Methods and Systems for the Production of Hydrocarbon Products

• US 20130210096A1
• Filed: 10/21/2011
• Published: 08/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lanzatech NZ Incorporated (LanzaTech Global, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: LanzaTech New Zealand Ltd. (LanzaTech Global, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schultz, Michael Anthony, Obern, James, Simpson, Sean Dennis
• Granted Patent: US 8,809,015 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/135
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0233 the reforming step being a steam reforming step
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0283 containing a CO-shift step, i.e. a water gas shift step
• 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 2203/06 Integration with other chemical processes
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/061 Methanol production
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/1058 Nickel catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/38 using catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 11/18 according to the "fluidised-bed" technique
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/1011 Biomass
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/708 Coking aspect, coke content and composition of deposits
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 9/36 with heated gases or vapours
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0943 Coke
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1681 with biological plants, e.g. involving bacteria, algae, fungi
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1846 Partial oxidation, i.e. injection of air or oxygen only
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 3/026 Increasing the carbon monoxide content, e.g. reverse water-gas shift [RWGS]
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 21/04 for producing gas, e.g. biogas digesters for manure with production of biogas A01C3/028, biological treatment of water, waste water or sewage C02F3/00, C02F11/02, preparation of natural gas or syngas C10L3/06, C10L3/10
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 43/00 Combinations of bioreactors or fermenters with other apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 5/02 acyclic C12P5/007 takes precedence
• 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 7/18 : polyhydric
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/54 : Acetic acid vinegar C12J
• 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 20/00 : Technologies relating to chemical industry
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/129 : Energy recovery, e.g. by cogeneration, H2recovery or pressure recovery turbines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 30/20 : using bio-feedstock

Abstract

Methods and systems for the production of hydrocarbon products, including providing a substrate comprising CO to a bioreactor containing a culture of one or more micro-organisms; and fermenting the culture in the bioreactor to produce one or more hydrocarbon products. The substrate comprising CO is derived from an industrial process selected from the group comprising steam reforming processes, refinery processes, steam cracking processes, and reverse water gas shift processes.

Claims

1. A method of producing at least one hydrocarbon product, the method comprising;

a) providing a substrate comprising CO to a bioreactor containing a culture of one or more micro-organisms; and

b) fermenting the culture in the bioreactor to produce one or more hydrocarbon products,

wherein the substrate of step (a) is derived from an industrial process selected from the group consisting of steam reforming processes;

a refinery process selected from the group consisting of fluid catalytic cracking (FCC), continuous catalytic regeneration reforming (CCR), gasification of a refinery feedstock, and coke combustion;

steam cracking processes; and

reverse water gas shift processes.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the industrial process is a steam reforming process.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the industrial process is a steam cracking process.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the industrial process is a reverse water gas shift process.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein the steam reforming process comprises at least one of;

a) a steam reforming step; and

b) a water gas shift step.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the substrate comprising CO is received directly from the steam reforming step.

8. The method of claim 2 wherein the substrate further comprises hydrogen.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the steam reforming process further comprises a pressure swing adsorption module.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said pressure swing adsorption (PSA) module is configured to recover hydrogen from a gas stream received from the steam reforming step and/or the water gas shift step.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the PSA module is configured to receive a gas stream exiting the bioreactor, and wherein the PSA module recovers hydrogen from the gas stream exiting the bioreactor.

15. The method of claim 4-further comprising providing one or more by-products or un-reacted feedstock components of the steam cracking process to the bioreactor for fermentation.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the one or more by-products or un-reacted feedstock components is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, carbon dioxide, methane, and mixtures thereof.

17. The method of claim 5 wherein a gaseous stream comprising H₂ and CO₂ is converted to a gaseous substrate comprising CO by the reverse water gas shift process.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising the steps of;

a) providing a gas stream exiting the bioreactor to the reverse water gas shift reactor;

b) reacting the gas stream of step (a) to provide a gaseous substrate comprising CO; and

c) passing the gaseous substrate of step (b) back to the bioreactor for fermentation.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein the hydrocarbon is selected from the group comprising acetate, ethanol, propanol, butanol, 2,3-butanediol, butyrate, propionate, caproate, propylene, butadiene, isobutylene, ethylene, and mixtures thereof.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein the hydrocarbon produced is a component of gasoline, or a component of jet fuel.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more microorganisms is a carboxydotrophic bacterium.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the carboxydotrophic bacterium is selected from the group consisting of Moorella, Clostridium, Ruminococcus, Acetobacterium, Eubacterium, Butyribacterium, Oxobacter, Methanosarcina, Methanosarcina, Desulfotomaculum, and mixtures thereof.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the carboxydotrophic bacterium is Clostridium autoethanogenum.

34. The method of claim 1, further comprising a pressure swing adsorption (PSA) module, configured to receive a gas stream exiting the bioreactor.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein the PSA module recovers hydrogen from the gas stream exiting the bioreactor.

3. (canceled)

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20. (canceled)

26-33. -33. (canceled)