Transcript Slide 1
Production of Single Cell Protein from Natural Gas John Villadsen Center for Biochemical Engineering Technical University of Denmark Genome of Methylococcus capsulatus The bacteria with membrane bound Methane-monooxidase Dividing M. capsulatus with clearly visible membranes The key-enzyme Methane monooxygenase Capture of CH4 by Methane monooxygenase Further oxydation of methanol in the organism Methane and Oxygen demand for SCP production • From 1.25 kg methane one obtains 1 kg biomass*) This corresponds to 1 kg biomass per 1.75 N m3 methane or Ysx = 0.520 C-mole biomass per C-mole methane • The O2 demand is (8 – 0.520٠4.20) / 4 = 1.45 mol O2 per C-mole CH4 or 2.53 N m3 O2 / kg biomass = 3.62 kg O2 / kg biomass. Stoichiometry of methane conversion to biomass: CH4 + 1.45 O2 + 0.104 NH3 → 0.52 CH1.8O0.5N0.2 + 0.48 CO2 + 1.69 H2O *) Reference : Wendlandt, K.D, Jechorek, M, Brühl, E. ”The influence of Pressure on the growth of Methanotrophic Bacteria” Acta Biotechnol. 13, 111-113 (1993) and industrial experience: Dansk Bioprotein A/S 1992 - present. Demand for heat removal The reaction should take place at ≈ 45o C, the optimal temperature for Methylococcus capsulatus fermentation. Stoichiometry: CH4 + 1.45 O2 + 0.104 NH3 → 0.52 CH1.8O0.5N0.2 + 0.48 CO2 + 1.69 H2O Heat of reaction 460Yso kJ (C-mol carbon source)-1 or Q = 460٠ 1.45 = 667 kJ (mole CH4)-1 = 52 MJ (kg biomass)-1 This is an appreciable heat duty! Demand for O2 and CH4 mass transfer • The production rate depends on the rates of two separate processes A. The reaction between bacteria and dissolved O2 + CH4 B. The rate of mass transfer from gas- to liquid phase. The ”bio-chemical” reaction is limited by NH3 since we need to keep the NH3 concentration below about 40 mg L-1 to avoid formation of NO2which is toxic to the bacteria. At 30 mg L-1 the rate is qx = 0.21 X kg m-3 h-1 where X is the biomass concentration in kg m-3. But qo2 = (1.45 / 0.52)(1000 / 24.6) qx = 113 qx mol m-3 h-1 = kl a (cO2* - cO2) where cO2* and cO2 are respectively the saturation and the actual O2 concentrations in the liquid. Factors that affect the mass transfer The rate of mass transfer kl a (cO2* - cO2) (and kl a (cCH4* - cCH4)) depend on : A. The mass transfer coefficient kl a Maximum achievable kl a ≈ 1200 h-1 B. cO2* C. cO2 cO2* is proportional with the partial pressure of O2 in the gas phase. At 1 atm total pressure and pure O2 one obtains cO2* = 0.9 mM (45o C) cO2 should be above about 20 μM to keep the organism healthy. The switch from bioreaction control to mass transfer control Assume that we wish to have X = 20 kg m-3 (qx = 4.2 kg m-3 h-1) qO2 = 113 ٠ 4.2 = 475 mol m-3 h-1 = kl a (cO2* - 20) 10-3 mol m-3 h-1 For kl a = 1000 h-1 cO2* must be > 495 μM to obtain a gas transfer rate that is higher than the rate of the liquid phase reaction 4.2 kg m-3 h-1. For a total pressure of 1 atm and pure O2 (cO2* = 900 μM) about 50 % of the oxygen is consumed before O2 limitation sets in. With O2 extracted from air (21% O2, cO2* = 189 μM) oxygen limitation prevails throughout the reactor. With pure oxygen and 4 atm total pressure (cO2* = 3600 μM) O2 limitation occurs only in the last ≈ 14 % of the reactor. Consequences of O2 limitation The constant production rate qx = 4.2 kg m-3 h-1 can not be maintained The production rate in the last part of the reactor is 1st order in cO2* If we wish a high utilization of O2 (e.g. 95 %) the reactor volume may increase beyond reasonable limits (or qx may decrease to an unacceptably low level). Reactor design • A stirred tank reactor is hopeless: We wish the first order conversion of O2 in the last part of the reactor to proceed in plug-flow mode. In a CSTR cO2* would be 0.05 of inlet value. • The large heat release dictates that external heat exchange is to be used. • Liquid and gas is forced through a number of stationary mixer elements at a velocity of ≈ 1 m s -1. Gas is injected through an ejector. Ample allocation of head space assures gas/liquid separation. Holding time for liquid ≈ 5 h and for gas ≈ 60 s. • Centrifuges (or drum filters) are used to separate biomass from liquid. • Ultrafiltration gives ≈ 20 wt% biomass sludge. Spray drying gives the final powdery product • Heat shock treatment (123 oC, 2-5 min) removes nucleic acids and gives a product suitable for direct human consumption. 500 L pilot plant loop-fermentor at DTU 2 1 4 3 5 11 6 7 10 11 10 11 8 9 Design of a 10 m3 loop reactor A 10 m3 fermentor 250 m3 reactor (≈ 9000 t year-1 production) in Norway