Abstract: The invention provides animal feed comprising microbial biomass and methods of producing animal feed by culturing a microorganism to produce microbial biomass. In particular, the invention relates to animal feed produced by fermentation of a gaseous substrate comprising one or more of CO, CO2, and H2, especially by a Gram-positive, anaerobic, and/or Clostridium microorganism.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a process for producing one or more fermentation product in a multi-stage process including an inoculation reactor and at least one bioreactor. The inoculation reactor is fed a C1-containing gaseous substrate containing a reduced amount of hydrogen. The hydrogen is reduced to increase the proportion of CO in the C1-containing gaseous substrate being provided to the inoculation reactor. The inoculation reactor ferments the CO-rich C1-containing gaseous substrate and produces an inoculum, which is fed to at least one bioreactor. The bioreactor receives the C1-containing gaseous substrate, which may or may not contain reduced amounts of hydrogen, to produce one or more fermentation product. By providing a CO-rich C1-containing gaseous substrate to the inoculation reactor, both the inoculation reactor and the subsequent bioreactor(s), are able to have increased stability and product selectivity.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a method for recovering products from a fermentation broth. The disclosure relates to the use of extractive distillation and/or dehydration to recover products which have close boiling points, such as ethanol and isopropanol, from a fermentation broth. In an embodiment, the recovery of product is completed in a manner that minimizes stress on the microbial biomass, such that it remains viable, at least in part, and may be recycled and reused in the fermentation process, which may result in increased efficiency in the fermentation process. The extractive distillation vessel and/or dehydration reactor may be used downstream of a distillation vessel. To minimize stress on the microbial biomass the distillation vessel may be under vacuum. The extractive distillation vessel may be used alongside a separation vessel such that the separation vessel is capable of recycling extractive distillation agent.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: The invention provides for the integration of a gas fermentation process with a gasification process whereby effluent downstream from the gas fermentation process is recycled to the gasification process. The invention is capable of recycling one or more effluents including biogas generated from a wastewater treatment process, tail-gas generated from the fermentation process, unused syngas generated by the gasification process, microbial biomass generated from the fermentation process, microbial biomass generated from a wastewater treatment process, crude ethanol from the product recovery process, fusel oil from the product recovery process, microbial biomass depleted water, wastewater generated from the fermentation process, and clarified water from a wastewater treatment process to a gasification process.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a process for producing one or more fermentation product in a multi-stage process including an inoculation reactor and at least one bioreactor. The inoculation reactor is fed a C1-containing gaseous substrate containing a reduced amount of hydrogen. The hydrogen is reduced to increase the proportion of CO in the C1-containing gaseous substrate being provided to the inoculation reactor. The inoculation reactor ferments the CO-rich C1-containing gaseous substrate and produces an inoculum, which is fed to at least one bioreactor. The bioreactor receives the C1-containing gaseous substrate, which may or may not contain reduced amounts of hydrogen, to produce one or more fermentation product. By providing a CO-rich C1-containing gaseous substrate to the inoculation reactor, both the inoculation reactor and the subsequent bioreactor(s), are able to have increased stability and product selectivity.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: The invention provides animal feed comprising microbial biomass and methods of producing animal feed by culturing a microorganism to produce microbial biomass. In particular, the invention relates to animal feed produced by fermentation of a gaseous substrate comprising one or more of CO, CO2, and H2, especially by a Gram-positive, anaerobic, and/or Clostridium microorganism.