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).

  • Publication number: 20120040421
    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: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Publication date: February 16, 2012
    Applicant: Lanza Tech New Zealand Limited
    Inventor: Sean Dennis Simpson
  • Publication number: 20110294177
    Abstract: The invention relates to improvements in the production of alcohols by microbial fermentation, particularly to production of alcohols by microbial fermentation of substrates comprising CO. It more particularly relates to the provision of an improved fermentation media, comprising nickel, to a fermentation system such that one or more micro-organisms convert a substrate comprising CO to one or more alcohols, such as ethanol. In particular embodiments, a microbial culture is provided with at least 10 ?M nickel, such that CO uptake by the microbial culture increases and ethanol productivity improves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2009
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: Lanza Tech New Zealand Limited
    Inventors: Sean Dennis Simpson, Ian Lindstrand Warner, Jennifer Mon Yee Eung, Michael Kopke
  • Publication number: 20110281336
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for sustaining a microbial culture during periods of limited substrate supply. In accordance with the methods of the invention a microbial culture comprising carboxydotrophic bacteria can be sustained during periods of limited substrate supply by maintaining the temperature of the microbial culture at a temperature below an optimum operating temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2010
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Applicant: LANZATECH NEW ZEALAND LIMITED
    Inventors: Sean Dennis Simpson, Christophe Collet, Bakir Al-Sinawi
  • Publication number: 20110275053
    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 optimising production of desired products including the step of ascertaining the proportion of CO converted to CO2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2010
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Applicant: Lanza Tech New Zealand Limited
    Inventors: Sean Dennis Simpson, Joseph Henry Tizard
  • Publication number: 20110256600
    Abstract: The invention provides a recombinant microorganism capable of producing one or more products by fermentation of a substrate comprising CO, wherein the microorganisms has an increased tolerance to ethanol. The invention also provides, inter alia, methods for the production of ethanol and one or more other products from a substrate comprising CO.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2011
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Applicant: LanzaTech New Zealand Limited
    Inventors: Sean Dennis Simpson, Michael Koepke, FungMin Liew
  • Publication number: 20110244538
    Abstract: The invention relates to the microbial fermentation of gaseous substrates, particularly to gas/liquid contact modules and bioreactors configured to improve the efficiency of fermentations, particularly microbial fermentations of substrates comprising CO. In a particular embodiment, a gas/liquid contact module with multiple channels is configured to produce products in a liquid fermentation broth. In a further particular embodiment, there is provided a method of fermentation of a gaseous substrate to produce a product in a liquid fermentation broth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2010
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Inventors: Simon Richard Trevethick, Jason Carl Bromiey, Sean Dennis Simpson, Vinod Khosla
  • Patent number: 7972824
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for increasing the efficiency of anaerobic fermentation processes (1) that produce acetate as a by-product in addition to a desired product, and (2) that can utilize hydrogen and/or carbon dioxide in the fermentation. The method comprises the steps of converting acetate produced by the fermentation process into hydrogen gas and carbon dioxide gas, and utilizing hydrogen gas and/or carbon dioxide gas obtained from the acetate conversion in the anaerobic fermentation process. In particular aspects, the invention relates to processes of producing alcohols, particularly ethanol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: LanzaTech New Zealand Limited
    Inventors: Sean Dennis Simpson, Richard Llewellyn Sydney Forster, Matthew Rowe
  • Publication number: 20110144393
    Abstract: The invention provides methods for producing 2,3-butanediol by anaerobic fermentation. According to particular methods of the invention, 2,3-butanediol is produced by anaerobic fermentation of substrates including carbohydrate and carbon monoxide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2009
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Applicant: Lanza Tech New Zealand Limited
    Inventors: Sean Dennis Simpson, Phuong Loan Tran, Christophe Daniel Mihalcea, Jennifer Mon Yee Fung, Fungmin Liew
  • Publication number: 20110059499
    Abstract: The invention relates to the production of alcohols by microbial fermentation, particularly to production of alcohols by microbial fermentation of substrates comprising CO. It more particularly relates to processes for the production of alcohols from their corresponding acids in the presence of a substrate comprising CO. In particular embodiments, a fermentation reaction producing acid(s) and optionally alcohol(s) is perturbed such that at least a portion one or more of acid(s) is converted to alcohol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2009
    Publication date: March 10, 2011
    Applicant: Lanza Tech New Zealand Limited
    Inventors: Sean Dennis Simpson, Christophe Collet, Phuong Loan Tran, Bakir Al-Sinawi, Richard Llewellyn Sydney Forster, Matthew James Rowe, Gary Chan, Kelly Marie Mahar, Jennifer Mon Yee Fung
  • Publication number: 20100323417
    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: June 23, 2010
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Applicant: Lanzatech New Zealand Limited
    Inventors: Sean Dennis Simpson, Christophe Collet, Richard Liewellyn Sydney Forster, Michael Charles Milner Cockrem, Simon David Oakley, Michael Kopke
  • Publication number: 20100317074
    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: October 23, 2008
    Publication date: December 16, 2010
    Applicant: Lanzatech New Zealand Limited
    Inventors: Sean Dennis Simpson, Christopher Collet, Richard Llewellyn Sydney Forster, Michael Charles Milner Cockrem, Simon David Oakley
  • Publication number: 20100311104
    Abstract: A novel class of bacteria is described which has improved efficiency in the production of thanol by anaerobic fermentation of substrates containing carbon monoxide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2008
    Publication date: December 9, 2010
    Applicant: Lanzatch New Zealand Limited
    Inventors: Sean Dennis Simpson, Richard Llewellyn Sydney Forster, Phuong Tran, Matthew James Rowe, Ian Linstrand Warner
  • Publication number: 20100105115
    Abstract: The invention relates to biological processes for producing one or more desired products, including alcohols such as ethanol and butanol. The processes comprise carrying out first and second fermentations of substrates in first and second bioreactors, wherein each fermentation produces one or more desired products and/or one or more by-products that can be utilised in the other fermentation. A product and/or by-product of the first fermentation is introduced to the second bioreactor during the fermentation, and a product and/or by-product of the second fermentation is introduced to the first bioreactor during the fermentation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2008
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Applicant: LANZATECH NEW ZELAND LIMITED
    Inventors: Sean Dennis Simpson, Richard Llewellyn Sydney Forster, Matthew James Rowe, Phuong Loan Tran, Christophe Collet
  • Publication number: 20090275787
    Abstract: The invention relates to methods for the production of alcohols by microbial fermentation, particularly microbial fermentation of substrates comprising glycerol and/or acetate, to butanol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2009
    Publication date: November 5, 2009
    Applicant: Lanzatech New Zealand Limited
    Inventors: Richard Llewellyn Sydeny Forster, Sean Dennis Simpson, Christophe Collet
  • Publication number: 20090203100
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for increasing the efficiency of anaerobic fermentation processes (1) that produce acetate as a by-product in addition to a desired product, and (2) that can utilise hydrogen and/or carbon dioxide in the fermentation. The method comprises the steps of converting acetate produced by the fermentation process into hydrogen gas and carbon dioxide gas, and utilising hydrogen gas and/or carbon dioxide gas obtained from the acetate conversion in the anaerobic fermentation process. In particular aspects, the invention relates to processes of producing alcohols, particularly ethanol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2007
    Publication date: August 13, 2009
    Inventors: Sean Dennis Simpson, Richard Llewellyn Sydney Forster, Matthew Rowe