Biological production of ethanol from waste gases
OwnerIngo Krieginventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus for biological production of ethanol from waste gases includes a bioreactor including a plurality of tunnels each having inlet and outlet passageways, a gasifier reactor generates a continuous supply of syngas from waste gases into the upper portion of each tunnel. A mixing device provides a continuous supply of fermentation microbes in a liquid directed by pumps and spray misters into the tunnel. Pumps direct the liquid vertically for conversion of the syngas into ethanol.
Claims18
Apparatus for biological production of ethanol from syngas comprising a bioreactor including at least one sealed tunnel having a lower portion defining at least one liquid holding basin and an upper portion defining a syngas space wherein the tunnel includes at least one syngas inlet and at least one syngas outlet positioned so as to allow said syngas to travel horizontally along the length of said at least one tunnel, wherein said at least one tunnel includes at least one liquid inlet positioned so as to introduce a liquid including microbes and at least one liquid outlet positioned so as remove liquid including microbes and wherein the horizontal length of said at least one tunnel allows contact between said microbes and said syngas for conversion of said syngas into ethanol;
- and a pumping device located within said lower portion for directing said liquid vertically into said upper portion into said syngas for providing contact between said microbes and said syngas for conversion of said syngas into ethanol wherein the apparatus further includes a gasifier reactor connected to said at least one syngas inlet for generating a syngas including CO, CO2 and H2 from waste gases and providing a continuous supply of syngas into said upper portion of said at least one tunnel through said at least one syngas inlet.
Apparatus for biological production of ethanol from syngas comprising a bioreactor including at least one sealed tunnel having a lower portion defining at least one liquid holding basin and an upper portion defining a syngas space wherein the tunnel includes at least one syngas inlet and at least one syngas outlet positioned so as to allow said syngas to travel horizontally along the length of said at least one tunnel, wherein said at least one tunnel includes at least one liquid inlet positioned so as to introduce a liquid including microbes and at least one liquid outlet positioned so as remove liquid including microbes and wherein the horizontal length of said at least one tunnel allows contact between said microbes and said syngas for conversion of said syngas into ethanol;
- and a pumping device located within said lower portion for directing said liquid vertically into said upper portion into said syngas for providing contact between said microbes and said syngas for conversion of said syngas into ethanol wherein said pumping device is a propeller pump.
Apparatus for biological production of ethanol from syngas comprising a bioreactor including at least one sealed tunnel having a lower portion defining at least one liquid holding basin and an upper portion defining a syngas space wherein the tunnel includes at least one syngas inlet and at least one syngas outlet positioned so as to allow said syngas to travel horizontally along the length of said at least one tunnel, wherein said at least one tunnel includes at least one liquid inlet positioned so as to introduce a liquid including microbes and at least one liquid outlet positioned so as remove liquid including microbes and wherein the horizontal length of said at least one tunnel allows contact between said microbes and said syngas for conversion of said syngas into ethanol;
- and a pumping device located within said lower portion for directing said liquid vertically into said upper portion into said syngas for providing contact between said microbes and said syngas for conversion of said syngas into ethanol wherein said at least one tunnel is defined by walls and a ceiling that include chambers or positive pressure areas for containing nitrogen gas.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.