Abstract:
The present invention provides a production method for biofuel based on a technology to convert carbon-dioxide as a carbon source through photosynthesis by photosynthetic microorganisms to biomass and produce biofuel of the biomass. The production method for biofuel of the present invention comprises a culturing process (S1) of culturing in a culture solution photosynthetic microorganisms which store oils fats and carbohydrates in cells of the photosynthetic microorganisms an oil and fat conversion process (S2) of converting the carbohydrates stored in the cells of the photosynthetic microorganisms cultured in the culture apparatus to oils and fats an extraction process (S3) of extracting the oils and fats out of the cells of the photosynthetic microorganisms and a reforming process (S4) to reform the extracted oils and fats.
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Notices, Deadlines & Correspondence
University of Tokyo Entrepreneur Plaza 7F University of Tokyo Hongo Campus 7-3-1 Hongo Bunkyo-ku Tokyo 113-0033 Japan
Inventors
1. KATO Hiroaki
c/o Hitachi Plant Technologies Ltd. 5-2 Higashi-Ikebukuro 4-chome Toshima-ku Tokyo 170-8466 Japan
2. YAMASHITA Ko
c/o Hitachi Plant Technologies Ltd. 5-2 Higashi-Ikebukuro 4-chome Toshima-ku Tokyo 170-8466 Japan
3. FUKUSHIMA Yukio
c/o Hitachi Plant Technologies Ltd. 5-2 Higashi-Ikebukuro 4-chome Toshima-ku Tokyo 170-8466 Japan
4. AMANO Ken
c/o Hitachi Plant Technologies Ltd. 5-2 Higashi-Ikebukuro 4-chome Toshima-ku Tokyo 170-8466 Japan
5. KANEKO Takashi
c/o JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation 6-3 Otemachi 2-chome Chiyoda-ku Tokyo 100-8162 Japan
6. UEDA Iwao
c/o JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation 6-3 Otemachi 2-chome Chiyoda-ku Tokyo 100-8162 Japan
7. AOKI Nobuo
c/o JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation 6-3 Otemachi 2-chome Chiyoda-ku Tokyo 100-8162 Japan
8. SUZUKI Kengo
c/o euglena Co. Ltd. University of Tokyo Entrepreneur Plaza 7F University of Tokyo Hongo Campus 7-3-1 Hongo Bunkyo-ku Tokyo 113-0033 Japan
9. ARASHIDA Ryo
c/o euglena Co. Ltd. University of Tokyo Entrepreneur Plaza 7F University of Tokyo Hongo Campus 7-3-1 Hongo Bunkyo-ku Tokyo 113-0033 Japan
10. NAKANO Ryohei
c/o euglena Co. Ltd. University of Tokyo Entrepreneur Plaza 7F University of Tokyo Hongo Campus 7-3-1 Hongo Bunkyo-ku Tokyo 113-0033 Japan
Specification
Production Method For Biofuel .
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
l000ll
The present invention relates to a production method for a biofuel to
produce the biofuel.
Coo021 "
The biofuel is a fuel produced from a raw material derived from biomass.
If the biomass has a photosynthesis capability as ordinary plants have, it is
possible to produce a fuel that has a smaller effect on the environment, because
oils, fats and carbohydrates produced through the biomass from light energy,
carbon-dioxide arc? raw materials for the biofuel. There are biofuels such as a
bioethanol produced through alcohol fermentation of saccharified carbohydrate
and a biodiesel oil and a biojetfuel which are produced from neutral lipids such as
,waxesters anti triglycerides
COO031
Although soy beans, corns and palms have been well known to be used for
raw materials for the biofuel, there is an issuethat using edible crops such as
these crops leads to shortage of foods. Alternatively, non-edible crops such as
jatropha and cknelina are produced for the biofuel and there is a problem with
these crops having a low yield for a unit area.
100041
On tho other haid, it is lrnown that photosynthetic microorga~lismsa nd.
prot;ozoa Iivirig in many lakes and marshes have the same photosynthesis
capability as plants have and synthesize oils, fats and carbohydrates from water
and carbon-dioxide and store in their cells an amount of oils, fats and
carbohydrates, which corresponds to several tens percents of a dry weight of the
photosynthetic microorganisms and protozoa. The photosynth.et,ic
microorganisms and protozoa are capable of producirlg a larger amount of oils,
fats and carbohydrates than plants do and produce a more than t.e. n times larger
' 1 . .
amount of oils, fats and carbohydrates for unit area than palm,which is said to
be capable of producing a large amount of palm oils.
[00051
A patent document 1 describes fixing carbon-dioxide by culturing algae
which are capable of photosynthesis by radiating the artificial light whose wave
lengLh and Light intensity are artificially adjusted. The patent document 1
further describes a means, a method and a cultivation device to produce a target
substance by fixing carbon-dioxide. Moreover the patent document lgroposes
Gxing carbon-dioxide with photosynthetic microorganisms and makinguse of the
fixed carbon-dioxide as a basic fuel fa; the biofuel as an example.
PRIOR ART DOCUMENT
PATENT DOCUMENT
[0006]
Patent Document 1 : JP2010-057485A
OBJECTIVE TOBE ACIlIEVED BY THE INVENTION
[00071
. .
However the pat,ent document; 1 does not disclose anything about how a
biofuel is produced from the fixed carbon-dioxide. When the carbon-dioxide gas
is reduced by making use of photosynthesis capability of microorganisms, the
weight of ihe biomass increases in proportion to -the amount of the fixed. carbondioxide
and it is difficult to make an industrial use of this invention if the
biomass with the increased weight is effectively used.
lb008l
The present invenkion is intended to provide a biofuel production method
i~iilusiveo f a series of technologies to convert carbon-dioxide which is a carbonsource
to the biomass through photosyni;hcsis by photosynthetic microorganisms
and subsequently produce a biofuel.
. >
MEANS TO ACHIEVE THE OBJECTIVE
Eo0091
In order to achieve the objective above mentioned, the production method
for biofuel of the present invention comprises a culturing process of culturing in a
culture soiution photosynthetic microorganisms which store oils, fats and
carbohydrates in cells of the photosynthetic microorganisms, an oil and fat
conversion process of converting the carbohydrates stored in the cells of the
photosynthetic microorganisms cultured in the culture apparatus to oils and fats,
an extraction process of extracting the oils and fats.out of the cells of the
photosynthetic microorganisms, and a reforming process to reform the extracted
oils and fats.
[oolol
According to the production method for biofuel of the p~esenitn vention,
the photosynthetic microorganisms are cultured in. the culturing process, carbon.
dioxide wkrch is a carbon source is converted through photosynthesis by the
photosynthetic microorganisms cnltured in the culture solution to oils, fats and
carbohydrates which are stored in cells of the photosynthetic microorganisms and
the stored carbohydrates are converted to oils and fats. As a result, a larger
amount of oils and fats than produced i.n a. ny of the current produdion methods
is efficiently produced. lo addition, according to the production method for
biofuel of the present invention, oils and fats are subsequently extracted in an
extraction process and the extracted oils, fats are reformed in a reforming process
that follows the extraction process and biofuel is produced.
EFFECT OF THE INVENTION
I O O l l l
The present invention is intended to provide a biofuel production method
inclusive of a series of technologies to convert carbon-dioxide whicb. is a carbon
source to the biomass th~oughp hotosynthesis by photosynthetic microorganisms
",
and subsequently produce a biofuel.
Moreover the present invention e&ables producing a larger amount of a '
biofuel than any of the current biofuel production methods, because it has a
production process inclusive of an oil and fat conversion process.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[oo121
Fig.1 is a flowchart explaining an embodiment for a biofuel production
method of the present invention.
Fig.2 is a block diagram explaining an embodiment for the biofuel
production apparatus.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
CO013l
Hereinafter an embodiment of a biofuel production method of the
present invention is explained with reference to Fig.1.
[00141
As shown in Pig.1, the biofuel production mc:thod of the present
invention inchides a culturing process Sl, an oil and fa.t conversion process
S2, an extraction process S3 and a reforming process S4.
loo l rjl
The culturing process S1 to be performed it first; is a process to
culture photosynthetic microorganisms which store oils, fats and
carbohydrates in their cells in a culture solution.
Euglena is considered to be photosynthetic microorganisms to be used
lor the present invention. Euglena includes Euglena gracilis which belongs
to a group of flagellates and is well known as a motile alga. Most of the
Euglena have chlorophylls and live autotrophically through photosynthesis
and there are some of theEuglena which are of a predator type or absorb
nourishment from other organisms.
The Euglena is classified in both the zoology and the botany. In the
zoology, a Euglenida, which is one of orders belonging to a Mastigophora and
a Phytomastigophora in Protozoa, consists of three &borders, Eulenoidina,
Peranemoidina and Petalomonadoidina. The Eulenoidina includes Genera,
Euglena, Trachelemonas, Strombonas, ~ h a c u sL, epocinelis and Colacium.
In the botany, a Euglenales, which belongs to a Euglenophyceae in a
Euglenophyta, includes genera such as the Euglena, as is the same way as in
the zoology.
Resides the Euglena used for the present invention may be one or
more of Cyanobacteria, Green algae and Trebouxiophyceae, Bangiophyceae,
Prasinophyceae, Bacillasiophyceae, Coccolithophorid, Dinophyceae,
Eustigmatophyceae and Chrysophyceae.
[00161
Examples of the Cyanobacteria for the present invention are
Chroococcacae, Stigonematacae, Mastigocladacae and Oscillatroriacae and other
examples are Synechococcus such as Synechococcus lividus and Synechococcus
elongatus, Synechocystis such as Synechocystis minervae, Mastigocladus such as
Mastigocladus laminosus, Phormidium such as Phormidium laminosus,
Symploca such as Symploca thermalis, Aphanocapsa such as .A.phanocapsa
thermalis and Fisherella.
Furthermore Anabanena variabilis ATCC 29413 which belongs. to genus
Anabaena, Cyanothece sp. ATCC 51.142 which belongs to genus Cyanothece,
Synechoeoccus sp. PCC 794.2 which belongs to genus ~~nechococ&a~nsd;
Anacystis nidulans and Thermosynechococc~e~lso ngatus which belong to
Axlacystis may be used for the present invention.
100171
'Examples of green algae and Trebouxiophyceae .for the present
invention are Cephaleuros such as Chlorella inclusive of Parachlorella
separated from Chlorella according to phylogenesis, Chlamydomonas,
Dunaliella, Scenedesmus, Botlyococcus, Stichococcus, Nannochloris and
Desmodesmus. To be specific, examples of green algae and Trebouxiophyceae
for the present invention are Chlorella vulgaris and ChloreUa saccharop'hila
included in Chlorella, Dunaliella such as Dunaliella salina. Dunaliella
tertiolecta and Parachlorella kessleri (Chlorella kessleri) whose basic properties
Like photosynthesis are the same as Chlorella and Dunaliella and which are
- classiGed in Trebouxiophyceae according to the molecular phylogenic analysis,
for example. In addition, there are such other examples for the present
invention as Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, Chlamydomonas moewusii,
Chlamydomonas eugametos and Chlamydomonas segnis which belong to
Chlamydomonas, Scenedesmus obliquus which belongs to Scenedesmus,
Stichococcus ampliformis which belongs to Stichococcus, Nannochloris bacillaris
which belongs to Nannochloris and Desmodesmus subspicatus which belongs to
Desmodesmus.
[OOl8l
Furthermore, an example of Prasinophyceae for the present invention
is l'etraselmis and examples of Bacillasiophyceae for the present invention are
Cyanidioschyzon, Cyanidium, Galdieria and Porphyridium.
It should be noted that any microorganism may be used. for the present
invention as long as it is capable of producing oils, fats and carbohydrates,
storing them in ils cells and converting the stored carbohydrates to oils and fats
and that the microorganisms to be used for the present invention should not be
restri.ct,ed to those above mentioned.
Lo0191
Though culturing photosynthetic microorganisms in the culturing process
Sl may be carried out in the atmosphere, it is preferable to intentiondlly
introduce the carbon-dioxide gas in the culture solution to increase the
con.centration ofthe carbon-dioxide dissolved in the culture solution to a higher
one than the one for the condition in which the culture solution is just exposed to
the atmosphere and increase the amount of oils, fats and carbohydrates that a+e
produced through photosynthesis. For example, the carbon-dioxide gas
discharged from factories and burning facilities may be .used to intentionally
introduce the carbon-dioxide gas in the culture solutjon. If the discharged
carbon-dioxide gas is used, it is better to remove dust particles, NOx and SOX
included in the exhaust gas through a dust collector, a denitration apparatus and
' 1 a desulfuration apparatus in advance.
100201
A liquid depth of the culture solution in the culturing process Sl is
preferably equal to or less than 50 cm. More preferably the liquid depth of the
culture solution in the culturing process S1 is equal to or less than 30 cm. If the
liquid depth is kept as above mentioned, the culture solution is well stirred in the
up-down direction (the upper liquid is frequently replaced with the lower liquid)
when the photosynthetic microorganisms proliferate as the - culturing progresses
and the photosynthesis is being performed efficiently.
tooz1l
When Euglena are used as the photosynthetic microorganism, a culture
medium to which a nitrogen source, a phosphorus source and minerals are added,
such as a modified Cramer-Myers culture medium (including (NHd32HP04 l.Og/L,
KF12P04 l.Og/L, MgS04-7Hz0 0.2glL, CaC12-2H20 0.02gL, Fez(S02)s-7HzO 3
mgL, MnClz.4HzO 1.8 mg/L, CoS04-7H20 1.5 mg/L, ZnS04-7820 0.4 mg/L,
Na~Mo04 21120 0.2 u g L , CuS04-5H20 0.02 g/L, thiamin chloride(vitamin 131) 0.1
mg/L, and cya11ocobalamin(vitami~12)a nd with pU13.5 ) may be used. Any of
(NHd32flS04. and NRyaq may be used instead of (NIId32flPO.t
Any culture medium may be used for the present invention if it is fit for
the photosynthetic microorganism tobe used. The culture medium is not
limited to the above mentioned one.
to0221
A pII of the culture solution is preferably between 2 and 6 and more
preferably bel;ween 2 and 4.5. If the culture solution is acidic with. its ph value
kept as indicated above, the photosynthetic microorganism is capable of
proliferating so well as to prevail over the other organisms, which enable
suppressing contamination. As a result, a batch culture method as well as a
continuous culture method may be used for the present invention.
LO0231
The pH of the culture solution is appropriately adjusted with powder
reagents and reagent solutions. One of the power reagents used for this pH
adjustment may be sodium bicarbonate, and such acidic solutions as a sulfuric
acid solution and an acetic acid solution and such a basic solution as a sodium
hydroxide solution are examples of the reagent solutions.
[OOZd
The oil and fat conversion step 52 that follows the step S1 is a step to
convert the carbohydrates stored in cells of the photosynthetic microorganisms
which have been cultured in the culture solution to oils and fats.
The photosynthetic microorganisms stores oils and fats in their cells for
self-defense when kept under anaerobic condition. Therefore, one of the
methods for converting the carbohydrates stored in the photosynthetic
microorganisms is, for example, to keep the culture solution in which the
photosynthetic microorganisms have been cultured under anaerobic condition.
In the present invention the anaerobic atmosphere refers to an atmosphere
where there is no oxygen or less oxygen than in the atmosphere. The anaerobic
co:ndition is created according the following process. After the photosynthetic
~.hicroorganis~anrse condensed in a condensation process SX2 (sedimentation
condensation and centrifugal separation), the photosynthetic microorganisms are
I;.ept in a closed space such as a closed container and a pipe, into which neither
light nor oxygen comes, to prevent the photosynthetic microorganisms Gom
producing oxygen through photosynthesis. 'Then oxygen in the closed space is
consumed by the photosynthetic microorganisms respiration. As a result, the
anaerobic condition is created. There may be other processes to create the
anaerobic condition and the process to create the anaerobic condition is not
.ii.:lnitedt. o the above mentioned one. For example, the anaerobic condition is
,-... .* .~. ,. a t e dby purging a space in which the photosynthetic microorganisms are kept
1.3 ith an inert gas like argon t;o rernove oxygen.
i00251
In the present invention the condensation process S12 is preferably
(xirried out before the oil and fat conversion process S2, that is, between the oil
:;nd f:lt conversion process S2 and the culturing process S1. During the
condensation process S12, the photosynthetic microorganism, in whose cells oils,
fats and carbohydrates are stored, are condensed and part of the culture solution
that is not needed is removed. As a result, the subsequent process is easily
carried out and this condensation process S12 enables creating the anaerobic
atmosphere earlier because the oxygen dissolved in the condensed culture
solution is completely consumed earlier through the photosynthesis by the
photosynthetic microorganisms owing to the less culture solution left after the
part of the culture solution is removed. Furthermore, the oil and fat conversion
process progresses -f aster.
LO0261
In the condensation process 512, the culture solution is condensed
preferably through the sedimentation condensation followed by the centrifugal
separation process.
Here the sedimentation condensation refers to having photosynthetic
microorganism condensed through a natural sedimentation process such as
leaving a solution inclusive of the photosynthetic microorganisms for 6 to 36
hours.
Condensation through the centrifugal separation process is to have
photosynthetic microorganisms condensed by a centrifugal force on a centrifugal
machine. Performing the centrifugal separation process on a solution inclusive
of photosynthetic microorganisms, the solution is separated into a heavy solution
with a higher specific gravity inclusive of the photosynthetic microorganisms and
a light so1ut;ion of a supernatant liquid with a lower specific gravity. Then by
removing the light solution, the photosynthetic microorganisms co*itained in the
heavy soluLion are appropriately condensed. Preferably as large an amount of
the light solution as pc>ssibl.e is removed. The centrifugal separa1;ion process
may be performed with a centrifugal acceleration between 5.000g and 20.000g.
[0027]
Both the supernatant liquid obtained after the sedimentation
condensation and the light solution obtained after the centrifugal separation
process may be put back into the culture solutio~tio be used in the culturing step
7
S1 and mixed with the culture solution. Thus the culture solution is more
efficientIy used. In addition the photosynthetic microorganisms which are
contained in the supernatant Liquid and the light solution and removed without
being condensed are cultured again.
E00281
The photosynthetic microorganisms are kept at 25 to 40 degree
centigrade with no light radiated on the photosynthetic microorganisms in the oil
and fat conversion process S2. When the culture solution is kept under the
conditioned above mentioned, carbohydrates stored in the cells are - to be
conve&d to oils and fats.
[00291
The extraction process S3 to be subsequently performed is to extract oils
and fats from inside the cells of the photosynthetic microorganisms.
Oils and fats in the cells are to be extracted, for example, by a solvent
extraction method with an organic solvent or a supercritical COz extraction
method. An organic solvent which may be used for the solvent extraction
method. is, for example, hexane. Since the hexane used for extracting oils and
fats is reused for the solvent extraction afler being distilled, this process has an
advantage wibh respect to the environment and the production cost.
Coosol
Such oils and fats as triglyceride and ester compo11nd.s (wax ester) made
of a long chain fatty acid and a higher alcohol with one or two hydroxyl groups
are extracted in this process.
I00311
It is preferable to perform a drying process 522 between the oil and fat
con.versiou process 52 and the extraction process S3. In this drying process S22,
the culture solution that contains the cultured photosmthetic lnicroorganisms is
dried. Since water which blocks the extraction is removed, oils and fats are
more efficiently extracted after the drying process is performed.
100321
Nthough the culture solution may be drled in the drying process through
1
-- -
",
sun-dry, heated air dry or freeze dqing method, it is preferable to make use of
waste heat in exfiaust gas or vapor discharged &om factories or incineration
plants. The culture solution is sufficiently dried without a need of other
energies which work more rapidly and securely.
Coo331
It is preferable to perform a collection process S32 after the extraction
process 53. In the collection process S32 the photosynthetic microorganisms out
of which oils and fats have been extracted in the extraction process S3 and which
are defatted. The 'defatted photosynthetic microorganisms contain - proteins that
constitute cells and pigment components and are utilized for biomass raw
materials such as feed, fertilizer, solid fuel and raw materials for chemical
products.
COO341
A reforming process S4, in which the extracted oils and fats are modified,
is subsequently performed.
Reforming oils and fats corresponds to a reduction process such as a
hydrogenation reaction. For example, a biofuel such as gas oil and jet fuel is
produced by removing oxygen in wax esters through the hydrogenation reaction.
[0035]
Next, an embodiment of a biofiiel production apparatus of the present
invention is explained with reference to Pig.2. The biofuel production apparatus
shown in Fig.2 cor:responds to an example of a preferable embodiment of the
production method for biofuel of the present invention.
[00361
As shown in Fig.2, a biof~iepl roduct;ion apparatus A i~lcludesa culturing
means I., a. condensing means 12 to condense the culture solution through
sedimentation condensation and centrifugal condensation, an oil and fat
converting means 2, a drying means 22 and an extraction means 4.
Each of these means corresponds to a process of the similar name.
'I'herefore an explanation is skipped on significance, an act and an effect of each
of these means which have been already explained m the description on the
corresponding process.
. .
Lo0371 .
The culturing means 1 may be, for example, a culture apparatus. The
culture solution which is prepared for culturing photosynthetic microorganisms is
put in the culture apparatus. In this embodiment, the culturing means 1 may
be equipped with a carbon-dioxide gas supply means (not showd to intentionally
introduce into the culture apparatus carbon-dioxide gas which is a carbon source,
a pH keeping means 14 to keep the pH of the culture solution between 2 and 6 in
the acid region and a nutritious salt supply means (not shown) show-n ) to supply
nutritious salts to the culturing solution.
100381
The culturing process may be performed with the culture apparatus
exposed to the atmosphere without any cover to cover an upper side of the culture
apparatus. If the cover is attached over the culture apparatus, it is preferable to
have a light transmission means (not showd through which sun light or
illumination light transmits. The photosynthesis reaction progresses with the
illurnillation light being radiated. Making use of the light transmission means
and/or an illumination device, it is possible to have the photosynt;hesis of the
photosynthetic microorganisms progress.
100391
When a carbon-dioxide gas supply means is used, it is preferable to use
an airtight culture apparatus in order not to have the carbon-dioxide gas leak.
I11 addition, the culture apparatus may be eq~ppedw ith a temperature
serisor to measure a t,emperature of the culture solution or an inside of the
cu1t;ure apparatus, a light intensity sensor, a gas concentration sensor to 11.reasure
a oxygen concentration or a carbon-dioxide concentration, a temperature co~trol
device to keep the temperature of the culture solution at a constant temperature
and a stirring device to stir the culture solution (none of them showd.
100401
A condensation means 12 to perform the sedimentation condensation is,
for example, a sedimentation tank. When the sedimentation tank is cLisposed
. -
9
with an upper solution level in the sedimentation tank being higher than an
q p e r solu6on level in the culture apparatus, the supernatant liquid in the
sedimentation tank is transferred back into the culture apparatus due to a
difference in the solution level between the sedimentation tank and the culture
apparatus. The transferred supernatant liquid contains nutritious components
and these nutritious components are reused and not wasted by transferring back
the supernatant Liquid.
[00411
A condensation means for the centrifugal separation process may - be, for
example, a cent