Chemoautotrophic conversion of carbon oxides in industrial waste to biomass and chemical products

• US 9,206,451 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2012
• Issued: 12/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oakbio, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Oakbio, Inc.
• Inventors: Sefton, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Hobbs, Michael
• Application Number:
  US13/610,844
• Publication Number:
  US 20130065285A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,183 Days
• Field of Search: 435/135, 435/266, 435/286.6, 435/289.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/102 Oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/202 Hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/504 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2258/0233 from cement factories
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/62 Carbon oxides
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/85 with gas-solid contact
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 29/06 Nozzles; Sprayers; Spargers; Diffusers per se B01F23/231, B01J19/26
• 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: C12P 23/00 Preparation of compounds containing a cyclohexene ring having an unsaturated side chain containing at least ten carbon atoms bound by conjugated double bonds, e.g. carotenes containing heterorings C12P17/00
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/18 polyhydric
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/62 Carboxylic acid esters
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/625 Polyesters of hydroxy carboxylic acids
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/64 Fats; Fatty oils; Ester-type waxes; Higher fatty acids, i.e. having at least seven carbon atoms in an unbroken chain bound to a carboxyl group; Oxidised oils or fats
• 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: Y02C 20/40 of CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/10 Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/151 Reduction of greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions, e.g. CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/59 Biological synthesis; Biological purification

Abstract

Systems and methods for employing chemoautotrophic micro-organisms to capture carbon from industrial waste are provided. An exemplary system comprises an industrial source, such as a cement plant, and a bioreactor including the micro-organisms. The bioreactor is fed the waste stream from the source, which provides carbon to the micro-organisms, and is also fed hydrogen, from which the micro-organisms derive their energy. Additional or alternative carbon can be provided from a gasifier fed an organic feedstock. The carbon provided to the micro-organisms is converted into chemical products which can be recovered from the bioreactor. Hydrogen can be produced by electrolysis using electricity generated by a renewable energy source.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a cement manufacturing facility including a cement kiln and an exhaust gas system configured to capture the exhaust gas from the cement kiln;

a bioreactor system including a bioreactor in fluid communication with the exhaust gas system and configured to produce a chemical product from a carbon oxide in a first gaseous stream from the exhaust gas system, the first gaseous stream including the exhaust gas from the cement kiln;

a gas mixing unit in fluid communication between the exhaust gas system and the bioreactor; and

an electrolysis system configured to produce a molecular hydrogen stream, wherein the gas mixing unit is configured to receive the molecular hydrogen stream, wherein the electrolysis system is configured to produce a molecular oxygen stream, and wherein the gas mixing unit is configured to receive the molecular oxygen stream independent from the molecular hydrogen stream.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising

a gasifier configured to generate a second gaseous stream, and

a reformer configured to receive the second gaseous stream and to produce a third gaseous stream, wherein the bioreactor is in fluid communication with the reformer to receive the third gaseous stream.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the reformer is further configured to receive at least some of the first gaseous stream from the cement manufacturing facility such that a fluid communication path between the bioreactor and the exhaust gas system includes the reformer.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the reformer comprises a steam reformer.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the bioreactor system includes a separation system configured to receive a liquid medium directly from the bioreactor and to separate the chemical product from the received liquid medium.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising a controller configured to monitor a condition in the bioreactor and further configured to regulate the flow of gases into the gas mixing unit responsive to the condition.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising a storage system in fluid communication with the gas mixing unit, the storage system being configured to provide a backup supply of the carbon oxide to the gas mixing unit.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the electrolysis system is disposed within the bioreactor.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the cement manufacturing facility further includes a motor and the exhaust gas system is further configured to capture the exhaust gas from the motor.

10. The system of claim 1 further comprising a controller configured to regulate the flow of the molecular hydrogen stream and the flow of the exhaust gas into the gas mixing unit.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the gas mixing unit is further configured to receive air through an input that is separate from inputs for the molecular hydrogen stream and for the flow of exhaust gas, and wherein the controller is further configured to regulate the flow of air into the gas mixing unit while admitting the molecular hydrogen stream into the gas mixing unit.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the cement manufacturing facility further includes a motor and the gas mixing unit is further configured to receive exhaust gas from the motor independently from the exhaust gas from the cement kiln and configured to mix the exhaust gas from the motor with the exhaust gas from the cement kiln to a desired proportion.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the gas mixing unit is further configured to receive molecular hydrogen independently from the exhaust gas from the cement kiln and the exhaust gas from the motor and configured to mix the molecular hydrogen with the exhaust gas from the motor and with the exhaust gas from the cement kiln to a desired proportion.

14. A system comprising:

a cement manufacturing facility including a cement kiln and an exhaust gas system configured to capture the exhaust gas from the cement kiln;

a bioreactor system including a bioreactor in fluid communication with the exhaust gas system and configured to produce a chemical product from a carbon oxide in a first gaseous stream from the exhaust gas system, the first gaseous stream including the exhaust gas from the cement kiln;

a gas mixing unit in fluid communication between the exhaust gas system and the bioreactor, the gas mixing unit being further configured to receive air through an input that is separate from inputs for the molecular hydrogen stream and for the flow of exhaust gas;

an electrolysis system configured to produce a molecular hydrogen stream, and wherein the gas mixing unit is configured to receive the molecular hydrogen stream; and

a controller configured to regulate the flow of the molecular hydrogen stream and the flow of the exhaust gas into the gas mixing unit, wherein the controller is further configured to regulate the flow of air into the gas mixing unit while admitting the molecular hydrogen stream into the gas mixing unit.

15. The system of claim 14 further comprising

a gasifier configured to generate a second gaseous stream, and

a reformer configured to receive the second gaseous stream and to produce a third gaseous stream, wherein the bioreactor is in fluid communication with the reformer to receive the third gaseous stream.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the reformer is further configured to receive at least some of the first gaseous stream from the cement manufacturing facility such that a fluid communication path between the bioreactor and the exhaust gas system includes the reformer.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the reformer comprises a steam reformer.

18. The system of claim 14 wherein the bioreactor system includes a separation system configured to receive a liquid medium directly from the bioreactor and to separate the chemical product from the received liquid medium.

19. The system of claim 14 wherein the controller is further configured to monitor a condition in the bioreactor and further configured to regulate the flow of gases into the gas mixing unit responsive to the condition.

20. The system of claim 14 further comprising a storage system in fluid communication with the gas mixing unit, the storage system being configured to provide a backup supply of the carbon oxide to the gas mixing unit.

21. The system of claim 14 wherein the electrolysis system is disposed within the bioreactor.

22. The system of claim 14 wherein the cement manufacturing facility further includes a motor and the exhaust gas system is further configured to capture the exhaust gas from the motor.

23. The system of claim 14 wherein the cement manufacturing facility further includes a motor and the gas mixing unit is further configured to receive exhaust gas from the motor independently from the exhaust gas from the cement kiln and configured to mix the exhaust gas from the motor with the exhaust gas from the cement kiln to a desired proportion.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the gas mixing unit is further configured to receive molecular hydrogen independently from the exhaust gas from the cement kiln and the exhaust gas from the motor and configured to mix the molecular hydrogen with the exhaust gas from the motor and with the exhaust gas from the cement kiln to a desired proportion.