Abstract: A process for forming a color and odor stable polycarboxylic acid or polyhydroxy acid is provided. The process is carried out by fermenting a mixture containing a substrate which can be converted by fermentation into a polycarboxylic acid or a polyhydroxy acid, an organism capable of transforming the substrate by fermentation in a fermentation medium containing a source of carbon and energy, a source of inorganic nitrogen, a source of phosphate, a metal, a biotin which is substantially free of particulate matter and bacteria.

Abstract: A process for the production of ethanol including (a) forming a mash with a slurry of fractionated plant material; (b) saccharifying the mash; (c) adding to the mash a supplement selected from a crude Vitamin B source, a lipid, a vegetable oil distillate, organic nitrogen, and mixtures thereof; (d) fermenting the mash with a microorganism to form a fermentation broth; and (e) recovering ethanol from the fermentation broth is provided. A process for the production of ethanol, including (a) forming a mash with a slurry of nutrient-deficient plant material; (b) saccharifying the mash; (c) adding to the mash a supplement selected from a crude Vitamin B source, a lipid, a vegetable oil distillate, organic nitrogen, and mixtures thereof; (d) fermenting the mash with a microorganism to form a fermentation broth; and (e) recovering ethanol from the fermentation broth is also provided.

Abstract: Biooxidation reactions can be controlled by a method which comprises the steps of: (1) independently adding a substrate and a co-substrate at predetermined rates to a bioxidation reaction mixture comprised of a biocatalyst; (2) measuring the oxygen consumption rate and carbon dioxide evolution rate from the reaction mixture; (3) determining the instantaneous rates of substrate and cosubstrate consumption by solving simultaneous equations relating carbon dioxide evolution rate and oxygen consumption rate to the substrate oxidation stoichiometry, the cosubstrate combustion stoichiometry, and optionally the biomass formation stoichiometry; (4) simultaneously adjusting the substrate and cosubstrate addition rates to the rates of substrate oxidation and cosubstrate consumption in order to maximize the rate of product formation while simultaneously minimizing the rate of cosubstrate usage.

Abstract: Biooxidation reactions can be controlled by a method which comprises the steps of: (1) independently adding a substrate and a co-substrate at predetermined rates to a bioxidation reaction mixture comprised of a biocatalyst; (2) measuring the oxygen consumption rate and carbon dioxide evolution rate from the reaction mixture; (3) determining the instantaneous rates of substrate and cosubstrate consumption by solving simultaneous equations relating carbon dioxide evolution rate and oxygen consumption rate to the substrate oxidation stoichiometry, the cosubstrate combustion stoichiometry, and optionally the biomass formation stoichiometry; (4) simultaneously adjusting the substrate and cosubstrate addition rates to the rates of substrate oxidation and cosubstrate consumption in order to maximize the rate of product formation while simultaneously minimizing the rate of cosubstrate usage.

Abstract: A fermentation medium containing: (a) a source of metabolizable carbon and energy; (b) a source of inorganic nitrogen; (c) a source of phosphate; (d) at least one metal selected from the group consisting of an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, a transition metal, and mixtures thereof; and (e) biotin, substantially free of particulate matter and bacteria.

Abstract: A fermentation medium containing: (a) a source of metabolizable carbon and energy; (b) a source of inorganic nitrogen; (c) a source of phosphate; (d) at least one metal selected from the group consisting of an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, a transition metal, and mixtures thereof; and (e) biotin, substantially free of particulate matter and bacteria. A fatty material may be added to an aqueous suspension containing at least one dicarboxylic acid to modify the rheological characteristics of the suspension.

Abstract: A fermentation medium containing: (a) a source of metabolizable carbon and energy; (b) a source of inorganic nitrogen; (c) a source of phosphate; (d) at least one metal selected from the group consisting of an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, a transition metal, and mixtures thereof; and (e) biotin, substantially free of particulate matter and bacteria. A fatty material may be added to an aqueous suspension containing at least one dicarboxylic acid to modify the rheological characteristics of the suspension.

Abstract: Carboxylic acids are recovered from a fermentation broth by adjusting the pH of a fermentation broth comprised of a carboxylic acid to at least about 6.0 and then heating the pH-adjusted broth to a temperature sufficient to effect the formation of three immiscible phases, one of which is an oily phase rich in the carboxylic acid.

Abstract: Carboxylic acids are recovered from a fermentation broth by adjusting the pH of a fermentation broth comprised of a carboxylic acid to at least about 6.0 and then heating the pH-adjusted broth to a temperature sufficient to effect the formation of three immiscible phases, one of which is an oily phase rich in the carboxylic acid.

Abstract: A process for pressure splitting glycerides into fatty acids and glycerols involving the steps of: (a) providing a glyceride feedstock; (b) providing a hydrolytic lipase enzyme; (c) providing an alkaline earth metal selected from the group consisting of calcium, magnesium, and mixtures thereof; (d) mixing components (a)-(c) in the presence of water and with agitation, at a temperature ranging from about 50 to about 60.degree. C. to form a partially hydrolyzed glyceride feedstock; (e) introducing the partially hydrolyzed glyceride feedstock into a pressure splitter; and (f) splitting the partially hydrolyzed glyceride feedstock in the pressure splitter into carboxylic acids and glycerols.

Abstract: Aliphatic polycarboxylic acids are made by a process comprising the steps of: (1) fermenting a beta-oxidation blocked C. tropicalis cell wherein both copies of the chromosomal POX5 gene and the chromosomal POX4A and POX4B genes are disrupted in a culture medium comprised of a nitrogen source, an organic substrate and a cosubstrate wherein the substrate is an unsaturated aliphatic compound having at least one internal carbon--carbon double bond and at least one terminal methyl group, a terminal carboxyl group and/or a terminal functional group which is oxidizable to a carboxyl group by biooxidation; (2) reacting the product of step (1) with an oxidizing agent to produce one or more polycarboxylic acids.

Abstract: Carboxylic acids and glycerine are made by a continuous splitting process which involves the formation of a presplitting mixture by separately adding the glyceride, an effective lipase in an amount sufficient to produce partial splitting of the glyceride, and water. The water used in the formation of the presplitting mixture is water that has been separated from the glycerin-water effluent stream from the pressure splitter and recycled. The next step involves the pressure splitting which entails mixing the partially split glyceride from the presplitter with water and heating under conditions of temperature and pressure effective to substantially complete the splitting of the glyceride into component fatty acids and a glycerin-water stream. The water is then separated from the glycerine-water stream and the water is recycled to the presplitter.

Abstract: A Sealed Downhole Motor Drive Shaft Universal Joint Assembly consisting of a housing with an interior and an exterior surface. The interior has an end wall and side walls. The end wall has an elongate projection with a concave terminus. The side walls have a plurality of slots. A shaft is provided having an exterior surface and opposed ends. Each of the ends has a central cavity with a substantially concave end wall. The exterior surface of the drive shaft has a plurality of annularly spaced pockets adjacent each end. The pockets are in substantial alignment with the end wall of the central cavity. Each end of the drive shaft is telescopically received within one of the housings. A thrust ball is positioned between the concave terminus of the elongate projection of the housing and the concave end wall of the central cavity of the shaft thereby transmitting thrust loads between the housing and the shaft while permitting omni-directional relative movement of the housing and the shaft.

Abstract: An adjustable bent housing consisting of an inner housing telescopically received within an outer housing. A sleeve is provided having an angularly offset clutch face. Spline non-rotatably couple an interior surface of the sleeve with an exterior surface of the inner housing. The sleeve is axially slidable along the exterior surface of the inner housing between an inoperative position wherein the sleeve is spaced from the outer housing and an operating position. In the operative position the angularly offset clutch face of the sleeve engages an angularly offset clutch face on the outer housing thereby non-rotatably coupling the inner housing and the outer housing in a bent position the magnitude of which is dependent upon the relative rotational positioning of the outer housing and the inner housing.