Continuous process for producing n-butanol employing anaerobic fermentation
US4568643A · kind A · utility
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 4, 1983 |
| Grant date | Feb 4, 1986 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 4, 2003 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S435/813
- WIPO fieldChemical engineering
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
There is disclosed, in one aspect, a continuous process for producing n-butanol. This process comprises continuously (a) contacting at least one carbohydrate-containing substrate, such as blackstrap molasses, with an n-butanol producing culture, such as Clostridium acetobutylicum (Weizmann), in water to effect the fermentation of the substrate and form a product mixture comprising n-butanol, (b) extracting the product mixture from the substrate, culture, and water by forming a solution of the product mixture with an extraction solvent, such as a one or two carbon fluorocarbon, (c) separating the extraction solvent from the product mixture by vaporizing substantially all of the solvent without substantial vaporization of the product mixture, and (d) condensing the vaporized solvent for reuse as an extraction solvent in step (b). In another aspect, there is disclosed an apparatus for conducting such a process. This apparatus comprises (a) means for holding the substrate and water, (b) reactor means for holding the culture and facilitating its contact with the substrate, (c) means for feeding the substrate from the holding means to the reactor means for reaction with the culture to pr…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.