Patents by Inventor Bjorn Daniel Heijstra
Bjorn Daniel Heijstra 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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Publication number: 20230407345Abstract: The disclosure provides a system and a process for injecting and uniformly distributing a liquid into a fermentation broth in a bioreactor for maintaining stable condition within the fermentation broth. The system includes a downcomer section which contains two or more circular pipe conduits extending from a wall of the downcomer to the center vertical axis line of the downcomer. Liquid injection apertures are arranged along the circular pipe conduit and are non-uniformly spaced apart from the center vertical axis of the downcomer to the wall of the downcomer. The apertures further alternate and are offset between the top and bottom surfaces of the circular pipe conduit. The process of the disclosure involves using the system described above for carrying out a fermentation process for converting a C1-substrate to at least one product such as ethanol.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 16, 2022Publication date: December 21, 2023Inventors: Paul Alvin Sechrist, Bjorn Daniel Heijstra, Joshua Jeremy Conolly
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Patent number: 11814666Abstract: A fermentation unit and a method of carrying out fermentation are described. The fermentation unit can be transported from one facility to another to carry out a fermentation process. The fermentation unit and method allow for the fermentation of a C1-containing substrate from a source at a particular facility to produce products such as alcohols and acids. Examples of the source of the C1-containing substrate include without limitation steel manufacturing processes, coal and biomass gasification processes, coke manufacturing processes, etc. The fermentation unit can be housed within a container having a volume of less than about 6 m3.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2021Date of Patent: November 14, 2023Assignee: LanzaTech NZ, Inc.Inventors: Bjorn Daniel Heijstra, Sean Dennis Simpson, Nicholas Bourdakos, Jason Carl Bromley, Kai-Ming Yap
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Publication number: 20220010350Abstract: A fermentation unit and a method of carrying out fermentation are described. The fermentation unit can be transported from one facility to another to carry out a fermentation process. The fermentation unit and method allow for the fermentation of a C1-containing substrate from a source at a particular facility to produce products such as alcohols and acids. Examples of the source of the C1-containing substrate include without limitation steel manufacturing processes, coal and biomass gasification processes, coke manufacturing processes, etc. The fermentation unit can be housed within a container having a volume of less than about 6 m3.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2021Publication date: January 13, 2022Inventors: Bjorn Daniel Heijstra, Sean Dennis Simpson, Nicholas Bourdakos, Jason Carl Bromley, Kai-Ming Yap
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Patent number: 11155850Abstract: Apparatuses and associated methods are described for the efficient evaluation of C1-containing substrates, and especially for such evaluation conducted locally, or on-site, at a prospective facility for implementation of a biological conversion process for desired end product using a C1 carbon source. The exact composition of a given, industrial C1-containing substrate, as well as the range in composition fluctuations, are generally difficult to reproduce at a remote facility (e.g., a laboratory or a pilot-scale or demonstration-scale process), as required for the accurate prediction/modeling of commercial performance to justify large capital expenditures for commercial scale-up.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2018Date of Patent: October 26, 2021Assignee: LanzaTech New Zealand LimitedInventors: Bjorn Daniel Heijstra, Sean Dennis Simpson, Nicholas Bourdakos, Jason Carl Bromley, Kai-Ming Yap
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Patent number: 10494600Abstract: The invention provides a novel bacterium with improved properties, including improved ethanol production, ethanol productivity, CO uptake, specific growth rate, ethanol to acetate ratio, and alcohol tolerance. The bacterium may be derived from Clostridium autoethanogenum and/or may comprise at least one DNA or amino acid sequence selected from SEQ ID NOs: 1, 3, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, and 16. In one embodiment, the bacterium is Clostridium autoethanogenum deposited under DSMZ accession number DSM23693 or a bacterium derived therefrom.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2015Date of Patent: December 3, 2019Assignee: LANZATECH NEW ZEALAND LIMITEDInventors: Bjorn Daniel Heijstra, Evgenia Kern, Michael Koepke, Simon Segovia, Fungmin Liew
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Publication number: 20190024133Abstract: Apparatuses and associated methods are described for the efficient evaluation of C1-containing substrates, and especially for such evaluation conducted locally, or on-site, at a prospective facility for implementation of a biological conversion process for desired end product using a C1 carbon source. The exact composition of a given, industrial C1-containing substrate, as well as the range in composition fluctuations, are generally difficult to reproduce at a remote facility (e.g., a laboratory or a pilot-scale or demonstration-scale process), as required for the accurate prediction/modeling of commercial performance to justify large capital expenditures for commercial scale-up.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 24, 2018Publication date: January 24, 2019Inventors: Bjorn Daniel Heijstra, Sean Dennis Simpson, Nicholas Bourdakos, Jason Carl Bromley, Kai-Ming Yap
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Patent number: 10113194Abstract: Apparatuses and associated methods are described for the efficient evaluation of C1-containing substrates, and especially for such evaluation conducted locally, or on-site, at a prospective facility for implementation of a biological conversion process for desired end product using a C1 carbon source. The exact composition of a given, industrial C1-containing substrate, as well as the range in composition fluctuations, are generally difficult to reproduce at a remote facility (e.g., a laboratory or a pilot-scale or demonstration-scale process), as required for the accurate prediction/modeling of commercial performance to justify large capital expenditures for commercial scale-up.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2015Date of Patent: October 30, 2018Assignee: LANZATECH NEW ZEALAND LIMITEDInventors: Bjorn Daniel Heijstra, Sean Dennis Simpson, Nicholas Bourdakos, Jason Carl Bromley, Kai-Ming Yap
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Publication number: 20160115517Abstract: Apparatuses and associated methods are described for the efficient evaluation of Cl-containing substrates, and especially for such evaluation conducted locally, or on-site, at a prospective facility for implementation of a biological conversion process for desired end product using a Cl carbon source. The exact composition of a given, industrial Cl-containing substrate, as well as the range in composition fluctuations, are generally difficult to reproduce at a remote facility (e.g., a laboratory or a pilot-scale or demonstration-scale process), as required for the accurate prediction/modeling of com?mercial performance to justify large capital expenditures for commercial scale-up.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 21, 2015Publication date: April 28, 2016Inventors: Bjorn Daniel Heijstra, Sean Dennis Simpson, Nicholas Bourdakos, Jason Carl Bromley, Kai-Ming Yap
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Publication number: 20160017276Abstract: The invention provides a novel bacterium with improved properties, including improved ethanol production, ethanol productivity, CO uptake, specific growth rate, ethanol to acetate ratio, and alcohol tolerance. The bacterium may be derived from Clostridium autoethanogenum and/or may comprise at least one DNA or amino acid sequence selected from SEQ ID NOs: 1, 3, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, and 16. In one embodiment, the bacterium is Clostridium autoethanogenum deposited under DSMZ accession number DSM23693 or a bacterium derived therefrom.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 5, 2015Publication date: January 21, 2016Inventors: Bjorn Daniel Heijstra, Evgenia Kern, Michael Koepke, Simon Segovia, Fungmin Liew
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Publication number: 20150210977Abstract: The invention provides a bacterium with an increased tolerance to butyric acids, such as 2-hydroxybutyric acid (2-HIBA). In particular, the invention provides a bacterium that tolerates at least 2.5 g/L of butyric acid. The bacterium may be derived, for example, from genus Clostridium, Moorella, Oxobacter, Peptostreptococcus, Acetobacterium, Eubacterium, or Butyribacterium.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 28, 2015Publication date: July 30, 2015Inventors: Bjorn Daniel Heijstra, Bakir Al-Sinawi, Liam Barry Smith, Rasmus Overgaard Jensen, Wayne Pierce Mitchell, Michael Koepke
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Publication number: 20150152441Abstract: Processes, as well as associated systems, are disclosed for biological conversion of CO into desired end products such as ethanol and 2,3-butanediol. The pre-treatment of industrial gas streams comprising CO, such that the level of contaminants selected from the group comprising benzene, toluene, xylene and ethylbenzene, are maintained below a predetermined liquid level in the fermentation broth, has been shown to have positive effects on the fermentation process.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 29, 2014Publication date: June 4, 2015Inventors: Michael Anthony Schultz, Paul Alvin Sechrist, Bjorn Daniel Heijstra
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Publication number: 20140370559Abstract: The invention relates to the microbial fermentation of gaseous substrates to produce one or more products. The invention relates to the microbial fermentation of a gaseous substrate derived from the conversion of a biogas stream. The invention relates to the conversion of a biogas stream comprising methane to a gaseous substrate comprising CO or CO plus H2, and the production of one or more products from the microbial fermentation of said gaseous substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 14, 2014Publication date: December 18, 2014Applicant: LanzaTech New Zealand LimitedInventors: Simon David Oakley, Joss Anton Coombes, Sean Dennis Simpson, Bjorn Daniel Heijstra, Michael Anthony Schultz, Sean Molloy
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Patent number: 8906655Abstract: The invention relates to a process for optimizing the production of ethanol by microbial fermentation, particularly microbial fermentation of substrates comprising CO. The process involves monitoring the hydrogen production by the microorganism, determining an optimum hydrogen production and adjusting the substrate supply rate in response to a change in the hydrogen production thereby keeping the hydrogen production within a desired range.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 2013Date of Patent: December 9, 2014Assignee: Lanzatech New Zealand LimitedInventors: Will David Barker, Bjorn Daniel Heijstra, Wing Chuen Chan, Christophe Daniel Mihalcea, Loan Phuong Tran, Christophe Collet, Jason Carl Bromley, Bakir Al-Sinawi
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Publication number: 20130252230Abstract: The invention relates to a process for optimising the production of ethanol by microbial fermentation, particularly microbial fermentation of substrates comprising CO. The process involves monitoring the hydrogen production by the microorganism, determining an optimum hydrogen production and adjusting the substrate supply rate in response to a change in the hydrogen production thereby keeping the hydrogen production within a desired range.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 29, 2013Publication date: September 26, 2013Applicant: LanzaTech New Zealand LimitedInventors: Will David Barker, Bjorn Daniel Heijstra, Wing Chuen Chan, Christophe Daniel Mihalcea, Loan Phuong Tran, Christophe Collet, Jason Carl Bromley, Bakir Al-Sinawi
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Publication number: 20130217096Abstract: This invention relates generally to the field of microbial fermentation of gases. It more particularly relates to a novel strain of Clostridium autoethanogenum bacteria with improved efficiency in the production of ethanol by anaerobic fermentation of substrates containing carbon monoxide (CO).Type: ApplicationFiled: July 28, 2011Publication date: August 22, 2013Applicant: LANZATECH NEW ZEALAND LIMITEDInventors: Bjorn Daniel Heijstra, Evegenia Kern, Michael Koepke, Simon Segovia, Fung Min Liew
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Publication number: 20130045517Abstract: The invention relates to the microbial fermentation of gaseous substrates to produce one or more products. The invention relates to the microbial fermentation of a gaseous substrate derived from the conversion of a biogas stream. The invention relates to the conversion of a biogas stream comprising methane to a gaseous substrate comprising CO and/or H2, and the production of one or more products from the microbial fermentation of said gaseous substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 4, 2011Publication date: February 21, 2013Applicant: LANZATECH NEW ZEALAND LIMITEDInventors: Simon David Oakley, Joss Anton Coombes, Sean Dennis Simpson, Bjorn Daniel Heijstra, Michael Anthony Schultz, Sean Molloy
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Publication number: 20110250629Abstract: The invention relates to the microbial fermentation of gaseous substrates, particularly to methods of mitigating and/or reducing alcohol toxicity effects on a microbial culture at elevated alcohol concentrations during fermentation. The invention relates particularly to microbial fermentation of substrates comprising CO and the effects of alcohol toxicity are reduced or mitigated by maintaining the temperature below the optimum operating temperature by cooling the fermentation broth.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 23, 2010Publication date: October 13, 2011Applicant: Lanza Tech New Zealand LimitedInventor: Bjorn Daniel Heijstra
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Publication number: 20110212433Abstract: The invention relates to the production of products such as alcohols and acids by microbial fermentation, particularly microbial fermentation of substrates comprising CO. It more particularly relates to methods and systems for improving efficiency of production products by microbial fermentation. In particular embodiments, the invention provides a method of controlling substrate supply, such that production of desired metabolites is optimised.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 2, 2010Publication date: September 1, 2011Applicant: Lanza Tech New Zealand LimitedInventors: Will David Barker, Bjorn Daniel Heijstra, Wing Chuen Chan, Christophe Daniel Mihalcea, Phuong Loan Tran, Christophe Collet, Jason Carl Bromley, Bakir Al-Sinawi