Patents by Inventor Michael Anthony Schultz

Michael Anthony Schultz 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: 20230398487
    Abstract: The invention provides for the optimal utilization of gas by a fermentation process, whereby the various components within the gas stream are separated to increase the efficiency of the microorganisms. The invention is capable of tailoring the composition of the gas being used by the fermentation process so as to enhance the production of various products. The invention is capable of applying such controlled separation and utilization of gas to produce different products in two fermentation processes in series. The invention is also capable of applying such controlled separation and utilization of gas to produce one product in a first fermentation process, which may be converted to a different product in a second fermentation process. The invention is additionally capable of mitigating culture inhibition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2023
    Publication date: December 14, 2023
    Inventors: Allan Haiming Gao, Robert John Conrado, Sebastian Michal Bernasek, Michael Anthony Schultz
  • Patent number: 11772038
    Abstract: The invention provides for the optimal utilization of gas by a fermentation process, whereby the various components within the gas stream are separated to increase the efficiency of the microorganisms. The invention is capable of tailoring the composition of the gas being used by the fermentation process so as to enhance the production of various products. The invention is capable of applying such controlled separation and utilization of gas to produce different products in two parallel fermentation processes. The invention is also capable of applying such controlled separation and utilization of gas to produce one product in a first fermentation process, which may be converted to a different product in a second fermentation process. The invention is additionally capable of mitigating culture inhibition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: LanzaTech, Inc.
    Inventors: Allan Haiming Gao, Robert John Conrado, Sebastian Michal Bernasek, Michael Anthony Schultz
  • Patent number: 11618910
    Abstract: Methods and systems for the production of one or more products from a gas stream produced in a methanol production process. The method comprises converting at least a portion of a methane feedstock to a substrate comprising CO and H2. The substrate comprising CO and H2 is anaerobically fermented in a bioreactor to produce one or more alcohols. The method and system may further include process for the production of methanol processes for the production of acetic acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: LanzaTech NZ, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Anthony Schultz
  • Publication number: 20210008486
    Abstract: The invention provides for the optimal utilization of gas by a fermentation process, whereby the various components within the gas stream are separated to increase the efficiency of the microorganisms. The invention is capable of tailoring the composition of the gas being used by the fermentation process so as to enhance the production of various products. The invention is capable of applying such controlled separation and utilization of gas to produce different products in two parallel fermentation processes. The invention is also capable of applying such controlled separation and utilization of gas to produce one product in a first fermentation process, which may be converted to a different product in a second fermentation process. The invention is additionally capable of mitigating culture inhibition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2020
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Inventors: Allan Haiming Gao, Robert John Conrado, Sebastian Michal Bernasek, Michael Anthony Schultz
  • Publication number: 20190203235
    Abstract: Methods and systems for the production of one or more products from a gas stream produced in a methanol production process. The method comprises converting at least a portion of a methane feedstock to a substrate comprising CO and H2. The substrate comprising CO and H2 is anaerobically fermented in a bioreactor to produce one or more alcohols. The method and system may further include process for the production of methanol processes for the production of acetic acid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2019
    Publication date: July 4, 2019
    Inventor: Michael Anthony Schultz
  • Patent number: 10252183
    Abstract: Improvements in biological conversion processes and associated apparatuses are disclosed for the generation of useful end products such as ethanol, through metabolic pathways of C1-fixing bacteria that utilize, as a nutrient, a C1-carbon source from a C1-containing substrate such as an industrial waste gas. Particular aspects of the disclosure relate to the downstream recovery of ethanol and/or isopropanol from bleed and permeate streams and more particularly to performing such recovery with improved efficiency that can advantageously reduce capital (e.g., equipment) and/or operating (e.g., utility) costs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: LANZATECH NEW ZEALAND LIMITED
    Inventors: Michael Anthony Schultz, Thomas Ewald Raiser, Rachel Jane Brenc
  • Patent number: 10010807
    Abstract: Improvements in biological conversion processes and associated apparatuses are disclosed for the generation of useful end products such as ethanol, through metabolic pathways of C1-fixing bacteria that utilize, as a nutrient, a C1-carbon source from a C1-containing substrate such as an industrial waste gas. Particular aspects of the disclosure relate to the downstream recovery of ethanol and/or isopropanol from bleed and permeate streams and more particularly to performing such recovery with improved efficiency that can advantageously reduce capital (e.g., equipment) and/or operating (e.g., utility) costs. Particular aspects related to the downstream recovery of ethanol and/or isopropanol using a low pressure separator having an internal divider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: LANZATECH NEW ZEALAND LIMITED
    Inventor: Michael Anthony Schultz
  • Publication number: 20170226538
    Abstract: Improvements in biological conversion processes and associated apparatuses are disclosed for the generation of useful end products such as ethanol, through metabolic pathways of C1-fixing bacteria that utilize, as a nutrient, a C1-carbon source from a C1-containing substrate such as an industrial waste gas. Particular aspects of the disclosure relate to the downstream recovery of ethanol and/or isopropanol from bleed and permeate streams and more particularly to performing such recovery with improved efficiency that can advantageously reduce capital (e.g., equipment) and/or operating (e.g., utility) costs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2017
    Publication date: August 10, 2017
    Inventors: Michael Anthony Schultz, Thomas Ewald Raiser, Rachel Jane Brenc
  • Publication number: 20170225098
    Abstract: Improvements in biological conversion processes and associated apparatuses are disclosed for the generation of useful end products such as ethanol, through metabolic pathways of C1-fixing bacteria that utilize, as a nutrient, a C1-carbon source from a C1-containing substrate such as an industrial waste gas. Particular aspects of the disclosure relate to the downstream recovery of ethanol and/or isopropanol from bleed and permeate streams and more particularly to performing such recovery with improved efficiency that can advantageously reduce capital (e.g., equipment) and/or operating (e.g., utility) costs. Particular aspects related to the downstream recovery of ethanol and/or isopropanol using a low pressure separator having an internal divider.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2017
    Publication date: August 10, 2017
    Inventor: Michael Anthony Schultz
  • Publication number: 20150247171
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods and systems for improving carbon capture from a gas stream comprising methane. Further, the invention provides a method for the production of at least one alcohol, and at least one acid from a gas stream comprising methane, the method comprising reforming a gas stream comprising methane to provide a syngas, in a first bioreactor fermenting the syngas to produce at least one acid and a tail gas comprising CO2 and H2, and, in a second bioreactor fermenting the tail gas to produce at least one acid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2013
    Publication date: September 3, 2015
    Applicant: LanzaTech New Zealand Limited
    Inventors: Michael Anthony Schultz, Derek Wayne Griffin
  • Publication number: 20150167025
    Abstract: The invention provides an improved method for the production, separation and recovery of one or more fermentation products from a fermentation broth. Further, the invention provides a method for increasing efficiency of a fermentation reaction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2015
    Publication date: June 18, 2015
    Inventors: Michael Anthony Schultz, Alice Marie Havill, Anil R. Oroskar
  • Publication number: 20150152441
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2014
    Publication date: June 4, 2015
    Inventors: Michael Anthony Schultz, Paul Alvin Sechrist, Bjorn Daniel Heijstra
  • Patent number: 8980596
    Abstract: The invention provides an improved method for the production, separation and recovery of one or more fermentation products from a fermentation broth. Further, the invention provides a method for increasing efficiency of a fermentation reaction. In particular, the invention relates to a fermentation system which incorporates a simulated moving bed for separation of fermentation products from a fermentation broth, and a corresponding method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: LanzaTech New Zealand Limited
    Inventors: Michael Anthony Schultz, Alice Marie Havill, Anil R Oroskar
  • Publication number: 20140370559
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Applicant: LanzaTech New Zealand Limited
    Inventors: Simon David Oakley, Joss Anton Coombes, Sean Dennis Simpson, Bjorn Daniel Heijstra, Michael Anthony Schultz, Sean Molloy
  • Patent number: 8809015
    Abstract: Methods and systems for the production of hydrocarbon products, including providing a substrate comprising CO to a bioreactor containing a culture of one or more micro-organisms; and fermenting the culture in the bioreactor to produce one or more hydrocarbon products. The substrate comprising CO is derived from an industrial process selected from the group comprising steam reforming processes, refinery processes, steam cracking processes, and reverse water gas shift processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: LanzaTech New Zealand Limited
    Inventors: Michael Anthony Schultz, James Obern, Sean Dennis Simpson
  • Publication number: 20140134686
    Abstract: The invention provides methods and systems for the production of at least one product from the microbial fermentation of a gaseous susbtrate, wherein the gaseous substrate is derived from a biomass liquefaction process. The invention provides a method for improving efficiency of the fermentation by passing biomass accumulated in the fermentation process to the biomass liquefaction process for conversion to a gaseous substrate. In a particular aspect of the invention, the biomass liquefaction process is selected from pyrolysis or torrefaction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2013
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Inventors: Michael Anthony Schultz, Jennifer Rosa Holmgren
  • Patent number: 8663949
    Abstract: This invention relates to the integration of an ammonia production process with a fermentation process to produce products such as alcohols and/or acids in addition to ammonia. In a specific embodiment, a natural gas stream comprising methane is passed to a reforming zone to produce a substrate comprising CO and H2. The substrate is next passed to a bioreactor containing a culture of one or more microorganisms and fermenting the culture to produce one or more fermentation products comprising alcohols and/or acids and an exhaust stream comprising CO2, and H2. The exhaust stream can then be passed to a separation zone to remove at least a portion of the CO2 and produce a purified exhaust stream comprising H2 which is then passed to an ammonia production zone and is used to produce ammonia.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: LanzaTech New Zealand Limited
    Inventor: Michael Anthony Schultz
  • Patent number: 8658402
    Abstract: Methods for producing an ester from a gas comprising carbon monoxide. More specifically the invention provides for methods for producing one or more products by the anaerobic fermentation of a gaseous substrate comprising CO and the subsequent conversion of the one or more products to an ester in a down-stream reaction. The invention further provides methods for improving the efficiency of the production of esters from gaseous substrates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: LanzaTech New Zealand Limited
    Inventors: Michael Anthony Schultz, Derek Wayne Griffin
  • Publication number: 20130316411
    Abstract: Methods and systems for the production of one or more products from a gas stream produced in a methanol production process. The method comprises converting at least a portion of a methane feedstock to a substrate comprising CO and H2. The substrate comprising CO and H2 is anaerobically fermented in a bioreactor to produce one or more alcohols. The method and system may further include process for the production of methanol processes for the production of acetic acid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2011
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Inventor: Michael Anthony Schultz
  • Publication number: 20130316412
    Abstract: The invention provides an improved method for the production, separation and recovery of one or more fermentation products from a fermentation broth. Further, the invention provides a method for increasing efficiency of a fermentation reaction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2013
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Applicant: LanzaTech New Zealand Limited
    Inventors: Michael Anthony Schultz, Alice Marie Havill, Anil R. Oroskar