Apparatus and process for fermentation of biomass hydrolysate

• US 9,523,103 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2015
• Issued: 12/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GeoSynfuels, LLC
• Original Assignee: GeoSynfuels, LLC
• Inventors: Beckler Andersen, Lisa, Evans, John H. IV, Singer, Christine A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yamasaki, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): CONSTANTINE, CHARLES Z
• Application Number:
  US14/717,824
• Publication Number:
  US 20150252387A1
• Time in Patent Office: 580 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 11/10 the carrier being a carbohydrate
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/06 Ethanol, i.e. non-beverage
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/065 with microorganisms other than yeasts
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/10 substrate containing cellulosic material
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/14 Multiple stages of fermentation; Multiple types of microorganisms or re-use of microorganisms
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/10 Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel

Abstract

A process for converting biomass hydrolysate into biofuel, the process comprising the steps of: obtaining a biomass hydrolysate solution comprising monosaccharides; immobilizing Pachysolen tannophilus; contacting the solution with the immobilized Pachysolen tannophilus; and recovering a fermented biofuel.

Claims

1. A process for converting biomass hydrolysate into biofuel, the process comprising the steps of:

a. contacting a biomass hydrolysate solution comprising monosaccharides with an immobilized fermentative microbe strain immobilized in calcium alginate for a sufficient reaction time to convert monosaccharides in the biomass hydrolysate to biofuel;

b. recovering biofuel from the fermented hydrolysate;

c. recovering the calcium alginate;

d. regenerating sodium alginate from the calcium alginate to obtain recycled sodium alginate; and

e. immobilizing additional fermentative microbes using the recycled sodium alginate.