Patents by Inventor Seong-Hoon Yoon
Seong-Hoon Yoon has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 8329456Abstract: A stable system for producing liquid products such as ethanol, butanol and other chemicals from syngas components contacts CO or a mixture of CO2 and H2 with a highly porous side of an asymmetric membrane under anaerobic conditions and transferring these components into contact with microorganisms contained within bio-pores of the membrane. The membrane side of the membrane utilizes a dense layer to control hydration of the bio-pores with a liquid phase. The gas feed directly contacts the microorganisms in the bio-pores and maximizes their utilization of the syngas. Metabolic products produced by the microorganisms leave the membrane through the side opposite the entering syngas. This system and method establishes a unitary direction across the membrane for the supply of the primary feed source to the microorganisms and the withdrawal of metabolically produced products. The feed and product flow improves productivity and performance of the microorganism and the membrane.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2008Date of Patent: December 11, 2012Assignee: Coskata, Inc.Inventors: Shih-Perng Tsai, Rathin Datta, Rahul Basu, Seong-Hoon Yoon
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Patent number: 8309348Abstract: A stable method for producing liquid products such as ethanol, propanol, butanol and other chemicals from syngas components that contacts CO or a mixture of CO2 and H2 with a highly porous side of an asymmetric membrane under anaerobic conditions and transfers these components into contact with microorganisms contained within bio-pores of the membrane. A liquid contacting side of the membrane utilizes a dense layer to control hydration of the bio-pores with a liquid phase. The gas feed directly contacts the microorganisms in the bio-pores and maximizes their utilization of the syngas. Metabolic products produced by the microorganisms leave the membrane through the side opposite the entering syngas. This method establishes a unitary direction across the membrane for the supply of the primary feed source to the microorganisms and the withdrawal of metabolically produced products. The feed and product flow improves productivity and performance of the microorganism and the membrane.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 2011Date of Patent: November 13, 2012Assignee: Coskata, Inc.Inventors: Shih-Perng Tsai, Rathin Datta, Rahul Basu, Seong-Hoon Yoon
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Patent number: 8222026Abstract: A membrane supported bioreactor arrangement and method for anaerobic conversion of gas into liquid products including membrane modules having hollow fibers packed across a cross sectional area of the membrane module, each of the hollow fibers formed from an asymmetric membrane wall having a porous outer layer defining biopores for retaining a porous biolayer about the outer surface of the membrane wall and a less permeable hydration layer around the hollow fiber lumen; a membrane vessel for surrounding the outside of the hollow fibers with a process gas from a gas supply conduit; and a liquid supply conduit operably connected to the hollow fibers for supplying a process liquid to the hollow fiber lumens. The gas supply conduit enables the formation of a biolayer on the outer surface of the hollow fiber wall by interaction of microorganisms with the process gas and the production of a liquid product.Type: GrantFiled: October 24, 2008Date of Patent: July 17, 2012Assignee: Coskata, Inc.Inventors: Shih-Perng Tsai, Rathin Datta, Rahul Basu, Seong-Hoon Yoon
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Patent number: 8211692Abstract: The bioconversion of gas feedstreams to liquid products by direct contact with a layer of microorganism obtains enhanced productivity through the regular cycling of liquid across a substrate that supports a biolayer of microorganisms while separating the gas and liquid phases. Such processes produce liquid products such as ethanol, butanol and other chemicals from syngas components by contacting CO or a mixture of CO2 and H2 with a highly porous side of an asymmetric membrane under anaerobic conditions and transferring these components into contact with microorganisms contained within bio-pores of the membrane. A periodic laving of liquid from the liquid contact side to and away from the microorganisms can increase nutrient flow to the microorganisms while enhancing the recovery of liquid products.Type: GrantFiled: October 24, 2008Date of Patent: July 3, 2012Assignee: Coskata, Inc.Inventors: Rathin Datta, Shih-Perng Tsai, Jian Xu, Seong-Hoon Yoon
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Patent number: 8198055Abstract: Ethanol and other liquid products are produced by contacting syngas components such as CO or a mixture of CO2 and H2 with a surface of a membrane under anaerobic conditions and transferring these components in contact with a biofilm on the opposite side of the membrane. These steps provide a stable system for producing liquid products such as ethanol, butanol and other chemicals. The gas fed on the membrane's gas contact side transports through the membrane to form a biofilm of anaerobic microoganisms that converted the syngas to desired liquid products. A liquid impermeable layer of the membrane assists in establishing direct gas phase contact syngas components with the microorganisms. The system can sustain production with a variety of microorganisms and membrane configurations.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2008Date of Patent: June 12, 2012Assignee: Coskata, Inc.Inventors: Rathin Datta, Shih-Perng Tsai, Rahul Basu, Seong-Hoon Yoon
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Publication number: 20120070888Abstract: A membrane supported bioreactor arrangement and method for anaerobic conversion of gas into liquid products including membrane modules having hollow fibers, each of the hollow fibers formed from an asymmetric membrane wall having a porous outer layer defining biopores for retaining a porous biolayer about the outer surface of the membrane wall and a less permeable hydration layer around the hollow fiber lumen; a membrane vessel for retaining the membrane modules in a process gas for formation of the biolayer on the outer surface of the hollow fiber wall by interaction of microorganisms with a process gas and for the production of a liquid product, wherein the membrane vessel retains the membrane modules in a common horizontal plane; provides a seal between contents of the membrane tank and ambient atmosphere; and includes a liquid supply conduit for communicating the process liquid with the hollow fiber lumens of the hollow fibers.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 22, 2011Publication date: March 22, 2012Inventors: SHIH-PERNG TSAI, Rathin Datta, Rahul Basu, Seong-Hoon Yoon
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Patent number: 8101387Abstract: This invention is a process for managing the gas flow through a plurality of bioconversion modules that provide a gas liquid interface. The conversion modules provide the gas liquid interface across an activated surface that converts at least some of the gas components into desired liquid products. Arrangement of the modules and control of gas flow in accordance with this invention enhances the utilization of the gas and the production of desired liquid products by adjusting the flow area to compensate for changes in the volume of the feed gas. Improved control of the gas velocity through the bioconversion modules eliminates problems of liquid condensation and flow maldistribution. The process may sequence the modules to mitigate time variation in microorganism activity and incorporate additional periodic process steps.Type: GrantFiled: October 24, 2008Date of Patent: January 24, 2012Assignee: Coskata, Inc.Inventors: Shih-Perng Tsai, Seong-Hoon Yoon, Rahul Basu
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Publication number: 20120009638Abstract: A stable method for producing liquid products such as ethanol, propanol, butanol and other chemicals from syngas components that contacts CO or a mixture of CO2 and H2 with a highly porous side of an asymmetric membrane under anaerobic conditions and transfers these components into contact with microorganisms contained within bio-pores of the membrane. A liquid contacting side of the membrane utilizes a dense layer to control hydration of the bio-pores with a liquid phase. The gas feed directly contacts the microorganisms in the bio-pores and maximizes their utilization of the syngas. Metabolic products produced by the microorganisms leave the membrane through the side opposite the entering syngas. This method establishes a unitary direction across the membrane for the supply of the primary feed source to the microorganisms and the withdrawal of metabolically produced products. The feed and product flow improves productivity and performance of the microorganism and the membrane.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 22, 2011Publication date: January 12, 2012Inventors: Shih-Perng Tsai, Rathin Datta, Rahul Basu, Seong-Hoon Yoon
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Patent number: 8062873Abstract: A membrane supported bioreactor arrangement and method for anerobic conversion of gas into liquid products including membrane modules having hollow fibers, each of the hollow fibers formed from an asymmetric membrane wall having a porous outer layer defining biopores for retaining a porous biolayer about the outer surface of the membrane wall and a less permeable hydration layer around the hollow fiber lumen; a membrane vessel for retaining the membrane modules in a process gas for formation of the biolayer on the outer surface of the hollow fiber wall by interaction of microorganisms with a process gas and for the production of a liquid product, wherein the membrane vessel retains the membrane modules in a common horizontal plane; provides a seal between contents of the membrane tank and ambient atmosphere; and includes a liquid supply conduit for communicating the process liquid with the hollow fiber lumens of the hollow fibers.Type: GrantFiled: October 24, 2008Date of Patent: November 22, 2011Assignee: Coskata EnergyInventors: Shih-Perng Tsai, Rathin Datta, Rahul Basu, Seong-Hoon Yoon
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Patent number: 8058058Abstract: A submerged membrane supported bioreactor for anaerobic conversion of gas into liquid products including a plurality of membrane modules having a plurality of hollow fibers, each of the plurality of hollow fibers having a gas permeable hollow fiber wall defining a hollow fiber lumen and an outer surface; a membrane tank for retaining the membrane modules at least partially submerged in a process liquid for formation of a biofilm on the outer surface of the hollow fiber wall by interaction of microorganisms with a process gas and for the production of a liquid product that mixes with the process liquid, wherein the membrane tank retains the membrane modules in a common horizontal plane; a seal between contents of the membrane tank and ambient atmosphere; and a gas supply conduit for communicating the process gas with the hollow fiber lumens of the hollow fibers.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 2008Date of Patent: November 15, 2011Assignee: Coskata, Inc.Inventors: Robert F. Hickey, Shih-Perng Tsai, Seong-Hoon Yoon, Rahul Basu, Richard E. Tobey
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Patent number: 8017384Abstract: A modular membrane supported bioreactor for anaerobic conversion of gas into liquid products including membrane module(s) having a plurality of hollow fibers packed across a cross sectional area of the membrane module in a direction transverse to the axis of the membrane module; a membrane vessel for retaining the membrane module(s) at least partially submerged in a process liquid and isolated from ambient atmosphere; and a gas supply conduit operably connected to the hollow fibers for supplying a process gas to the hollow fiber lumens. The gas supply conduit enables the formation of a biofilm on the outer surface of the hollow fiber wall by interaction of microorganisms with the process gas and the production of a liquid product that mixes with the process liquid.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 2008Date of Patent: September 13, 2011Assignee: Caliper Life Sciences, Inc.Inventors: Shih-Perng Tsai, Rathin Datta, Rahul Basu, Seong-Hoon Yoon, Richard E. Tobey
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Patent number: 8017014Abstract: The invention pertains to a method(s) of improving flux in a membrane bioreactor by adding an effective amount of catonic, amphoteric, and zwitterionic polymers, or a combination thereof. The membrane bioreactor impacted by the addition of these polymers is made up of a combination of anaerobic reactors, anoxic reactors, and aerobic reactors and anaerobic digesters.Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2005Date of Patent: September 13, 2011Assignee: Nalco CompanyInventors: Seong-Hoon Yoon, John H. Collins, Jeroen A. Koppes, Ingmar H. Huisman
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Publication number: 20100105116Abstract: The bioconversion of gas feedstreams to liquid products by direct contact with a layer of microorganism obtains enhanced productivity through the regular cycling of liquid across a substrate that supports a biolayer of microorganisms while separating the gas and liquid phases. Such processes produce liquid products such as ethanol, butanol and other chemicals from syngas components by contacting CO or a mixture of CO2 and H2 with a highly porous side of an asymmetric membrane under anaerobic conditions and transferring these components into contact with microorganisms contained within bio-pores of the membrane. A periodic laving of liquid from the liquid contact side to and away from the microorganisms can increase nutrient flow to the microorganisms while enhancing the recovery of liquid products.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 24, 2008Publication date: April 29, 2010Inventors: Rathin Datta, Shih-Perng Tsai, Jian Xu, Seong-Hoon Yoon
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Publication number: 20090286296Abstract: A submerged membrane supported bioreactor for anaerobic conversion of gas into liquid products including a plurality of membrane modules having a plurality of hollow fibers, each of the plurality of hollow fibers having a gas permeable hollow fiber wall defining a hollow fiber lumen and an outer surface; a membrane tank for retaining the membrane modules at least partially submerged in a process liquid for formation of a biofilm on the outer surface of the hollow fiber wall by interaction of microorganisms with a process gas and for the production of a liquid product that mixes with the process liquid, wherein the membrane tank retains the membrane modules in a common horizontal plane; a seal between contents of the membrane tank and ambient atmosphere; and a gas supply conduit for communicating the process gas with the hollow fiber lumens of the hollow fibers.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 19, 2008Publication date: November 19, 2009Inventors: ROBERT F. HICKEY, SHIH-PERNG TSAI, SEONG-HOON YOON, RAHUL BASU, RICHARD E. TOBEY
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Publication number: 20090215142Abstract: A membrane supported bioreactor arrangement and method for anerobic conversion of gas into liquid products including membrane modules having hollow fibers, each of the hollow fibers formed from an asymmetric membrane wall having a porous outer layer defining biopores for retaining a porous biolayer about the outer surface of the membrane wall and a less permeable hydration layer around the hollow fiber lumen; a membrane vessel for retaining the membrane modules in a process gas for formation of the biolayer on the outer surface of the hollow fiber wall by interaction of microorganisms with a process gas and for the production of a liquid product, wherein the membrane vessel retains the membrane modules in a common horizontal plane; provides a seal between contents of the membrane tank and ambient atmosphere; and includes a liquid supply conduit for communicating the process liquid with the hollow fiber lumens of the hollow fibers.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 24, 2008Publication date: August 27, 2009Inventors: Shih-Perng Tsai, Rathin Datta, Rahul Basu, Seong-Hoon Yoon
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Publication number: 20090215163Abstract: A stable system for producing liquid products such as ethanol, butanol and other chemicals from syngas components contacts CO or a mixture of CO2 and H2 with a highly porous side of an asymmetric membrane under anaerobic conditions and transferring these components into contact with microorganisms contained within bio-pores of the membrane. The membrane side of the membrane utilizes a dense layer to control hydration of the bio-pores with a liquid phase. The gas feed directly contacts the microorganisms in the bio-pores and maximizes their utilization of the syngas. Metabolic products produced by the microorganisms leave the membrane through the side opposite the entering syngas. This system and method establishes a unitary direction across the membrane for the supply of the primary feed source to the microorganisms and the withdrawal of metabolically produced products. The feed and product flow improves productivity and performance of the microorganism and the membrane.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 22, 2008Publication date: August 27, 2009Inventors: SHIH-PERNG TSAI, Rathin Datta, Rahul Basu, Seong-Hoon Yoon
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Publication number: 20090215153Abstract: A membrane supported bioreactor arrangement and method for anaerobic conversion of gas into liquid products including membrane modules having hollow fibers packed across a cross sectional area of the membrane module, each of the hollow fibers formed from an asymmetric membrane wall having a porous outer layer defining biopores for retaining a porous biolayer about the outer surface of the membrane wall and a less permeable hydration layer around the hollow fiber lumen; a membrane vessel for surrounding the outside of the hollow fibers with a process gas from a gas supply conduit; and a liquid supply conduit operably connected to the hollow fibers for supplying a process liquid to the hollow fiber lumens. The gas supply conduit enables the formation of a biolayer on the outer surface of the hollow fiber wall by interaction of microorganisms with the process gas and the production of a liquid product.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 24, 2008Publication date: August 27, 2009Inventors: Shih-Perng Tsai, Rathin Datta, Rahul Basu, Seong-Hoon Yoon
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Publication number: 20090104676Abstract: This invention is a process for managing the gas flow through a plurality of bioconversion modules that provide a gas liquid interface. The conversion modules provide the gas liquid interface across an activated surface that converts at least some of the gas components into desired liquid products. Arrangement of the modules and control of gas flow in accordance with this invention enhances the utilization of the gas and the production of desired liquid products by adjusting the flow area to compensate for changes in the volume of the feed gas. Improved control of the gas velocity through the bioconversion modules eliminates problems of liquid condensation and flow maldistribution. The process may sequence the modules to mitigate time variation in microorganism activity and incorporate additional periodic process steps.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 24, 2008Publication date: April 23, 2009Inventors: Shih-Perng Tsai, Seong-Hoon Yoon
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Publication number: 20090029434Abstract: A modular membrane supported bioreactor for anaerobic conversion of gas into liquid products including membrane module(s) having a plurality of hollow fibers packed across a cross sectional area of the membrane module in a direction transverse to the axis of the membrane module; a membrane vessel for retaining the membrane module(s) at least partially submerged in a process liquid and isolated from ambient atmosphere; and a gas supply conduit operably connected to the hollow fibers for supplying a process gas to the hollow fiber lumens. The gas supply conduit enables the formation of a biofilm on the outer surface of the hollow fiber wall by interaction of microorganisms with the process gas and the production of a liquid product that mixes with the process liquid.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 29, 2008Publication date: January 29, 2009Inventors: Shih-Perng Tsai, Rathin Datta, Rahul Basu, Seong-Hoon Yoon, Richard E. Tobey
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Publication number: 20090017514Abstract: Ethanol and other liquid products are produced by contacting syngas components such as CO or a mixture of CO2 and H2 with a surface of a membrane under anaerobic conditions and transferring these components in contact with a biofilm on the opposite side of the membrane. These steps provide a stable system for producing liquid products such as ethanol, butanol and other chemicals. The gas fed on the membrane's gas contact side transports through the membrane to form a biofilm of anaerobic microoganisms that converted the syngas to desired liquid products. A liquid impermeable layer of the membrane assists in establishing direct gas phase contact syngas components with the microorganisms. The system can sustain production with a variety of microorganisms and membrane configurations.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 5, 2008Publication date: January 15, 2009Inventors: Rathin Datta, Shih-Perng Tsai, Rahul Basu, Seong-Hoon Yoon