Sk Innovation Co., Ltd.

Korea Institute of Science and Technology

Sk Energy Co., Ltd.

Sin Young Kang

In Ho Cho

Min Su Koo

Joong Min Park

Seung Yeop Lee

Dong Hyun Kim

Hee Jung Jeon

Woo Chan Park

Seong Ho Lee

Jae Wook Ryu

Sang Il Lee

Gyung Rok Kim

Do Woan Kim

Jae Yeon Park

Sun Mi Lee

Young Seek Yoon

Sam Ryong Park

Il Yong Jeong

Joon Sik Lee

Young Soon Um

Young Woong Suh

Cher Hee Park

Eun Hee Park

Jong Hee Song

Young Hwan Chu

Sang Jun Ju

Hyung Woong Ahn

Byoung In Sang

The present invention provides a fed-batch culture method comprising a step of fed-batch-feeding a carbon source base and a base in such a manner that the pH level can be maintained at a level suitable for the growth of microorganisms for fermentation of a carbon source. The present invention also provides a method for preparing organic acids using the fed-batch culture method. The present invention fed-batch-feeds a neutralizing agent such as ammonium bicarbonate, ammonium carbonate or alkali metal-containing weak base, and a carbon source substrate in preparing organic acids by microorganism fermentation. Thus, a pH level suitable for the survival of microorganisms for carbon source fermentation can be maintained, and the speed of injecting the carbon source base which is the source material can be appropriately adjusted. The present invention may improve productivity, yield rate and concentration of organic acids and may automatically inject a base and a carbon source substrate according to a variation in the pH level, thus improving reliability and convenience of a fermentation process operation.

Method for preparing organic acid by fed-batch-feeding carbon source substrate and base

Disclosed is a method of preparing alkyl butyrate, which comprises: (a) producing a fermented liquid containing butyrate salt through a fermentation process using butyric acid-producing strains; (b) obtaining an extracted liquid containing butyric acid from a continuous extracting apparatus using an extraction solvent, after converting the butyrate salt into butyric acid by adding an inorganic acid except for carbonic acid or carbon dioxide into the fermented liquid, wherein the continuous extracting apparatus includes a plurality of extraction plates which are installed inside an extraction column and perform a reciprocating motion vertically, and the broth and the extraction solvent are supplied to upper and lower portions of the column, respectively; and (c) reacting the extracted liquid and alcohol having a carbon number of 4 or less or a mixture thereof in an esterification reactor to convert a resultant product into alkyl butyrate. According to the present invention, butyric acid existing in microbic culture fluid can be efficiently extracted, and furthermore, competitively priced alkyl butyrate can be prepared without an additional process of separating the extracted solvent while minimizing energy consumption.

Method of preparing alkyl butyrate from fermented liquid using microorganisms

Disclosed is a method of converting butyric acid contained in a fermentation broth into biofuel. This chemical conversion method includes separating biohydrogen from gases generated in the course of production of butyric acid through fermentation of carbohydrate, extracting butyric acid from the broth using an insoluble solvent, esterifying butyric acid thus producing butylbutyrate, and hydrogenolyzing all or part of butylbutyrate, thus obtaining butanol. Thereby, biobutanol can be efficiently and economically produced, and butylbutyrate, which has oxidation stability superior to that of conventional biodiesel (fatty acid methyl ester) and is thus regarded as novel biofuel, can be produced together.

Method of extracting butyric acid from a fermented liquid and chemically converting butyric acid into biofuel

Growing community of inventors

Daejeon, South Korea

Sin Young Kang