SUPPLYING TREATED EXHAUST GASES FOR EFFECTING GROWTH OF PHOTOTROPHIC BIOMASS

• US 20120276633A1
• Filed: 04/27/2011
• Published: 11/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Pond Biofuels, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Pond Biofuels, Inc.
• Inventors: Gonzalez, Jaime A., Martin, Steven C., Kolesnik, Max
• Application Number:
  US13/095,490
• Publication Number:
  US 20120276633A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/420
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 33/00 Cultivation of seaweed or algae
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 14/472 Complement proteins, e.g. anaphylatoxin, C3a, C5a
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 21/02 Photobioreactors culturing algae A01G33/00, A01H4/001, C12N1/12
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 41/34 of gas
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 43/04 Bioreactors or fermenters combined with combustion devices or plants, e.g. for carbon dioxide removal C12M43/06 takes precedence; recovery of carbon dioxide C12F3/02
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 1/12 Unicellular algae; Culture media therefor as new plants A01H13/00
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 5/04 Plant cells or tissues culture media C12N5/0025
• CPC Class Codes: Y02C 20/40 of CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/59 Biological synthesis; Biological purification

Abstract

There is provided a process for growing a phototrophic biomass in a reaction zone. The process includes treating an operative carbon dioxide supply-comprising gaseous material feed so as to effect production of a carbon dioxide-rich product material. The carbon dioxide concentration of the carbon dioxide-rich product material is greater than the carbon dioxide concentration of the operative carbon dioxide supply-comprising gaseous material feed. Production of at least a fraction of the operative carbon dioxide supply-comprising gaseous material feed is effected by a gaseous exhaust material producing process. At least a fraction of the carbon dioxide-rich product material is supplied to the reaction zone so as to effect growth of the phototrophic biomass by photosynthesis in the reaction zone.

Claims

1. A process for growing a phototrophic biomass in a reaction zone comprising:

treating an operative carbon dioxide supply-comprising gaseous material feed so as to effect production of a carbon dioxide-rich product material wherein the carbon dioxide concentration of the carbon dioxide-rich product material is greater than the carbon dioxide concentration of the operative carbon dioxide supply-comprising gaseous material feed, wherein production of at least a fraction of the operative carbon dioxide supply-comprising gaseous material feed is effected by a gaseous exhaust material producing process; and

supplying at least a fraction of the carbon dioxide-rich product material to the reaction zone so as to effect growth of the phototrophic biomass by photosynthesis in the reaction zone.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein the treating of the operative carbon dioxide supply-comprising gaseous material feed includes effecting separation, from a separation process feed material, of a carbon dioxide-rich separation fraction;

wherein the separation process feed material is defined by at least a fraction of the operative carbon dioxide supply-comprising gaseous material feed; and

wherein the carbon dioxide-rich product material includes the carbon dioxide-rich separation fraction.

3. The process of claim 2, wherein the ratio of [moles of carbon dioxide within the carbon dioxide-rich separation fraction] to [moles of the one or more other materials of the separation process feed material within the carbon dioxide-rich separation fraction] is greater than the ratio of [moles of carbon dioxide within the separation process feed material] to [moles of the one or more other materials of the separation process feed material within the separation process feed material].

4. The process of claim 3, wherein the effecting separation, from a separation process feed material, of a carbon dioxide-rich separation fraction, includes:

effecting dissolution of at least a fraction of the carbon dioxide of the separation process feed material so as to effect production of a carbon dioxide-comprising liquid solution product including dissolved carbon dioxide;

effecting release of a gaseous carbon dioxide-rich intermediate from a carbon dioxide-comprising liquid solution product feed such that a carbon dioxide-comprising mixture is provided including the gaseous carbon dioxide-rich intermediate, wherein the carbon dioxide-comprising liquid solution feed includes at least a fraction of the carbon dioxide-comprising liquid solution product, wherein the gaseous carbon dioxide-rich intermediate includes at least a fraction of the dissolved carbon dioxide of the carbon dioxide-comprising liquid solution product; and

separating a gaseous carbon dioxide-rich recovery product from the gaseous carbon dioxide-rich intermediate, wherein the carbon dioxide separation fraction includes at least a fraction of the gaseous carbon dioxide-rich recovery product.

5. The process of claim 4, wherein the effecting release of a gaseous carbon dioxide-rich intermediate from the carbon dioxide-comprising liquid solution feed includes effecting release of at least a fraction of the dissolved carbon dioxide from the carbon dioxide-comprising liquid solution feed.

6. The process of claim 5, wherein the effecting release of at least a fraction of the dissolved carbon dioxide from the carbon dioxide-comprising liquid solution feed includes effecting an increase in temperature of the carbon dioxide-comprising liquid solution feed.

7. The process of claim 4, wherein the effecting dissolution includes effecting dissolution by contacting the separation process feed material with an operative dissolution agent within a contacting zone.

8. The process of claim 7, wherein the one or more other materials of the separation process feed material includes at least one relatively less soluble material, wherein, relative to carbon dioxide, each one of the at least one relatively less soluble material is less soluble within the operative dissolution agent, when the operative dissolution agent is disposed within the contacting zone.

9. The process of claim 8, wherein the at least one relatively less soluble material includes at least one of N₂, O₂, and CO.

10. The process of claim 8, wherein the contacting effects production of an intermediate operative carbon dioxide supply-comprising mixture including a carbon dioxide-comprising solution intermediate, wherein the carbon dioxide-comprising solution intermediate includes dissolved carbon dioxide.

11. The process of claim 10, further comprising effecting separation of the carbon dioxide-comprising liquid solution product from the intermediate operative carbon dioxide supply-comprising mixture, wherein the carbon dioxide-comprising liquid solution product includes at least a fraction of the carbon dioxide-comprising solution intermediate.

12. The process of claim 11, wherein the effecting separation of the carbon dioxide-comprising liquid solution product from the intermediate operative carbon dioxide supply-comprising mixture includes separation effected by gravity separation.

13. The process of claim 11, wherein each one of (i) the dissolution of at least a fraction of the carbon dioxide of the separation process feed material, and (ii) the separation of the carbon dioxide-comprising liquid solution product from the intermediate operative carbon dioxide supply-comprising mixture, is effected in a contacting zone.

14. The process of claim 13, wherein the carbon dioxide-comprising liquid solution feed is supplied to a carbon dioxide recovery zone to effect the release of a gaseous carbon dioxide-rich intermediate from the carbon dioxide-comprising liquid solution feed within the carbon dioxide recovery zone;

and

wherein the temperature of the contacting zone is lower than the temperature of the carbon dioxide recovery zone.

15. The process of claim 14, wherein at least a fraction of the operative dissolution agent is supplied to the contacting zone in the form of a mist.

16. The process of claim 1, wherein the concentration of carbon dioxide within the separation process feed material is at least two volume % based on the total volume of the separation process feed material.

17. The process of claim 4, wherein at least a fraction of the carbon dioxide-rich separation fraction is flowed through an eductor prior to being supplied to the reaction zone.

18. The process of claim 4, wherein at least a fraction of the carbon dioxide-rich separation fraction is supplied to the reaction zone with a prime mover.

19. The process of claim 1, wherein at least a fraction of the fraction of the carbon dioxide-rich product material being supplied to the reaction zone is flowed through an eductor prior to being supplied to the reaction zone.

20. The process of claim 4, wherein the separation process feed material further includes at least one of SO_X, NO_X, and NH₃.

21. The process of claim 20, wherein the at least one of SO_X, NO_X, and NH₃ is supplied by the gaseous exhaust material.