Bioreactors for synthesis gas fermentations

Klasson, K. Thomas; Ackerson, M.D.; Clausen, Edgar C.; Gaddy, J.L.

doi:10.1016/0921-3449(91)90022-g

Cited by 30 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…Consequently, two‐stage CSTR schemes have been used, in which cells are grown in the first stage and then used for product formation in the second. For C. ljungdahlii , a two‐reactor system (39) gave a 30‐fold increase in specific ethanol productivity over a single reactor (29).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reactor Design Issues for Synthesis‐Gas Fermentations

Bredwell

Srivastava

Worden³

1999

Biotechnology Progress

237

168

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Synthesis gas is readily obtained by gasifying coal, oil, biomass, or waste organics and represents an abundant, potentially inexpensive, feedstock for bioprocessing. The primary components of synthesis gas, carbon monoxide and hydrogen, can be converted into methane, organic acids, and alcohols via anaerobic fermentations. Bioconversion of synthesis gas is an attractive alternative to catalytic processing because the biological catalysts are highly specific and often more tolerant of sulfur contaminants than inorganic catalysts. However, because the aqueous solubilities of carbon monoxide and hydrogen are low, synthesis-gas fermentations are typically limited by the rate of gas-to-liquid mass transfer. Consequently, a major engineering challenge in commercial development of synthesis-gas fermentations is to provide sufficient gas mass transfer in an energy-efficient manner. This paper reviews recent progress in the development of synthesis-gas fermentations, with emphasis on efforts to increase the efficiency of gas mass transfer. Metabolic properties of several microbes able to ferment synthesis gas are described. Results of synthesis-gas fermentations conducted in various bioreactor configurations are summarized. Recent results showing enhancement of synthesis-gas fermentations using microbubble dispersions are presented, and studies of the mass-transfer and coalescence properties of microbubbles are described.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reactor Design Issues for Synthesis‐Gas Fermentations

Bredwell

Srivastava

Worden³

1999

Biotechnology Progress

237

168

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“…18 However, the bacteria can handle up to 2.5% of H 2 S in the gas. 41 Therefore, it is expected that different purification paths be chosen depending on the synthetic path.…”

Section: Co 2 and H 2 S Removalmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The gas from the previous stages must be heated up to 38 ºC, for the fermentation 19,[41][42][43][44][45][46] or 300 ºC in case of the catalytic path 18 . As shown in Fig.…”

Section: Synthesismentioning

confidence: 99%

Energy optimization of bioethanol production via gasification of switchgrass

2011

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Abstract.In this paper, we address the conceptual design of the bioethanol process from switchgrass via gasification. A superstructure is postulated for optimizing energy use that embeds direct or indirect gasification, followed by steam reforming or partial oxidation. Next, the gas composition is adjusted with membrane-PSA or water gas shift. Membrane separation, absorption with ethanol-amines and PSA are considered for the removal of sour gases. Finally, two synthetic paths are considered, high alcohols catalytic process with two possible distillation sequences, and syngas fermentation with distillation, corn grits, molecular sieves and pervaporation as alternative deshydration processes. The optimization of the superstructure is formulated as an MINLP problem using short-cut models, and solved through a special decomposition scheme that is followed by heat integration.The optimal process consists of direct gasification followed by steam reforming, removal of the excess of hydrogen and catalytic synthesis, yielding a potential operating cost of $0.41/gal

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“…A model of syngas fermentation in the continuously-stirred tank reactor (CSTR) was developed to assess the potential for the production of acetate [85], and mass transfer has been studied in various configurations of fermenters [82,83,86,87]. Klasson et al [83], however, notes that the rate of mass transfer will not exceed the rate of reaction of the slightly soluble substrates and that the applied mass transfer should balance the supply and consumption of CO and H 2 .…”

Section: Transport Theorymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The attainment of higher mass transfer represented in the volumetric mass transfer coefficients, k L,CO a/V L and k L,H2 a/V L , is of primary concern in most discussion of syngas fermentation [82][83][84]. A model of syngas fermentation in the continuously-stirred tank reactor (CSTR) was developed to assess the potential for the production of acetate [85], and mass transfer has been studied in various configurations of fermenters [82,83,86,87].…”

Section: Transport Theorymentioning

confidence: 99%

Syngas Fermentation: A Microbial Conversion Process of Gaseous Substrates to Various Products

2017

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Biomass and other carbonaceous materials can be gasified to produce syngas with high concentrations of CO and H 2 . Feedstock materials include wood, dedicated energy crops, grain wastes, manufacturing or municipal wastes, natural gas, petroleum and chemical wastes, lignin, coal and tires. Syngas fermentation converts CO and H 2 to alcohols and organic acids and uses concepts applicable in fermentation of gas phase substrates. The growth of chemoautotrophic microbes produces a wide range of chemicals from the enzyme platform of native organisms. In this review paper, the Wood-Ljungdahl biochemical pathway used by chemoautotrophs is described including balanced reactions, reaction sites physically located within the cell and cell mechanisms for energy conservation that govern production. Important concepts discussed include gas solubility, mass transfer, thermodynamics of enzyme-catalyzed reactions, electrochemistry and cellular electron carriers and fermentation kinetics. Potential applications of these concepts include acid and alcohol production, hydrogen generation and conversion of methane to liquids or hydrogen.

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Bioreactors for synthesis gas fermentations

Cited by 30 publications

References 24 publications

Reactor Design Issues for Synthesis‐Gas Fermentations

Reactor Design Issues for Synthesis‐Gas Fermentations

Energy optimization of bioethanol production via gasification of switchgrass

Syngas Fermentation: A Microbial Conversion Process of Gaseous Substrates to Various Products

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