Patents by Inventor Christophe Daniel Mihalcea
Christophe Daniel Mihalcea 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).
-
Publication number: 20230407346Abstract: The disclosure relates to the system comprising a combination of a primary bioreactor with a secondary bioreactor to convert a gaseous stream comprising CO and optionally H2, or CO2 and H2 to at least one target product. Bioreactors may be any combination of aerobic and anaerobic, batch and continuous. The bioreactors comprise fermenting microorganisms that may typically be bacterial or fungal.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 28, 2023Publication date: December 21, 2023Inventors: Sean Dennis Simpson, Allan Haiming Gao, Robert John Conrado, James Daniel Winkler, Alexander Paul Mueller, Steven Brown, Loan Phuong Tran, Michael Koepke, Christophe Daniel Mihalcea
-
Patent number: 11788103Abstract: The disclosure relates to the combination of a primary fermentation that converts gas to acetate with a secondary fermentation that converts acetate to a target product. Preferably, the gas contains carbon dioxide, such that the disclosure enables the fixation of carbon dioxide into useful products. The fermentations may be any combination of aerobic and anaerobic, batch and continuous. The fermenting microorganisms may typically be bacterial or fungal.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2020Date of Patent: October 17, 2023Assignee: LanzaTech, Inc.Inventors: Sean Dennis Simpson, Allan Haiming Gao, Robert John Conrado, James Daniel Winkler, Alexander Paul Mueller, Steven Brown, Loan Phuong Tran, Michael Koepke, Christophe Daniel Mihalcea
-
Patent number: 11471786Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for recovering at least one product from a fermentation broth. The invention relates to the use of a vacuum distillation vessel to recover products, such as ethanol, from a fermentation broth, where the fermentation broth comprises viable microbial biomass, and where the recovery of the product is completed in such a manner to ensure the viability of the microbial biomass. The invention provides for product recovery at an effective rate so as to prevent the accumulation of product in the fermentation broth. To ensure the viability of the microbial biomass, the invention is designed to reduce the amount of stress on the microbial biomass. By ensuring the viability of the microbial biomass, the microbial biomass may be recycled and reused in the fermentation process, which may result in an increased efficiency of the fermentation process.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 2020Date of Patent: October 18, 2022Assignee: LanzaTech, Inc.Inventors: Paul Alvin Sechrist, Nicholas Bourdakos, Robert John Conrado, Allan Haiming Gao, Jason Carl Bromley, Christophe Daniel Mihalcea, Michael Emerson Martin, Ignasi Palou-Rivera, Joseph Henry Tizard
-
Publication number: 20220305399Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for recovering at least one product from a fermentation broth. The invention relates to the use of a vacuum distillation vessel to recover products, such as ethanol, from a fermentation broth, where the fermentation broth comprises viable microbial biomass, and where the recovery of the product is completed in such a manner to ensure the viability of the microbial biomass. The invention provides for product recovery at an effective rate so as to prevent the accumulation of product in the fermentation broth. To ensure the viability of the microbial biomass, the invention is designed to reduce the amount of stress on the microbial biomass. By ensuring the viability of the microbial biomass, the microbial biomass may be recycled and reused in the fermentation process, which may result in an increased efficiency of the fermentation process.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 9, 2022Publication date: September 29, 2022Inventors: Paul Alvin Sechrist, Nicholas Bourdakos, Robert John Conrado, Allan Haiming Gao, Jason Carl Bromley, Christophe Daniel Mihalcea, Michael Emerson Martin, Ignasi Palou-Rivera, Joseph Henry Tizard
-
Publication number: 20210277430Abstract: The disclosure provides methods and systems to produce lipid products from a gaseous substrate using a two-stage fermentation process. The method comprises providing a gaseous substrate comprising CO, CO2 or H2 or mixtures thereof, to a first bioreactor containing a culture or one or more microorganisms and fermenting the substrate to produce acetate. The acetate from the first bioreactor is then provided to a second bioreactor, where it is used as a substrate for fermentation to lipids by one or more microalgae. Tail gas from the second bioreactor is recycled to the first bioreactor.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 9, 2020Publication date: September 9, 2021Inventors: Sean Dennis Simpson, Christophe Daniel Mihalcea, Robert John Conrado
-
Patent number: 11053517Abstract: The invention provides for methods by which the economics of the gas fermentation process are improved. The invention provides for the integration of a fermentation process, with an industrial process and an electrolyzer process. The invention provides for the intermittent supply of electrolyzer feedstock from the electrolyzer process to the bioreactor for fermentation. The electrolyzer feedstock may displace at least a portion of the C1 feedstock from the industrial process. The electrolyzer feedstock may supplement the C1 feedstock from the industrial process. Whether or not the electrolyzer feedstock supplements or displaces the C1 feedstock with electrolyzer feedstock may be based upon a function of the cost per unit of the C1 feedstock, the cost per unit of the electrolyzer feedstock, and the value per unit of the fermentation product.Type: GrantFiled: April 2, 2019Date of Patent: July 6, 2021Assignee: LanzaTech, Inc.Inventors: Robert John Conrado, Sean Dennis Simpson, Christophe Daniel Mihalcea
-
Publication number: 20210024961Abstract: The disclosure relates to the combination of a primary fermentation that converts gas to acetate with a secondary fermentation that converts acetate to a target product. Preferably, the gas contains carbon dioxide, such that the disclosure enables the fixation of carbon dioxide into useful products. The fermentations may be any combination of aerobic and anaerobic, batch and continuous. The fermenting microorganisms may typically be bacterial or fungal.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 24, 2020Publication date: January 28, 2021Inventors: Sean Dennis Simpson, Allan Haiming Gao, Robert John Conrado, James Daniel Winkler, Alexander Paul Mueller, Steven Brown, Loan Phuong Tran, Michael Koepke, Christophe Daniel Mihalcea
-
Patent number: 10724059Abstract: This invention relates generally to method for producing products, particularly alcohols, by microbial fermentation. In particular, the invention relates to methods for increasing the efficiency of the fermentation, by providing a method for treating the used fermentation broth to produce a treated permeate which is then passed back to the bioreactor. The invention provides a method whereby at least one treatment step used to treat the permeated, produces a gaseous product which is then used in one or more stages of the fermentation process.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2012Date of Patent: July 28, 2020Assignee: LANZATECH NEW ZEALAND LIMITEDInventors: Frank Benkwitz, Christophe Daniel Mihalcea, Alice Marie Havill
-
Publication number: 20200188809Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for recovering at least one product from a fermentation broth. The invention relates to the use of a vacuum distillation vessel to recover products, such as ethanol, from a fermentation broth, where the fermentation broth comprises viable microbial biomass, and where the recovery of the product is completed in such a manner to ensure the viability of the microbial biomass. The invention provides for product recovery at an effective rate so as to prevent the accumulation of product in the fermentation broth. To ensure the viability of the microbial biomass, the invention is designed to reduce the amount of stress on the microbial biomass. By ensuring the viability of the microbial biomass, the microbial biomass may be recycled and reused in the fermentation process, which may result in an increased efficiency of the fermentation process.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 26, 2020Publication date: June 18, 2020Inventors: Paul Alvin Sechrist, Nicholas Bourdakos, Robert John Conrado, Allan Haiming Gao, Jason Carl Bromley, Christophe Daniel Mihalcea, Michael Emerson Martin, Ignasi Palou-Rivera, Joseph Henry Tizard
-
Patent number: 10610802Abstract: The invention is directed to a device and associated method for recovering at least one product from a fermentation broth. The invention relates to the use of a vacuum distillation vessel to recover products, such as ethanol, from a fermentation broth, where the fermentation broth comprises viable microbial biomass, and where the recovery of the product is completed in such a manner to ensure the viability of the microbial biomass. The invention provides for product recovery at an effective rate so as to prevent the accumulation of product in the fermentation broth. To ensure the viability of the microbial biomass, the invention is designed to reduce the amount of stress on the microbial biomass. By ensuring the viability of the microbial biomass, the microbial biomass may be recycled and reused in the fermentation process, which may result in an increased efficiency of the fermentation process.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2018Date of Patent: April 7, 2020Assignee: LANZATECH, INC.Inventors: Paul Alvin Sechrist, Nicholas Bourdakos, Robert John Conrado, Allan Ha Gao, Jason Carl Bromley, Christophe Daniel Mihalcea, Michael Emerson Martin, Ignasi Palou-Rivera, Joseph Henry Tizard
-
Publication number: 20190323042Abstract: The invention provides for methods by which the economics of the gas fermentation process are improved. The invention provides for the integration of a fermentation process, with an industrial process and an electrolyzer process. The invention provides for the intermittent supply of electrolyzer feedstock from the electrolyzer process to the bioreactor for fermentation. The electrolyzer feedstock may displace at least a portion of the C1 feedstock from the industrial process. The electrolyzer feedstock may supplement the C1 feedstock from the industrial process. Whether or not the electrolyzer feedstock supplements or displaces the C1 feedstock with electrolyzer feedstock may be based upon a function of the cost per unit of the C1 feedstock, the cost per unit of the electrolyzer feedstock, and the value per unit of the fermentation product.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 2, 2019Publication date: October 24, 2019Inventors: Robert John Conrado, Sean Dennis Simpson, Christophe Daniel Mihalcea
-
Patent number: 10358662Abstract: The invention provides schemes for the integration of a fermentation process, with an electrolysis process, and a C1-generating industrial process. In particular, the invention provides process for utilizing electrolysis products, for example H2 and/or O2, to improve the process efficiency of at least one of the fermentation process or the C1-generating industrial process. More particularly, the invention provides a process whereby, H2 generated by electrolysis is used to improve the substrate efficiency for a fermentation process, and the O2 generated by the electrolysis process is used to improve the composition of the C1-containing tail gas generated by the C1-generating industrial process.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 2017Date of Patent: July 23, 2019Assignee: LANZATECH NEW ZEALAND LIMITEDInventors: Sean Dennis Simpson, Robert John Conrado, Christophe Daniel Mihalcea, Michael Emerson Martin
-
Publication number: 20180264375Abstract: The invention is directed to a device and associated method for recovering at least one product from a fermentation broth. The invention relates to the use of a vacuum distillation vessel to recover products, such as ethanol, from a fermentation broth, where the fermentation broth comprises viable microbial biomass, and where the recovery of the product is completed in such a manner to ensure the viability of the microbial biomass. The invention provides for product recovery at an effective rate so as to prevent the accumulation of product in the fermentation broth. To ensure the viability of the microbial biomass, the invention is designed to reduce the amount of stress on the microbial biomass. By ensuring the viability of the microbial biomass, the microbial biomass may be recycled and reused in the fermentation process, which may result in an increased efficiency of the fermentation process.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 20, 2018Publication date: September 20, 2018Inventors: Paul Alvin Sechrist, Nicholas Bourdakos, Robert John Conrado, Allan Ha Gao, Jason Carl Bromley, Christophe Daniel Mihalcea
-
Patent number: 9771603Abstract: A methods for altering the metabolite profile of a fermentation, by increasing flux through acetolactate. The methods comprises increasing production of one or more products derived from acetolactate. Further provided is a method for increasing the production of 2,3-butandiol by microbial fermentation of gaseous substrates, the method comprising providing a compound which inhibits one or more enzymes which convert acetolactate to branched chain amino acids to the fermentation. The present invention further provides methods for increasing the production of 2,3-butandiol relative to other fermentation products such as ethanol and acetic acid.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 2014Date of Patent: September 26, 2017Assignee: LANZATECH NEW ZEALAND LIMITEDInventors: Kathleen Frances Smart, Alexander Paul Mueller, Michael James Harry Mawdsley, Christophe Daniel Mihalcea
-
Publication number: 20170218404Abstract: The invention provides schemes for the integration of a fermentation process, with an electrolysis process, and a C1-generating industrial process. In particular, the invention provides process for utilizing electrolysis products, for example H2 and/or O2, to improve the process efficiency of at least one of the fermentation process or the C1-generating industrial process. More particularly, the invention provides a process whereby, H2 generated by electrolysis is used to improve the substrate efficiency for a fermentation process, and the O2 generated by the electrolysis process is used to improve the composition of the C1-containing tail gas generated by the C1-generating industrial process.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 1, 2017Publication date: August 3, 2017Inventors: Sean Dennis Simpson, Robert John Conrado, Christophe Daniel Mihalcea
-
Publication number: 20150337343Abstract: This invention relates generally to method for producing products, particularly alcohols, by microbial fermentation. In particular, the invention relates to methods for increasing the efficiency of the fermentation, by providing a method for treating the used fermentation broth to produce a treated permeate which is then passed back to the bioreactor. The invention provides a method whereby at least one treatment step used to treat the permeated, produces a gaseous product which is then used in one or more stages of the fermentation process.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 5, 2012Publication date: November 26, 2015Applicant: Lanzatech New Zealand LimitedInventors: Frank Benkwitz, Christophe Daniel Mihalcea, Alice Marie Havill
-
Publication number: 20150087037Abstract: A methods for altering the metabolite profile of a fermentation, by increasing flux through acetolactate. The methods comprises increasing production of one or more products derived from acetolactate. Further provided is a method for increasing the production of 2,3-butandiol by microbial fermentation of gaseous substrates, the method comprising providing a compound which inhibits one or more enzymes which convert acetolactate to branched chain amino acids to the fermentation. The present invention further provides methods for increasing the production of 2,3-butandiol relative to other fermentation products such as ethanol and acetic acid.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 22, 2014Publication date: March 26, 2015Inventors: Kathleen Frances Smart, Alexander Paul Mueller, Michael James Harry Mawdsley, Christophe Daniel Mihalcea
-
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
-
Patent number: 8735115Abstract: This invention relates generally to methods for increasing the efficiency of microbial growth and production of products, such as alcohols and acids by microbial fermentation of substrates containing carbon monoxide. More particularly the invention relates to the provision of an alternative sulphur source to a liquid nutrient medium, such that sulphur is available to one or more microorganisms of the fermentation.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2013Date of Patent: May 27, 2014Assignee: LanzaTech New Zealand LimitedInventors: Christophe Daniel Mihalcea, Prana Haryanto, Sean Dennis Simpson
-
Patent number: 8673603Abstract: Methods for improving the efficiency of 2,3-butanediol fermentations are disclosed. More specifically methods of increasing the butanediol productivity from the anaerobic fermentation of a substrate comprising carbon monoxide or carbon monoxide and hydrogen by one or more caboxydotrophic acetogenic bacteria are disclosed. The method includes supplying a hydrogen depleted substrate to increase butanediol productivity. The method includes producing butanediol at a volumetric productivity rate of at least 15 g/L/day.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2012Date of Patent: March 18, 2014Assignee: LanzaTech New Zealand LimitedInventors: Sean Dennis Simpson, Christophe Collet, Christophe Daniel Mihalcea, Joshua Jeremy Conolly, Guy William Waters