Patents by Inventor Sean Dennis Simpson

Sean Dennis Simpson 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).

  • Patent number: 9783835
    Abstract: The invention provides methods and systems for the production of lipid products from a gaseous substrate using a two stage fermentation process. The method comprises providing a gaseous substrate comprising CO, CO2 and H2 or mixtures thereof, to a first bioreactor containing a culture or one or more microorganisms, and fermenting the substrate to produce a product comprising 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 yeasts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: LANZATECH NEW ZEALAND LIMITED
    Inventors: Sean Dennis Simpson, Sebastian Michal Bernasek
  • Publication number: 20170218404
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: Sean Dennis Simpson, Robert John Conrado, Christophe Daniel Mihalcea
  • Patent number: 9624512
    Abstract: 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 products by microbial fermentation. In particular embodiments, the invention provides a method of optimizing production of desired products including the step of ascertaining the proportion of CO converted to CO2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: LANZATECH NEW ZEALAND LIMITED
    Inventors: Sean Dennis Simpson, Joseph Henry Tizard
  • Patent number: 9359611
    Abstract: The invention relates, inter alia, to novel genetically modified microorganisms capable of using CO to produce 1-butanol and/or a precursor thereof, novel methyltransferases and nucleic acids encoding same, methods for producing genetically modified microorganisms using said novel methyltransferases, and methods of producing 1-butanol and/or a precursor thereof by microbial fermentation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: LANZATECH NEW ZEALAND LIMITED
    Inventors: Michael Koepke, Sean Dennis Simpson, FungMin Liew
  • Publication number: 20160122787
    Abstract: The invention provides methods and systems for the production of 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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Inventors: Sean Dennis Simpson, Sebastian Michal Bernasek, Deepak K. Tuli
  • Publication number: 20160115517
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2015
    Publication date: April 28, 2016
    Inventors: Bjorn Daniel Heijstra, Sean Dennis Simpson, Nicholas Bourdakos, Jason Carl Bromley, Kai-Ming Yap
  • Publication number: 20150376654
    Abstract: The invention relates to a recombinant carboxydotrophic acetogenic microorganism capable of producing one or more products by fermentation of a substrate comprising CO, wherein the microorganism has an increased tolerance to ethanol versus a parental carboxydotrophic acetogenic microorganism. The invention also provides, inter alia, methods for the production of ethanol and one or more other products from a substrate comprising CO using the recombinant carboxydotrophic acetogenic microorganism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2015
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Inventors: Michael Koepke, FungMin Liew, Sean Dennis Simpson
  • Publication number: 20150353965
    Abstract: The invention relates to methods of capturing carbon by microbial fermentation of a gaseous substrate comprising CO. The methods of the invention include converting CO to one or more products including alcohols and/or acids and optionally capturing CO2 to improve overall carbon capture. In certain aspects, the invention relates to processes for producing alcohols, particularly ethanol, from industrial waste streams, particularly steel mill off-gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2015
    Publication date: December 10, 2015
    Inventors: Sean Dennis Simpson, Christophe Collet, Michael Cockrem, Simon David Oakley, Michael Koepke
  • Patent number: 9127296
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to methods of capturing carbon by microbial fermentation of a gaseous substrate comprising CO. The methods include converting CO to one or more products including alcohols and/or acids and optionally capturing CO2 to improve overall carbon capture. In certain aspects, the disclosure relates to processes for producing alcohols, particularly ethanol, from industrial waste streams, particularly steel mill off-gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: LANZATECH NEW ZEALAND LIMITED
    Inventors: Sean Dennis Simpson, Christophe Collet, Michael Cockrem, Simon David Oakley, Michael Koepke
  • Patent number: 9068202
    Abstract: Methods and systems for the production of one or more lipid products from a gaseous substrate using a two stage fermentation process are provided. The method comprises providing a gaseous substrate comprising CO2 and H2 to a primary bioreactor containing a culture or one or more microorganisms, and fermenting the substrate to produce an acid such as acetate. The acid, e.g. acetate from the primary bioreactor is then provided to a secondary bioreactor, where it is used as a substrate for fermentation to lipids by one or more yeasts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: LANZATECH NEW ZEALAND LIMITED
    Inventors: Loan Phuong Tran, Sean Dennis Simpson
  • 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: 8900836
    Abstract: The invention provides methods for producing Lactate by anaerobic Fermentation. According to particular methods of the invention, Lactate is produced by anaerobic fermentation of a substrate comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Lanzatech New Zealand Limited
    Inventor: Sean Dennis Simpson
  • Patent number: 8852918
    Abstract: A biologically pure isolate of a selected bacterium derived from Clostridium autoethanogenum is described which has improved efficiency in the production of ethanol by anaerobic fermentation of substrates comprising carbon monoxide. The bacterium can produce ethanol and acetate at an ethanol to acetate ratio of at least 1.0 and has a productivity of at least 1.2 g of ethanol/l of fermentation broth per day. The bacterium is also characterized in that it has substantially no ability to sporulate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Lanzatech New Zealand Limited
    Inventors: Sean Dennis Simpson, Richard Llewellyn Sydney Forster, Phuong Loan Tran, Matthew James Rowe, Ian Linstrand Warner
  • Publication number: 20140273115
    Abstract: A method is provided for controlling a metabolic profile of an anaerobic microbial fermentation culture. In particular, a metabolic profile of a fermentation process is controlled by controlling the amount of dissolved CO2 provided to a culture. Further provided is a method of producing one or more products by microbial fermentation of a gaseous substrate through feeding tail gas CO2 from a reactor to a second reactor, or by recycling tail gas CO2 to the same reactor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: LanzaTech New Zealand Limited
    Inventors: Sean Dennis Simpson, Michael Koepke, Kathleen Frances Smart, Loan Phuong Tran, Paul Sechrist
  • 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: 20140186928
    Abstract: The invention relates, inter alia, to novel genetically modified microorganisms capable of using CO to produce 1-butanol and/or a precursor thereof, novel methyltransferases and nucleic acids encoding same, methods for producing genetically modified microorganisms using said novel methyltransferases, and methods of producing 1-butanol and/or a precursor thereof by microbial fermentation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2014
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: LANZATECH NEW ZEALAND LIMITED
    Inventors: Michael Koepke, Sean Dennis Simpson, FungMin Liew
  • Publication number: 20140154755
    Abstract: The invention provides methods and systems for the production of lipid products from a gaseous substrate using a two stage fermentation process. The method comprises providing a gaseous substrate comprising CO or CO2 and 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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2013
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: LanzaTech New Zealand Limited
    Inventors: Sean Dennis Simpson, Sebastian Michal Bernasek
  • Patent number: 8735115
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: LanzaTech New Zealand Limited
    Inventors: Christophe Daniel Mihalcea, Prana Haryanto, Sean Dennis Simpson
  • Publication number: 20140141477
    Abstract: The invention provides methods and systems for the production of lipid products from a gaseous substrate using a two stage fermentation process. The method comprises providing a gaseous substrate comprising CO, CO2 and H2 or mixtures thereof, to a first bioreactor containing a culture or one or more microorganisms, and fermenting the substrate to produce a product comprising 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 yeasts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2013
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: LanzaTech New Zealand Limited
    Inventors: Sean Dennis Simpson, Sebastian Michal Bernasek
  • Patent number: 8673603
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: LanzaTech New Zealand Limited
    Inventors: Sean Dennis Simpson, Christophe Collet, Christophe Daniel Mihalcea, Joshua Jeremy Conolly, Guy William Waters