# US 9,840,722 B2 · Method for producing hydrocarbides

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- Number: US 9,840,722 B2
- Document ID: US9840722B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/785,390
- Filed: 2014-04-16
- Published: 2016-03-10
- Granted: 2017-12-12
- Earliest claimed: 2013-04-19
- Assignees: Bio-Think
- Applicants: Bio-Think
- Inventors: Jean-Yves Dupre; Oswaldo Yaguez Rodriguez
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9840722B2

## CPC

- C12P 5/02: acyclic {(C12P5/007 takes precedence)}
- C12P 7/40: containing a carboxyl group {including Peroxycarboxylic acids}
- C12P 7/6409: Fatty acids
- C12P 39/00: Processes involving microorganisms of different genera in the same process, simultaneously
- C25B 3/03: Acyclic or carbocyclic hydrocarbons
- C25B 3/29: Coupling reactions
- C25B 15/08: Supplying or removing reactants or electrolytes; Regeneration of electrolytes
- C25B 15/085: {Removing impurities}
- Y02E 50/30: Fuel from waste, e.g. synthetic alcohol or diesel
- 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)}
- C25B: ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF COMPOUNDS OR NON-METALS; APPARATUS THEREFOR (anodic or cathodic protection C23F13/00; single-crystal growth C30B)
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

A method for producing hydrocarbons, includes at least the following steps: a) anaerobic fermentation of a fermentable raw material in order to produce volatile fatty acids, b) elongation of the volatile fatty acids produced in step a) by fermentation with at least one bacterium of the Megasphaera genus, extraction of the fatty acids produced from the fermentation broth, and c) production of hydrocarbons by subjecting the fatty acids produced in step b) to a Kolbe electrolysis.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A process for producing hydrocarbons, comprising at least the implementation of the following stages:
a) conducting anaerobic fermentation of a fermentable raw material for obtaining volatile fatty acids,
b) elongating the volatile fatty acids obtained in stage a) by carrying out fermentation of the volatile fatty acids with one or more bacteria of Megasphaera elsdenii at a redox potential between −500 and −600 mV, obtaining a fermentation broth, and extracting fatty acids obtained from the fermentation broth, and
c) obtaining hydrocarbons by subjecting the fatty acids obtained in stage b) to Kolbe electrolysis.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The process for producing hydrocarbons according to claim 1, wherein stage b) is carried out with a pH between 5.5 and 6.5.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The process for producing hydrocarbons according to claim 1, wherein stage b) for fermentation of volatile fatty acids with Megasphaera elsdenii is carried out under conditions selected from the group consisting of under a cover of methane or with bubbling of methane, under a cover of biogas or with bubbling of biogas, under a cover of a mixture of methane, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen or with bubbling of a mixture of methane, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen in variable proportions, and in the presence of an additive inhibiting the co-enzyme M-reductase in fermentation liquid.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The process for producing hydrocarbons according to claim 1, wherein stage b) is carried out in the presence of ethanol.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The process for producing hydrocarbons according to claim 1, wherein the fatty acids that are obtained in stage b) comprise fatty acids with a chain of at least 5 carbon atoms.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The process for producing hydrocarbons according to claim 1, wherein the fatty acids that are obtained in stage b) comprise fatty acids with a chain of 6 to 8 carbon atoms.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The process for producing hydrocarbons according to claim 1, wherein the fatty acids that are obtained in stage b) are:
at least 50% of fatty acids containing 6 carbon atoms, and
at least 90% of fatty acids containing 5 carbon atoms.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The process for producing hydrocarbons according to claim 1, wherein the hydrocarbons that are obtained in stage c) comprise alkanes with a chain of at least 8 carbon atoms.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The process for producing hydrocarbons according to claim 1, wherein the hydrocarbons that are obtained in stage c) comprise alkanes with a chain of 8 to 14 carbon atoms.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The process for producing hydrocarbons according to claim 1, wherein stages a) and b) are carried out together in only one stage.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The process for producing hydrocarbons according to claim 10, wherein stages a) and b) are carried out together by co-cultivating the fermentable raw material with a microorganism that is capable of hydrolyzing cellulose and Megasphaera elsdenii.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The process for producing hydrocarbons according to claim 10, wherein stages a) and b) are carried out together with bacteria pools reinforced with Megasphaera elsdenii.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The process for producing hydrocarbons according to claim 1, wherein the elongated volatile fatty acids that are obtained in stage b) are extracted from the fermentation broth in a continuous manner.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The process for producing hydrocarbons according to claim 1, wherein in stage b) after extraction of the elongated fatty acids, short-chain fatty acids remaining in the fermentation broth are reused in stages a) or b) or to produce alkenes by the Hofer-Moest variant of Kolbe electrolysis.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The process for producing hydrocarbons according to claim 1, wherein the elongated volatile fatty acids that are obtained in stage b) are extracted from the fermentation broth with an extractant and/or a solvent.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The process for producing hydrocarbons according to claim 15, wherein the extractant is selected from the group consisting of organophosphorus compounds and tertiary or quaternary fatty amines, and the solvent is selected from the group consisting of alcohols, esters, alkanes, and hydrocarbon mixtures.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The process for producing hydrocarbons according to claim 15, wherein the extractant and the solvent are used inside a two-phase fermenter.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The process for producing hydrocarbons according to claim 1, wherein the elongated volatile fatty acids that are obtained in stage b) are extracted with a membrane contactor with a water-repellent membrane.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The process for producing hydrocarbons according to claim 1, further comprising a stage d) for purification of the hydrocarbons that are obtained in stage c).

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

The process for producing hydrocarbons according to claim 1, wherein the fermentable raw materials are pretreated before stage a) by an acid, a base, a solvent, a physical process, or enzymes.

### Claim 21 (depends on 1)

The process for producing hydrocarbons according to claim 1, wherein the fermentable raw materials are selected from the group consisting of by-products of sugar plants or starch plants, sugars that are obtained by hydrolysis of biomass of land-based origin optionally preceded by a delignification, and sugars obtained by hydrolysis of biomass of aquatic origin, effluents, or farming, agricultural, urban or industrial waste.