Integrated System and Process for Bioproduct Production

• US 20100330633A1
• Filed: 06/24/2010
• Published: 12/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Talfryn SA
• Original Assignee: Cobalt Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Hogg, Eamon T., Meerman, Hendrik J., Wilson, Richard W., Eckert, Robert, Luli, Gregory W., Burns-Guydish, Stacy M., Walther, David C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,497,105 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/150
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 21/12 for producing fuels or solvents C12M21/04 takes precedence; liquid carbonaceous fuels C10L1/00, solid fuels C10L5/00
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 23/58 Reaction vessels connected in series or in parallel combinations of bioreactors with other apparatus, C12M43/00
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 25/18 Fixed or packed bed
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 25/20 Fluidized bed in chemical or physical processes B01J8/18
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 43/02 Bioreactors or fermenters combined with devices for liquid fuel extraction; Biorefineries
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 45/06 by chemical means or hydrolysis
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 47/10 Separation or concentration of fermentation products bioreactors combined with means for distillation or extraction of liquid fuel C12M43/02
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/065 with microorganisms other than yeasts
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/16 Butanols
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/28 Acetone-containing products
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/10 Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/582 Recycling of unreacted starting or intermediate materials

Abstract

Processes and systems for production of bioproducts such as biofuels are provided. The bioproduct production processes and systems utilize pretreatment of a carbohydrate-containing feedstock to produce soluble sugar molecules and continuous conversion of the pretreated feedstock to a bioproduct by an immobilized fermenting microorganism.

Claims

1. A process for producing a bioproduct comprising continuously fermenting a microorganism in the presence of hydrolyzed feedstock, wherein said microorganism is immobilized on a support in a bioreactor, wherein said feedstock is a carbohydrate-containing material, wherein said hydrolyzed feedstock is produced by hydrolysis of said feedstock, wherein said hydrolysis produces carbohydrate molecules that serve as a carbon source for said fermentation, wherein the hydrolyzed feedstock is fed to the bioreactor continuously for the duration of the fermentation, and wherein the microorganism continuously converts the hydrolyzed feedstock into a bioproduct.

2. A process according to claim 1, wherein the feedstock is hydrolyzed continuously upstream from said bioreactor and the resulting hydrolyzed feedstock is fed continuously into a microbial growth medium in the bioreactor for the duration of the fermentation.

3. A process according to claim 2, wherein the hydrolyzed feedstock is fed continuously into multiple bioreactors arranged in parallel, and/or in series, wherein the fermentation occurs continuously in said multiple bioreactors, and wherein the multiple bioreactors comprise the same or different microorganism(s).

4. A process according to claim 1, wherein said feedstock is a cellulosic material.

5. A process according to claim 4, wherein said feedstock comprises cellulose and hemicellulose.

6. A process according to claim 5, wherein said feedstock is a lignocellulosic material.

7. A process according to claim 6, wherein said lignocellulosic material is wood selected from softwood, hardwood, or a combination thereof.

8. A process according to claim 7, wherein said lignocellulosic material comprises wood chips, sawdust, saw mill residue, or a combination thereof.

9. A process according to claim 8, wherein said lignocelluosic material is from a feedstock source that has been subjected to a disease or infestation.

10. A process according to claim 8, wherein said lignocellulosic material is deconstructed prior to hydrolysis, wherein said deconstruction comprises one or more process selected from presteaming, mechanical grinding, and mechanical explosion.

11. A process according to claim 8, wherein said lignocellulosic material is deconstructed prior to harvest, wherein said deconstruction occurs due to one or more natural or intentional causes comprising drought, infestation, fire, or herbicide.

12. A process according to claim 10, wherein said lignocellulosic material is pretreated to remove extractives, wherein said pretreatment comprises compression, water extraction, solvent extraction, alkaline extraction, enzymatic treatment, fungal treatment, oxygen treatment, or air drying, wherein said pretreatment occurs prior to or in conjunction with deconstruction.

13. A process according to claim 6, wherein said hydrolysis is performed by treatment with one or more acid.

14. A process according to claim 13, wherein said acid comprises nitric acid, formic acid, acetic acid, phosphoric acid, hydrochloric acid, or sulfuric acid.

15. A process according to claim 14, wherein said hydrolysis is performed with nitric acid.

16. A process according to claim 15, wherein said nitric acid hydrolysis comprises a first stage and a second stage, and wherein the second stage hydrolysis is performed at a higher temperature than the first stage.

17. A process according to claim 16, wherein the conditions in the first stage are chosen to achieve hydrolysis of at least about 70% of the hemicellulose in the feedstock, and wherein the conditions in the second stage are chosen to achieve hydrolysis of at least about 40% of the cellulose in the feedstock.

18. A process according to claim 16, wherein the first and second stage hydrolysates are combined prior to introduction into the bioreactor.

19. A process according to claim 16, wherein the first and second stage hydrolysates are introduced as separate hydrolyzed feedstock streams into separate bioreactors, wherein the first stage hydrolysate is introduced into a first bioreactor and the second stage hydrolysate is introduced into a second bioreactor, wherein the first and second bioreactors comprise the same or different microorganism(s).

20. A process according to claim 19, wherein the first bioreactor comprises a first microorganism and the second bioreactor comprises a second microorganism, wherein the first and second microorganisms are different, and wherein the first microorganism is optimized for growth and/or desired product production on the first stage hydrolysate and the second microorganism is optimized for growth and/or desired product production on the second stage hydrolysate.

21. A process according to claim 16, wherein flash steam is generated in said first stage hydrolysis, and wherein said flash steam is used to deconstruct said feedstock prior to hydrolysis.

22. A process according to claim 16, wherein flash steam is generated in said second stage hydrolysis, and wherein said flash steam is used to deconstruct said feedstock prior to hydrolysis and/or to provide energy for said first stage hydrolysis.

23. A process according to claim 16, wherein flash steam is generated in said second stage hydrolysis, wherein said flash steam is recompressed, and wherein said recompressed steam is used to provide energy for said first stage hydrolysis and/or a downstream distillation process for product purification.

24. A process according to claim 16, wherein flash steam is generated in said second stage hydrolysis, wherein said flash steam is used to provide energy for a third stage hydrolysis, wherein the temperature of the third stage hydrolysis is lower than the temperature of the second stage hydrolysis, and wherein said lower temperature permits hydrolysis of remaining oligomeric sugar molecules with less degradation than hydrolysis performed at a higher temperature.

25. A process according to claim 16, wherein lignin is recovered in the solid phase residue of said second stage hydrolysis, wherein the lignin-containing residue is dried to a liquid content of about 35% or less and wherein the lignin-containing residue is used as an energy source for said process and/or for electricity generation.

26. A process according to claim 1, wherein the hydrolyzed feedstock is conditioned to remove inhibitors of microbial growth and/or bioproduct production prior to introduction of the hydrolyzed feedstock into the bioreactor.

27. A process according to claim 26, wherein removal of inhibitors comprises one or more process selected from overliming, adsorption, precipitation, and ion exchange.

28. A process according to claim 27, wherein removal of inhibitors is performed by contact of hydrolyzed feedstock with an ion exchange resin under conditions wherein the inhibitors are retained on the resin.

29. A process according to claim 27, wherein removal of inhibitors is performed by precipitation with an aluminum or iron salt.

30. A process according to claim 1, wherein the microorganism is a Clostridium strain.

31. A process according to claim 30, wherein the Clostridium strain is derived from a species selected from Clostridium saccharobutylicum, Clostridium saccharoperbutylacetonicum, Clostridium acetobutylicum, and Clostridium beijerinckii.

32. A process according to claim 30, wherein the Clostridium strain is an environmental isolate or is derived from an environmental isolate.

33. A process according to claim 1, wherein the support material on which the microorganism is immobilized is selected from bone char, polypropylene, steel, diatomaceous earth, zeolite, ceramic, engineered thermal plastic, clay brick, concrete, lava rock, wood chips, polyester fiber, glass beads, Teflon, polyetheretherketone, and polyethylene.

34. A process according to claim 1, wherein the immobilized microorganism comprises a biofilm.

35. A process according to claim 1, wherein the bioreactor is in the form of a packed bed, an expanded bed, or a fluidized bed.

36. A process according to claim 1, wherein the bioproduct comprises a biofuel selected from butanol, acetone, ethanol, or a combination thereof.

37. A process according to claim 36, wherein the biofuel comprises butanol.

38. A process according to claim 37, wherein the microorganism is a Clostridium strain.

39. A process according to claim 38, wherein the Clostridium strain possesses one or more phenotypic characteristics selected from butanol tolerance, tolerance to inhibitors of fermentation, low acid accumulation, stability in continuous fermentation, high butanol titer, production of biofuel with high butanol to acetone ratio, increased yield of butanol per unit of feedstock, increased yield of butanol per unit of cellular biomass, increased oxygen tolerance, increased ability to adhere to a solid support, and decreased ability to sporulate, relative to a wild-type or parent strain from which the Clostridium strain is derived, Clostridium saccharobutylicum B643, Clostridium saccharobutylicum P262, Clostridium saccharoperbutylacetonicum N1-4, Clostridium acetobutylicum 824, or Clostridium beijerinckii 8524 grown under identical conditions.

40. A process according to claim 1, further comprising recovery of the bioproduct from the fermentation medium.

41. A process according to claim 40, wherein the recovery process operates continuously for the duration of the fermentation.

42. A process according to claim 37, further comprising recovery of butanol from the fermentation medium, wherein said recovery comprises distillation to separate butanol from other components of the fermentation medium.

43. A process according to claim 42, wherein butyric acid is recovered in said distillation, and wherein said butyric acid is added to the fermentation medium in said bioreactor, wherein said microorganism converts said butyric acid to butanol.

44. A process according to claim 42, wherein flash steam is generated during hydrolysis of the feedstock and said flash steam provides energy for said distillation.

45. A system for production of a bioproduct, comprising a feedstock hydrolysis unit and a bioreactor, wherein a carbon-containing feedstock is hydrolyzed in said hydrolysis unit and the hydrolyzed feedstock is continuously fed to the bioreactor, wherein said bioreactor comprises a fermenting microorganism immobilized on a support, wherein said hydrolysis of the feedstock produces carbohydrate molecules that serve as a carbon source for said fermentation, and wherein the microorganism continuously converts the hydrolyzed feedstock into a bioproduct.

46. A system according to claim 45, wherein said feedstock hydrolysis unit and said bioreactor are in fluid communication, wherein said hydrolysis unit is upstream from said bioreactor, and wherein the feedstock is continuously hydrolyzed and continuously fed to the bioreactor for the duration of the fermentation.

47. A system according to claim 46, comprising multiple bioreactors arranged in parallel, wherein said multiple bioreactors are in fluid communication with said hydrolysis unit, wherein the hydrolyzed feedstock is fed continuously into said bioreactors, wherein the fermentation of the microorganism occurs continuously in said bioreactors, and wherein the multiple bioreactors comprise the same or different microorganism(s).

48. A system according to claim 46, comprising multiple bioreactors arranged in series, wherein the first bioreactor in the series is in fluid communication with the hydrolysis unit and with a downstream bioreactor, wherein each subsequent bioreactor in the series downstream from the first bioreactor is in fluid communication with the previous upstream bioreactor in the series, wherein the hydrolyzed feedstock is fed continuously into the first bioreactor in the series, and wherein effluent from each bioreactor is fed to the next bioreactor downstream in the series.

49. A system according to claim 45, wherein said feedstock is a cellulosic material.

50. A system according to claim 49, wherein said feedstock is a lignocellulosic material.

51. A system according to claim 50, wherein said lignocellulosic material comprises wood chips, sawdust, saw mill residue, or a combination thereof.

52. A system according to claim 51, wherein said lignocellulosic material is deconstructed prior to hydrolysis, wherein said deconstruction process comprises one or more process selected from presteaming, mechanical grinding, mechanical explosion, or a combination thereof.

53. A system according to claim 52, wherein said lignocellulosic material is pretreated to remove extractives, wherein said pretreatment comprises compression, water extraction, solvent extraction, alkaline extraction, enzymatic treatment, fungal treatment, oxygen treatment, or air drying, wherein said pretreatment occurs prior to or in conjunction with deconstruction.

54. A system according to claim 45, wherein said hydrolysis is performed by treatment with one or more acid.

55. A system according to claim 54, wherein said acid comprises nitric acid, formic acid, acetic acid, phosphoric acid, hydrochloric acid, or sulfuric acid.

56. A system according to claim 55, wherein said hydrolysis is performed with nitric acid.

57. A system according to claim 56, wherein said hydrolysis unit comprises a first hydrolysis module and a second hydrolysis module, wherein nitric acid hydrolysis comprises a first stage in the first hydrolysis module and a second stage in the second hydrolysis module, and wherein the temperature of the nitric acid in the first hydrolysis module is higher than the temperature of the nitric acid in the second hydrolysis module.

58. A system according to claim 57, wherein the hydrolysis product streams from the first and second hydrolysis modules are combined prior to introduction into the bioreactor.

59. A system according to claim 57, wherein the hydrolysis product streams from the first and second hydrolysis modules are introduced as separate hydrolyzed feedstock streams into separate bioreactors, wherein the first stage hydrolysate is introduced into a first bioreactor and the second stage hydrolysate is introduced into a second bioreactor, wherein the first and second bioreactors comprise the same or different microorganism(s).

60. A system according to claim 59, wherein the first bioreactor comprises a first microorganism and the second bioreactor comprises a second microorganism, wherein the first and second microorganisms are different, and wherein the first microorganism is optimized for growth and/or bioproduct production on the first stage hydrolysate and the second microorganism is optimized for growth and/or bioproduct production on the second stage hydrolysate.

61. A system according to claim 57, wherein flash steam is generated in said first stage hydrolysis, and wherein said flash steam provided to the feedstock for deconstruction of said feedstock prior to hydrolysis.

62. A system according to claim 57, wherein flash steam is generated in said second stage hydrolysis, and wherein said flash steam is provided to the feedstock for deconstruction of said feedstock prior to hydrolysis and/or to said first hydrolysis module to provide energy for said first stage hydrolysis.

63. A system according to claim 57, wherein flash steam is generated in said second stage hydrolysis, wherein said flash steam is recompressed, and wherein said recompressed steam is provided to said first hydrolysis module to provide energy for said first stage hydrolysis and/or a downstream distillation process for product purification.

64. A system according to claim 57, wherein flash steam is generated in said second stage hydrolysis, wherein said flash steam is provided to a third hydrolysis module to provide energy for a third stage hydrolysis, wherein the temperature in the third hydrolysis module is lower than the temperature in the second hydrolysis module, and wherein said lower temperature permits hydrolysis of remaining oligomeric sugar molecules with less degradation than hydrolysis performed at a higher temperature.

65. A system according to claim 57, wherein lignin is recovered in the solid phase residue of said second stage hydrolysis, wherein the lignin-containing residue is dried to a liquid content of about 35% or less and wherein the lignin-containing residue is used as an energy source for said process and/or for electricity generation.

66. A system according to claim 57, further comprising a conditioning unit, wherein said conditioning unit is in fluid communication with both the hydrolysis unit and the bioreactor, wherein said conditioning unit is downstream from the hydrolysis unit and upstream from the bioreactor, wherein hydrolyzed feedstock is conditioned in the conditioning unit to remove inhibitors of microbial growth and/or bioproduct production prior to introduction of the hydrolyzed feedstock into the bioreactor.

67. A system according to claim 66, wherein the hydrolysis and conditioning processes occur continuously for the duration of the fermentation.

68. A system according to claim 66, wherein removal of inhibitors comprises one or more process(as) selected from overliming, adsorption, and ion exchange.

69. A system according to claim 68, wherein said conditioning unit comprises an ion exchange resin, wherein removal of inhibitors is performed by contact of hydrolyzed feedstock with the ion exchange resin under conditions wherein the inhibitors are retained on the resin.

70. A system according to claim 68, wherein removal of inhibitors is performed by precipitation with an aluminum or iron salt.

71. A system according to claim 45, wherein the fermentation is conducted under anaerobic conditions.

72. A system according to claim 71, wherein the microorganism is a Clostridium strain.

73. A system according to claim 45, wherein the support on which the microorganism is immobilized on a support material selected from bone char, polypropylene, steel, diatomaceous earth, zeolite, ceramic, engineered thermal plastic, clay brick, concrete, lava rock, wood chips, polyester fiber, glass beads, Teflon, polyetheretherketone, and polyethylene.

74. A system according to claim 45, wherein the immobilized microorganism comprises a biofilm.

75. A system according to claim 45, wherein the bioreactor comprises a packed bed, an expanded bed, or a fluidized bed.

76. A system according to claim 45, wherein the bioproduct comprises a biofuel selected from butanol, acetone, ethanol, or a combination thereof.

77. A system according to claim 76, wherein the biofuel comprises butanol.

78. A system according to claim 45, further comprising a recovery unit for recovery of the bioproduct from the fermentation medium.

79. A system according to claim 78, wherein the recovery unit is in fluid communication with and downstream from the bioreactor, wherein the recovery process operates continuously for the duration of the fermentation.

80. A system according to claim 78, wherein the recovery unit comprises a concentration module for concentration of the bioproduct.

81. A system according to claim 80, wherein the recovery unit comprises a distillation module to separate the bioproduct from other components of the fermentation medium, wherein the distillation module is in fluid communication with and downstream from the concentration module.

82. A system according to claim 77, further comprising a recovery unit for recovery of butanol from the fermentation medium, wherein said recovery comprises distillation to separate the butanol from other components of the fermentation medium.

83. A system according to claim 82, wherein butyric acid is recovered in said distillation, and wherein said butyric acid is added to the fermentation medium in said bioreactor, wherein said microorganism converts said butyric acid to butanol.

84. A system according to claim 82, wherein flash steam is generated during hydrolysis of the feedstock and said flash steam provides energy for said distillation.

85. A system according to claim 45, wherein the bioreactor operates under pressure to compress gas in the bioreactor.