METHOD

• US 20140020283A1
• Filed: 06/17/2011
• Published: 01/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bergen Teknologioverforing As
• Original Assignee: Bergen Teknologioverforing As
• Inventors: Troedsson, Christofer, Thompson, Eric, Schander, Christoffer, Bouquet, Jean-Marie, Magnesen, Thorolf, Li, Jiebing
• Granted Patent: US 10,226,032 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 44/307
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 61/00 Culture of aquatic animals receptacles for live fish, e.g. aquaria, A01K63/00
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 61/10 of fish
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 61/54 of bivalves, e.g. oysters or mussels
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 29/095 of esters of organic acids
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 29/147 of carboxylic acids or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/02 essentially based on components consisting of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen only
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/026 for compression ignition
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/10 substrate containing cellulosic material
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/649 Biodiesel, i.e. fatty acid alkyl esters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/81 Aquaculture, e.g. of fish
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/10 Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 30/20 using bio-feedstock

Abstract

This invention relates to the use of a tunicate or an extract obtained from a tunicate for the production of one or more biofuel selected from an alcohol and biodiesel. The invention also relates to a method for producing a biofuel from a tunicate wherein the biofuel is selected from an alcohol and biodiesel and wherein said method comprises the steps of: (a)(i) subjecting said tunicate or one or more polysaccharides extracted from said tunicate to enzymatic or acid hydrolysis to form a hydrolysate containing one or more monosaccharides and (ii) fermenting said one or more monosaccharides to form an alcohol; or (b)(i) extracting lipids/fatty acids from said tunicate and (ii) converting said lipids/fatty acids into biodiesel by transesterification or alcoholysis or (iii) subjecting said tunicate to transesterification or alcoholysis thereby converting lipids/fatty acids present in said tunicate into biodiesel.

Claims

1. A method for producing a biofuel from a tunicate or an extract obtained from a tunicate, wherein the biofuel is one or more biofuels selected from an alcohol and biodiesel.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said one or more biofuels is selected from a C₁-C₄ alcohol and a fatty acid alkyl ester.

3. A method according to claim 1 which comprises the use of cellulose obtained from a tunicate for the production of ethanol.

4. A method according to claim 1 which comprises the use of lipids/fatty acids obtained from a tunicate for the production of biodiesel.

5. A method according to claim 1 which comprises the use of cellulose and lipids/fatty acids obtained from a tunicate for the production of ethanol and biodiesel, respectively.

6. A method according to claim 1 for producing a biofuel from a tunicate wherein the biofuel is selected from an alcohol and biodiesel and wherein said method comprises the steps of:

(a) (i) subjecting said tunicate or one or more polysaccharides extracted from said tunicate to enzymatic or acid hydrolysis to form a hydrolysate containing one or more monosaccharides and (ii) fermenting said one or more monosaccharides to form an alcohol;

or

(b) (i) extracting lipids/fatty acids from said tunicate and (ii) converting said lipids/fatty acids into biodiesel by transesterification or alcoholysis, or (iii) subjecting said tunicate to transesterification or alcoholysis thereby converting lipids/fatty acids present in said tunicate into biodiesel.

28. A method for producing a biofuel from an ascidian as claimed in claim 6 comprising a method of farming said ascidian.

7. (canceled)

8. (canceled)

9. (canceled)

10. (canceled)

11. (canceled)

12. (canceled)

13. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

15. (canceled)

16. (canceled)

17. (canceled)

18. A method for farming ascidians comprising the steps of:

(a) colonising surfaces of a sub-sea structure with ascidians; and

(b) harvesting said ascidians from said structure,

wherein said structure comprises a plurality of elongate members having colonisation surfaces and said structure defines a three-dimensional sub-sea region arranged to support tunicate colonisation.

19. A method for farming ascidians according to claim 18 wherein the plurality of elongate members comprises at least one elongate support member and a plurality of colonisation members, wherein each colonisation member is coupled to said support member and comprises at least one substantially smooth and uninterrupted colonisation surface.

20. A method of farming ascidians according to claim 19 wherein the at least one colonisation surface is planar and/or horizontal.

22. A method of farming ascidians according to claim 19 wherein the colonisation members are cylinders.

23. A method according to claim 18 wherein the plurality of elongate members comprises at least one elongate member which supports a plurality of generally radially extending colonisation surfaces or members.

24. A method according to claim 23 wherein the generally radially extending colonisation surfaces or members are disc or rectangular-shaped, or cylinder-shaped.

26. A method according to claim 18 wherein the colonisation surfaces or members are dark in colour.

27. A method according to claim 18 wherein at least one colonisation surface is perforated or formed of a mesh.

29. A method according to claim 18 wherein the ascidian is Ciona intestinalis.

21. (canceled)

25. (canceled)

30. A tunicate colonisation apparatus comprising at least one elongate support member and a plurality of colonisation members, wherein each colonisation member is coupled to said support member and comprises at least one substantially smooth and uninterrupted colonisation surface.

31. An apparatus as claimed in claim 30, wherein at least one of the colonisation surfaces is planar.

32. An apparatus as claimed in claim 30 wherein the colonisation members are in the form of cylinders.

33. An apparatus as claimed in claim 30 wherein at least one colonisation surface is perforated or formed of a mesh.

34. (canceled)

35. (canceled)

36. (canceled)

37. (canceled)

38. (canceled)

39. (canceled)