US3620927A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Cultivation of micro-organisms on hydrocarbons
Assignee: Gulf Research and Development Co
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Filing: 1969-06-26
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Granted: 1971-11-16
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Expires: 1989-06-26
Abstract
Abstract Protein concentrates are obtained in a process which includes: 1. Cultivating a hydrocarbon-consuming micro-organism in the presence of an aqueous nutrient medium, a hydrocarbon and a gas containing free oxygen; 2. RECOVERING FROM ''''1.'''' A MICRO-ORGANISM CONTAINING A SMALL AMOUNT OF HYDROCARBON AS A CONTAMINANT; 3. CONTACTING THE HYDROCARBON-CONTAMINATED MICRO-ORGANISM FROM ''''2.'''' AT A TEMPERATURE BELOW THAT WHICH SUPPORTS ACTIVE FERMENTATION OF THE MICRO-ORGANISM WITH AN AQUEOUS NUTRIENT MEDIUM AND A GAS CONTAINING FREE OXYGEN IN THE ABSENCE OF ADDED HYDROCARBON; AND 4. RECOVERING FROM ''''3.'''' A MICRO-ORGANISM SUBSTANTIALLY FREE FROM CONTAMINATING HYDROCARBON, THE MICRO-ORGANISM THUS RECOVERED HAVING A HIGHER PROTEIN CONTENT THAT THAT OF THE HYDROCARBONCONTAMINATED MICRO-ORGANIMS.
Inventors
- 👤 William W Leathen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 18:49
CPC Classifications
C; C12; C12N; C12N1/00; C12N1/26; C12P; C12P21/00; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S435/00; Y10S435/804
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
34 words
CULTIVATING A HYDROCARBON-CONSUMING MICRO-ORGANISM IN THE PRESENCE OF AN AQUEOUS NUTRIENT MEDIUM, A HYDROCARBON AND A GAS CONTAINING FREE OXYGEN; 2.RECOVERING FROM "1." A MICRO-ORGANISM CONTAINING A SMALL AMOUNT OF HYDROCARBON AS A CONTAINIMANT;
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
34 words
CULTIVATING A HYDROCARBON-CONSUMING MICRO-ORGANISM IN THE PRESENCE OF AN AQUEOUS NUTRIENT MEDIUM, A HYDROCARBON AND A GAS CONTAINING FREE OXYGEN; 2.RECOVERING FROM "1." A MICRO-ORGANISM CONTAINING A SMALL AMOUNT OF HYDROCARBON AS A CONTAINIMANT;
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein the yeast is of the family Cryptococcaceae.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein the hydrocarbon is a liquid petroleum fraction consisting essentially of a mixture of straight chain hydrocarbons.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
CONTACTING THE HYDROCARBON-CONTAMINATED MICRO-ORGANISM FROM "2." AT A TEMPERTURE BELOW THAT WHICH SUPPORTS ACTIVE FERMENTATION OF THE MICRO-ORGANISM WITH AN AQUEOUS NUTRIENT MEDIUM AND A GAS CONTAINING FREE OXYGEN IN THE ABSENCE OF ADDED HYDROCARBON; AND
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
CONTACTING THE HYDROCARBON-CONTAMINATED MICRO-ORGANISM FROM "2." AT A TEMPERTURE BELOW THAT WHICH SUPPORTS ACTIVE FERMENTATION OF THE MICRO-ORGANISM WITH AN AQUEOUS NUTRIENT MEDIUM AND A GAS CONTAINING FREE OXYGEN IN THE ABSENCE OF ADDED HYDROCARBON; AND
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
RECOVERING FROM "3," A MICRO-ORGANISM SUBSTANTIALLY FREE FROM CONTAMINATING HYDROCARBON, THE MICRO-ORGANISM THUS RECOVERED HAVING A HIGHER PROTEIN CONTENT THAT THAT OF THE HYDROCARBON-CONTAMINATED MICRO-ORGANISMS.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
RECOVERING FROM "3," A MICRO-ORGANISM SUBSTANTIALLY FREE FROM CONTAMINATING HYDROCARBON, THE MICRO-ORGANISM THUS RECOVERED HAVING A HIGHER PROTEIN CONTENT THAT THAT OF THE HYDROCARBON-CONTAMINATED MICRO-ORGANISMS.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein the pH of the aqueous nutrient medium is within the range of about 1.5 to about 8.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
12 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein the oxygen-containing gas is air.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
A process according to claim 3 wherein the liquid petroleum fraction is a mixture of C9 to C13 normal paraffins.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
A process according to claim 2 wherein the yeast is of the subfamily Cryptococcoideae.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
A process according to claim 7 wherein the yeast is of the genus Candida.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
15 words
A process according to claim 8 wherein the yeast is of the strain Candida tropicalis.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
14 words
A process according to claim 9 wherein the yeast is Candida tropicalis, strain CS-8-17.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
108 words
A process which comprises cultivating a hydrocarbon-consuming yeast at an active fermentation temperature of about 25* to about 40* C. in the presence of an aqueous nutrient medium, a hydrocarbon and a gas containing free oxygen; recovering a yeast containing a small amount of hydrocarbon as a contaminant; contacting the hydrocarbon-contaminated yeast at a temperature of about 10* to about 20* C. with an aqueous nutrient medium and a gas containing free oxygen in the absence of added hydrocarbon and recovering an increased yield of yeast substantially free from the contaminating hydrocarbon, the yeast thus recovered having a higher protein content than that of the hydrocarbon contaminated yeast.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
108 words
A process which comprises cultivating a hydrocarbon-consuming yeast at an active fermentation temperature of about 25* to about 40* C. in the presence of an aqueous nutrient medium, a hydrocarbon and a gas containing free oxygen; recovering a yeast containing a small amount of hydrocarbon as a contaminant; contacting the hydrocarbon-contaminated yeast at a temperature of about 10* to about 20* C. with an aqueous nutrient medium and a gas containing free oxygen in the absence of added hydrocarbon and recovering an increased yield of yeast substantially free from the contaminating hydrocarbon, the yeast thus recovered having a higher protein content than that of the hydrocarbon contaminated yeast.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
148 words
A process which comprises cultivating a hydrocarbon-consuming yeast of the strain Candida tropicalis at a temperature of about 28* to about 30* C. in the presence of an aqueous nutrient medium whose pH is maintained within the range of about 3 to about 5, a hydrocarbon feedstock comprising a mixture of C9 to C13 normal paraffins and air; recovering a yeast of the strain Candida tropicalis containing a small amount of the hydrocarbon feedstock as a contaminant; contacting the hydrocarbon-contaminated yeast at a temperature of about 10* to about 20* C. with an aqueous nutrient medium whose pH is maintained within the range of about 3 to about 5 and air in the absence of added hydrocarbon feedstock; and recovering an increased yield of Candida tropicalis substantially free from the contaminating hydrocarbon, the Candida tropicalis thus recovered having a higher protein content than that of the hydrocarbon-contaminated yeast.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
148 words
A process which comprises cultivating a hydrocarbon-consuming yeast of the strain Candida tropicalis at a temperature of about 28* to about 30* C. in the presence of an aqueous nutrient medium whose pH is maintained within the range of about 3 to about 5, a hydrocarbon feedstock comprising a mixture of C9 to C13 normal paraffins and air; recovering a yeast of the strain Candida tropicalis containing a small amount of the hydrocarbon feedstock as a contaminant; contacting the hydrocarbon-contaminated yeast at a temperature of about 10* to about 20* C. with an aqueous nutrient medium whose pH is maintained within the range of about 3 to about 5 and air in the absence of added hydrocarbon feedstock; and recovering an increased yield of Candida tropicalis substantially free from the contaminating hydrocarbon, the Candida tropicalis thus recovered having a higher protein content than that of the hydrocarbon-contaminated yeast.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
136 words
A process which comprises cultivating a hydrocarbon-consuming yeast of the strain Candida tropicalis at a temperature of about 28* to about 30* C. in the presence of an aqueous nutrient medium whose pH is maintained at about 3, a hydrocarbon feedstock comprising a mixture of C9 to C13 normal paraffins and air; recovering a yeast of the strain Candida tropicalis containing a small amount of the hydrocarbon feedstock as a contaminant; contacting the hydrocarbon-contaminated yeast at a temperature of about 10* to about 20* C. with an aqueous nutrient medium whose pH is maintained at about 3 and air in the absence of added hydrocarbon feedstock; and recovering an increased yield of Candida tropicalis substantially free from the contaminating hydrocarbon, the Candida tropicalis thus recovered having a higher protein content than that of the hydrocarbon-contaminated yeast.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
136 words
A process which comprises cultivating a hydrocarbon-consuming yeast of the strain Candida tropicalis at a temperature of about 28* to about 30* C. in the presence of an aqueous nutrient medium whose pH is maintained at about 3, a hydrocarbon feedstock comprising a mixture of C9 to C13 normal paraffins and air; recovering a yeast of the strain Candida tropicalis containing a small amount of the hydrocarbon feedstock as a contaminant; contacting the hydrocarbon-contaminated yeast at a temperature of about 10* to about 20* C. with an aqueous nutrient medium whose pH is maintained at about 3 and air in the absence of added hydrocarbon feedstock; and recovering an increased yield of Candida tropicalis substantially free from the contaminating hydrocarbon, the Candida tropicalis thus recovered having a higher protein content than that of the hydrocarbon-contaminated yeast.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3264196A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-11-15 | 1975-05-17 | 1975-11-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-11-15 | 1979-05-17 | 1979-11-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-11-15 | 1983-05-17 | 1983-11-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |