Carbon capture in fermentation

• US 8,507,228 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2010
• Issued: 08/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lanzatech NZ Incorporated (LanzaTech Global, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: LanzaTech New Zealand Ltd. (LanzaTech Global, Inc.)
• Inventors: Simpson, Sean Dennis, Collet, Christophe, Forster, Richard Llewellyn Sydney, Cockrem, Michael Charles Milner, Oakley, Simon David, Kopke, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Ware, Debbie K
• Application Number:
  US12/821,468
• Publication Number:
  US 20100323417A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,147 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 435/132
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0233 the reforming step being a steam reforming step
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0255 containing a non-catalytic partial oxidation step
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0261 containing a catalytic partial oxidation step [CPO]
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0405 Purification by membrane separation
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0415 Purification by absorption in liquids
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/043 Regenerative adsorption process in two or more beds, one for adsorption, the other for regeneration
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0475 the impurity being carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/06 Integration with other chemical processes
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/1058 Nickel catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/86 Carbon dioxide sequestration
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/38 using catalysts
• 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 29/26 Conditioning fluids entering or exiting the reaction vessel
• 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 1/20 Bacteria; Culture media therefor
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 1/205 Bacterial isolates
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 1/04 by using bacteria
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 3/00 Preparation of elements or inorganic compounds except carbon dioxide recovery of carbon dioxides as by-products C12F3/02
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/00 Preparation of oxygen-containing organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/065 : with microorganisms other than yeasts
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/08 : produced as by-product or from waste or cellulosic material substrate
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/28 : Acetone-containing products
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/54 : Acetic acid vinegar C12J
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/62 : Carboxylic acid esters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/20 : Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/10 : Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/30 : Fuel from waste, e.g. synthetic alcohol or diesel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 30/00 : Technologies relating to oil refining and petrochemical industry
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 10/37 : using solar energy

Abstract

The invention relates to methods of capturing carbon by microbial fermentation of a gaseous substrate comprising CO. The methods of the invention include converting CO to one or more products including alcohols and/or acids and optionally capturing CO2 to improve overall carbon capture. In certain aspects, the invention relates to processes for producing alcohols, particularly ethanol, from industrial waste streams, particularly steel mill off-gas.

Claims

1. A method of producing one or more products by microbial fermentation of a steel manufacturing process waste gas stream, the method comprising:

i. receiving off or waste gas stream(s) comprising CO from a steel manufacturing process;

ii. passing the gas stream(s) to a bioreactor containing a culture of one or more microorganisms; and

iii. fermenting the culture in the bioreactor to produce one or more fermentation products, said fermentation products including alcohols and/or acids.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the gas stream(s) comprises 20-70% CO and less than 10% H₂.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the fermentation products comprise ethanol and/or acetate.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more microorganisms are selected from the group consisting of Clostridium, Moorella and Carboxydothermus.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the one or more microorganisms are selected from the group consisting of Clostridium autoethanogenum, Clostridium ljungdahli, Clostridium ragsdalei, Clostridium drakei, Clostridium carboxydivorans and Clostridium scatologenes.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the gas stream(s) comprises H₂ at a concentration of less than 5%.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the gas stream(s) comprises H₂ at a concentration of less than 3%.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the gas stream(s) comprises H₂ at a concentration of less than 1%.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the steel manufacturing process comprises a steel decarburization process.