Process for the utilization of ruminant animal methane emissions

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- Number: US 7,745,197 B1
- Document ID: US7745197B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 11/208,808
- Filed: 2005-08-22
- Granted: 2010-06-29
- Earliest claimed: 2003-10-15
- Assignees: Newlight Technologies, LLC
- Inventors: Markus Herrema; Kenton Kimmel
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7745197B1

## CPC

- B01J 12/00: Chemical processes in general for reacting gaseous media with gaseous media; Apparatus specially adapted therefor (B01J3/08, B01J8/00, B01J19/08 take precedence)
- A61K 35/42: Respiratory system, e.g. lungs, bronchi or lung cells
- A61K 38/05: Dipeptides
- C08G 63/06: derived from hydroxycarboxylic acids
- C12M 43/00: {Combinations of bioreactors or fermenters with other apparatus}
- C12N 1/30: having five or less carbon atoms
- C12P 7/42: Hydroxy-carboxylic acids
- C12P 7/62: Carboxylic acid esters
- C12P 7/625: Polyesters of hydroxy carboxylic acids
- Y02E 50/30: Fuel from waste, e.g. synthetic alcohol or diesel
- Y02P 20/10: Process efficiency
- Y10T 137/87571: Multiple inlet with single outlet
- B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
- A61K: PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES (devices or methods specially adapted for bringing pharmaceutical products into particular physical or administering forms A61J3/00; chemical aspects of, or use of materials for deodorisation of air, for disinfection or sterilisation, or for bandages, dressings, absorbent pads or surgical articles A61L; soap compositions C11D)
- C08G: MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED OTHERWISE THAN BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING UNSATURATED CARBON-TO-CARBON BONDS
- C12M: APPARATUS FOR ENZYMOLOGY OR MICROBIOLOGY; {APPARATUS FOR CULTURING MICROORGANISMS FOR PRODUCING BIOMASS, FOR GROWING CELLS OR FOR OBTAINING FERMENTATION OR METABOLIC PRODUCTS, i.e. BIOREACTORS OR FERMENTERS}
- C12N: MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA (microbiological testing media C12Q1/00)
- C12P: FERMENTATION OR ENZYME-USING PROCESSES TO SYNTHESISE A DESIRED CHEMICAL COMPOUND OR COMPOSITION OR TO SEPARATE OPTICAL ISOMERS FROM A RACEMIC MIXTURE {(brewing of beer C12C; producing vinegar C12J; producing specific peptides or proteins C07K; producing enzymes C12N9/00; DNA or RNA concerning genetic engineering, vectors, e.g. plasmids, or their isolation, preparation or purification C12N15/00; measuring or testing processes involving enzymes or microorganisms C12Q; measuring or testing processes involving nucleic acid amplification reactions C12Q1/6844; fermentation processes to form a food composition, A21 or A23; compounds in general, see the relevant compound class, e.g. C01, C07)}
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A process for the utilization of the methane produced by enteric fermentation, specifically to a process that utilizes methane produced by ruminant animals through enteric fermentation as a source of carbon and/or energy for the directed production of methane-based goods or processes is provided.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for oxidizing methane using a source of oxygen and the enteric fermentation methane produced by one or more ruminant animals as a source of carbon and/or energy, comprising:
a. providing one or more ruminant animals contained in an enclosure;
b. providing a first gas comprising enteric fermentation-derived methane gas that has been emitted by and collected directly from said animals;
c. providing a second gas comprising air that has been combined with said first gas in said enclosure, wherein said second gas comprises oxygen and wherein the concentration of said enteric fermentation-derived methane in said combination of first and second gases is between 1.7 ppm and 1000 ppm;
d. providing a culture of at least one methanotrophic microorganism, wherein said microorganism oxidizes methane to methanol, water, and/or carbon dioxide, wherein said microorganism is unable to utilize said first gas as a sole source of methane;
e. providing a third gas comprising methane, wherein the amount of methane in said third gas is sufficient to support the growth of said at least one microorganism when fed to said microorganism;
f. introducing a combination of said first, second and third gases into a culture chamber comprising said at least one methanotrophic microorganism thereby oxidizing a portion of said methane in both said first and third gases to methanol, water, and/or carbon dioxide.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein an air conveyor is provided to direct, move, and/or convey said second gas, wherein the air conveyor can be used to contact said second gas with said third gas and/or said microorganism.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said microorganism utilizes methane monooxygenase to oxidize methane to intracellular methanol and/or carbon dioxide, and subsequently utilizes said intracellular methanol and/or carbon dioxide for cellular metabolism.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said second gas comprises air, dust, non-methane organic matter, ammonia, gases, flies, particulate matter, and/or airborne matter fully or partially contained by said enclosure.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said second gas is contacted with said microorganism to function as an oxygen source for said microorganism that reduces environmental enteric fermentation methane emissions.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the flow rate of said second gas conveyed through said enclosure is reduced to increase the concentration of said methane within said enclosure, or wherein the flow rate of said second gas conveyed by said conveyor through said enclosure is increased to reduce the concentration of said methane within said enclosure.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the temperature and flow rate of said air within said enclosure are simultaneously controlled to optimize the health of said ruminant animals within said enclosure and the concentration of said oxygen and/or methane.