Methods for control, measurement and enhancement of target molecule production in bioelectric reactors

• US 9,096,847 B1
• Filed: 02/24/2011
• Issued: 08/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oakbio, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Oakbio, Inc.
• Inventors: Sefton, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Taeyoon
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gough, Tiffany
• Application Number:
  US13/034,596
• Time in Patent Office: 1,622 Days
• Field of Search: 429/2, 435/41
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 35/02 Electrical or electromagnetic means, e.g. for electroporation or for cell fusion
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 1/20 Bacteria; Culture media therefor
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 13/00 Treatment of microorganisms or enzymes with electrical or wave energy, e.g. magnetism, sonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 5/02 acyclic C12P5/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 7/00 Preparation of oxygen-containing organic compounds
• 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

Abstract

Bioreactors comprising an electrical stimulation system supply a pulsed and/or modulated electrical input to microbes that use the electrical stimulation and available CO₂ to produce valuable organic compounds. Electrical power, such as from renewable sources remotely located with respect to the power grid, can be converted to chemical energy in the form of the organic compounds, which can be stored and/or transported readily.

Claims

1. A method of creating an organic compound comprising:

providing a vessel comprising electrodes disposed within an aqueous solution including a population of electro-autotrophic microbes, the vessel further comprising a controller in electrical communication between the two electrodes and configured to receive power from a power supply and to apply a pulsed or modulated current between the electrodes;

introducing carbon dioxide into the vessel; and

applying a pulsed or modulated current between the electrodes, wherein the electro-autotrophic microbes fix carbon from the carbon dioxide introduced into the vessel to produce the organic compound in response to the pulsed or modulated current.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the bioreactor includes providing a mediator in the aqueous solution.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein introducing carbon dioxide into the vessel comprises receiving waste gas from an industrial process.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the applied current is an alternating current.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising measuring a system parameter of the bioreactor and using the measurement to control the pulsing or modulation of the applied current.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the system parameter comprises a concentration of the organic compound.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the system parameter comprises a state of the microbes.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising recovering the organic compound.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein introducing carbon dioxide into the vessel comprises receiving syngas.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein introducing carbon dioxide into the vessel comprises receiving a gas mixture comprising carbon dioxide and either hydrogen or methane.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the recovered organic compound is other than the population of electro-autotrophic microbes.