Coskata, Inc.

University of Chicago

Synata Bio, Inc.

Caliper Life Sciences, Inc.

Coskata Energy

Shih-Perng Tsai

Rathin Datta

Rahul Basu

Seong-Hoon Yoon

Robert F Hickey

Richard E Tobey

Jian Xu

YuPo J Lin

Sarabjit Singh Randhava

Jianxin Du

Michael P Henry

Joshua Schumacher

Dennis Burke

Seung H Moon

Robert Coleman

Jian Du

Processes for starting up and operating anaerobic, deep tank fermentation reactors including a process for anaerobic bioconversion of a gas substrate comprising carbon monoxide, hydrogen, and carbon dioxide in a reactor by contact of the gas substrate with an aqueous menstruum containing microorganisms suitable for converting the gas substrate to an oxygenated organic compound in the reactor. The process further includes: blanketing the reactor above the aqueous menstruum to the essential exclusion of oxygen with a head space gas comprising at least one of carbon monoxide, hydrogen, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and a lower alkane; continuously supplying a feed gas comprising at least a portion of the gas substrate to the aqueous menstruum in the reactor; and injecting the gas substrate and a motive liquid into the reactor to form a dispersion of the motive liquid and microbubbles, the microbubbles having a diameter of less than about 500 microns.

Processes for starting up and operating deep tank anaerobic fermentation reactors for making oxygenated organic compound from carbon monoxide and hydrogen

Processes for starting up and operating anaerobic, deep tank fermentation systems to anaerobically bioconvert hydrogen and carbon monoxide in a gaseous substrate stream to oxygenated organic compounds and for steady operation of such fermentation systems are shown. Injectors use a motive liquid to introduce gas substrate as a stable gas-in liquid dispersion into the deep tank fermentation reactor where at least one of: (i) adjusting the gas to liquid flow ratio through an injector, (ii) changing the rate of liquid flow through an injector, and (iii) adjusting the carbon monoxide mole fraction in the gas feed by admixture with at least one other gas, wherein the mass transfer of carbon monoxide to an aqueous menstruum in the reactor is controlled to obtain the robust growth of the microorganism and/or continued conversion of gas substrate while maintaining the carbon monoxide concentration below that amount which is unduly adverse to the microorganism.

Processes for the bioconversion of syngas to oxygenated organic compound are disclosed that reliably, cost-effectively and efficiently supply sulfur nutrient to microorganisms contained in acidic, aqueous fermentation menstrua. In the processes of this invention, basic, aqueous solution used to maintain the pH of the aqueous fermentation menstruum is used to remove hydrogen sulfide from the off-gas from the fermentation menstruum for recycle to the fermentation menstruum.

Processes for the acidic, anaerobic conversion of hydrogen and carbon oxides to oxygenated organic compound

Processes are provided for starting up of anaerobic, deep tank fermentation systems used in the anaerobic bioconversion of hydrogen and carbon monoxide in a gaseous substrate stream to oxygenated organic compounds such as ethanol. In the processes injectors using a motive liquid are used to introduce gas substrate into the deep tank fermentation reactor where at least one of:

Processes for starting up deep tank anaerobic fermentation reactors for making oxygenated organic compound from carbon monoxide and hydrogen

Ethanol and other liquid products are produced by contacting syngas components such as CO or a mixture of COand Hwith a surface of a membrane under anaerobic conditions and transferring these components into contact with a biofilm on the opposite side of the membrane. These steps provide a stable system for producing liquid products such as ethanol, butanol and other chemicals. The gas fed on the membrane's gas contact side transports through the membrane to form a biofilm of anaerobic microorganisms that converted the syngas to desired liquid products. The system can sustain production with a variety of microorganisms and membrane configurations.

Membrane supported bioreactor for conversion of syngas components to liquid products

A stable system for producing liquid products such as ethanol, butanol and other chemicals from syngas components contacts CO or a mixture of COand Hwith a hydrophilic membrane under anaerobic conditions and transfers these components into contact with microorganisms contained as a biofilm on the membrane. Maintaining the microorganisms as a biolayer on the surface of the membrane facilitates cleaning of the membrane surface that retains the biofilm. In addition the shell gas space that surrounds the membranes may be flooded to reduce or remove the biofilm. Agitation of the liquid, by for example the bubbling of gas in the surrounding shell space, can fully or partially remove the biofilm from the membrane.

Method of conversion of syngas using microorganism on hydrophilic membrane

A membrane supported bioreactor arrangement and method for anaerobic conversion of gas into liquid products including membrane modules having hollow fibers, each of the hollow fibers formed from an asymmetric membrane wall having a porous outer layer defining biopores for retaining a porous biolayer about the outer surface of the membrane wall and a less permeable hydration layer around the hollow fiber lumen; a membrane vessel for retaining the membrane modules in a process gas for formation of the biolayer on the outer surface of the hollow fiber wall by interaction of microorganisms with a process gas and for the production of a liquid product, wherein the membrane vessel retains the membrane modules in a common horizontal plane; provides a seal between contents of the membrane tank and ambient atmosphere; and includes a liquid supply conduit for communicating the process liquid with the hollow fiber lumens of the hollow fibers.

Horizontal array bioreactor for conversion of syngas components to liquid products

A stable system for producing liquid products such as ethanol, butanol and other chemicals from syngas components contacts CO or a mixture of COand Hwith a highly porous side of an asymmetric membrane under anaerobic conditions and transferring these components into contact with microorganisms contained within bio-pores of the membrane. The membrane side of the membrane utilizes a dense layer to control hydration of the bio-pores with a liquid phase. The gas feed directly contacts the microorganisms in the bio-pores and maximizes their utilization of the syngas. Metabolic products produced by the microorganisms leave the membrane through the side opposite the entering syngas. This system and method establishes a unitary direction across the membrane for the supply of the primary feed source to the microorganisms and the withdrawal of metabolically produced products. The feed and product flow improves productivity and performance of the microorganism and the membrane.

Syngas conversion system using asymmetric membrane and anaerobic microorganism

A stable method for producing liquid products such as ethanol, propanol, butanol and other chemicals from syngas components that contacts CO or a mixture of COand Hwith a highly porous side of an asymmetric membrane under anaerobic conditions and transfers these components into contact with microorganisms contained within bio-pores of the membrane. A liquid contacting side of the membrane utilizes a dense layer to control hydration of the bio-pores with a liquid phase. The gas feed directly contacts the microorganisms in the bio-pores and maximizes their utilization of the syngas. Metabolic products produced by the microorganisms leave the membrane through the side opposite the entering syngas. This method establishes a unitary direction across the membrane for the supply of the primary feed source to the microorganisms and the withdrawal of metabolically produced products. The feed and product flow improves productivity and performance of the microorganism and the membrane.

Syngas conversion method using asymmetric membrane and anaerobic microorganism

A membrane supported bioreactor arrangement and method for anaerobic conversion of gas into liquid products including membrane modules having hollow fibers packed across a cross sectional area of the membrane module, each of the hollow fibers formed from an asymmetric membrane wall having a porous outer layer defining biopores for retaining a porous biolayer about the outer surface of the membrane wall and a less permeable hydration layer around the hollow fiber lumen; a membrane vessel for surrounding the outside of the hollow fibers with a process gas from a gas supply conduit; and a liquid supply conduit operably connected to the hollow fibers for supplying a process liquid to the hollow fiber lumens. The gas supply conduit enables the formation of a biolayer on the outer surface of the hollow fiber wall by interaction of microorganisms with the process gas and the production of a liquid product.

Stacked array bioreactor for conversion of syngas components to liquid products

The bioconversion of gas feedstreams to liquid products by direct contact with a layer of microorganism obtains enhanced productivity through the regular cycling of liquid across a substrate that supports a biolayer of microorganisms while separating the gas and liquid phases. Such processes produce liquid products such as ethanol, butanol and other chemicals from syngas components by contacting CO or a mixture of COand Hwith a highly porous side of an asymmetric membrane under anaerobic conditions and transferring these components into contact with microorganisms contained within bio-pores of the membrane. A periodic laving of liquid from the liquid contact side to and away from the microorganisms can increase nutrient flow to the microorganisms while enhancing the recovery of liquid products. The process effects laving by temporarily raising the liquid phase pressure relative to the gas phase pressure to periodically surge liquid toward the microorganisms and then restoring the original pressure differential to urge liquid away from the microorgaisms.

Bioconversion process using liquid phase having to enhance gas phase conversion

Ethanol and other liquid products are produced by contacting syngas components such as CO or a mixture of COand Hwith a surface of a membrane under anaerobic conditions and transferring these components in contact with a biofilm on the opposite side of the membrane. These steps provide a stable system for producing liquid products such as ethanol, butanol and other chemicals. The gas fed on the membrane's gas contact side transports through the membrane to form a biofilm of anaerobic microoganisms that converted the syngas to desired liquid products. A liquid impermeable layer of the membrane assists in establishing direct gas phase contact syngas components with the microorganisms. The system can sustain production with a variety of microorganisms and membrane configurations.

Process for converting syngas to liquid products with microorganisms on two-layer membrane

This invention is a process for managing the gas flow through a plurality of bioconversion modules that provide a gas liquid interface. The conversion modules provide the gas liquid interface across an activated surface that converts at least some of the gas components into desired liquid products. Arrangement of the modules and control of gas flow in accordance with this invention enhances the utilization of the gas and the production of desired liquid products by adjusting the flow area to compensate for changes in the volume of the feed gas. Improved control of the gas velocity through the bioconversion modules eliminates problems of liquid condensation and flow maldistribution. The process may sequence the modules to mitigate time variation in microorganism activity and incorporate additional periodic process steps.

Process to sequence bioreactor modules for serial gas flow and uniform gas velocity

A membrane supported bioreactor arrangement and method for anerobic conversion of gas into liquid products including membrane modules having hollow fibers, each of the hollow fibers formed from an asymmetric membrane wall having a porous outer layer defining biopores for retaining a porous biolayer about the outer surface of the membrane wall and a less permeable hydration layer around the hollow fiber lumen; a membrane vessel for retaining the membrane modules in a process gas for formation of the biolayer on the outer surface of the hollow fiber wall by interaction of microorganisms with a process gas and for the production of a liquid product, wherein the membrane vessel retains the membrane modules in a common horizontal plane; provides a seal between contents of the membrane tank and ambient atmosphere; and includes a liquid supply conduit for communicating the process liquid with the hollow fiber lumens of the hollow fibers.

A submerged membrane supported bioreactor for anaerobic conversion of gas into liquid products including a plurality of membrane modules having a plurality of hollow fibers, each of the plurality of hollow fibers having a gas permeable hollow fiber wall defining a hollow fiber lumen and an outer surface; a membrane tank for retaining the membrane modules at least partially submerged in a process liquid for formation of a biofilm on the outer surface of the hollow fiber wall by interaction of microorganisms with a process gas and for the production of a liquid product that mixes with the process liquid, wherein the membrane tank retains the membrane modules in a common horizontal plane; a seal between contents of the membrane tank and ambient atmosphere; and a gas supply conduit for communicating the process gas with the hollow fiber lumens of the hollow fibers.

Growing community of inventors

Naperville, IL, United States of America

Shih-Perng Tsai