FERMENTATION OF GASEOUS SUBSTRATES

• Main Author: TREVETHICK, SIMON
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French
• Published: 24.12.2014
• Subjects: APPARATUS FOR ENZYMOLOGY OR MICROBIOLOGY; BEER; BIOCHEMISTRY; CHEMISTRY; ENZYMOLOGY; FERMENTATION OR ENZYME-USING PROCESSES TO SYNTHESISE A DESIREDCHEMICAL COMPOUND OR COMPOSITION OR TO SEPARATE OPTICAL ISOMERSFROM A RACEMIC MIXTURE; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; METALLURGY; MICROBIOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGYGENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION; SPIRITS; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINSTCLIMATE CHANGE; VINEGAR; WINE

Processes, as well as associated systems, are disclosed for the biological conversion of CO into desired end products such as ethanol. The use of a plurality of perforated plates, for example in the riser section of a bioreactor, which are positioned substantially horizontally and normal to the upward flow of both a CO-containing substrate and liquid culture medium, can significantly improve CO utilization of the bacteria and consequently the overall process economics. The geometry of apertures in the perforated plates is an important determinant of their performance, with fractal patterns and other multi-edged shapes leading to particularly advantageous results. La présente invention concerne des procédés, ainsi que des systèmes associés, permettant d'effectuer la conversion biologique de CO en produits finaux souhaités, tel que l'éthanol. L'utilisation d'une pluralité de plaques perforées, par exemple dans la section colonne montante d'un bioréacteur, les plaques étant sensiblement horizontales et perpendiculaires au flux ascendant d'un substrat contenant du CO et d'un milieu de culture liquide, peut améliorer significativement l'utilisation du CO des bactéries et donc le coût global du procédé. La géométrie des ouvertures se trouvant dans les plaques perforées est un facteur important déterminant leur performance, des motifs fractals et d'autres formes à plusieurs coins donnant des résultats particulièrement avantageux.