US3847739A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Cultivation of micro-organisms on a feedstock consisting at least in part of straight chain hydrocarbons
Assignee: BP PLC
•
Filing: 1973-05-21
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Granted: 1974-11-12
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Expires: 1993-05-21
Abstract
Abstract The present invention is directed to an improved hydrocarbon fermentation process which comprises cultivating a straight chain paraffinic hydrocarbon consuming micro-organism in the presence of a feedstock consisting at least in part of a straight chain hydrocarbon, recovering a fraction comprising the micro-organism and at least some aqueous medium and residual hydrocarbon, adding a surface active agent and subjecting the resulting mixture to phase separation to recover (a) a treated fraction comprising the micro-organism together with an aqueous phase and some residual hydrocarbon fraction and (b) a hydrocarbon fraction and subjecting the treated fraction to solvent extraction to remove lipids and associated hydrocarbons from said microorganism.
Inventors
- 👤 A Champagnat
- 👤 B Laine
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-10 00:42
CPC Classifications
C; C12; C12N; C12N1/00; C12N1/26; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S435/00; Y10S435/8215; Y10S435/822; Y10S435/911; Y10S435/921; Y10S435/923; Y10S435/944
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
120 words
A PROCESS WHICH COMPRISES CULTIVATING A STRAIGHT CHAIN PARAFFINIC HYDROCARBON-CONSUMING MICRO-ORGANISM IN THE PRESENCE OF A FEEDSTOCK CONSISTING AT LEAST IN PART OF A STRAIGHT CHAIN HYDROCARBON, RECOVERING A FRACTION COMPRISING THE MICRO-ORGANISM AND AT LEAST SOME AQUEOUS MEDIUM AND RESIDUAL HYDROCARBON, MIXING SAID FRACTION WITH A SURFACE ACTIVE AGENT AND TREATING THE MIXTURE TO RECOVER (A) A WASHED FRACTION COMPRISING THE MICRO-ORGANISM TOGETHER WITH AN AQUEOUS PHASE AND SOME RESIDUAL HYDROCARBON FRACTION AND (B) A HYDROCARBON FRACTION OF REDUCED CONTENT OF STRAIGHT CHAIN PARAFFINS OR WHICH IS FREE OF NORMAL PARAFFINS; THE SAID WASHED FRACTION BEING TREATED BY SOLVENT EXTRACTION FOR THE REMOVAL, AT LEAST IN PART, FROM THE MICRO-ORGANISM OF LIPIDS TOGETHER WITH HYDROCARBONS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID MICRO-ORGANISM.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
120 words
A PROCESS WHICH COMPRISES CULTIVATING A STRAIGHT CHAIN PARAFFINIC HYDROCARBON-CONSUMING MICRO-ORGANISM IN THE PRESENCE OF A FEEDSTOCK CONSISTING AT LEAST IN PART OF A STRAIGHT CHAIN HYDROCARBON, RECOVERING A FRACTION COMPRISING THE MICRO-ORGANISM AND AT LEAST SOME AQUEOUS MEDIUM AND RESIDUAL HYDROCARBON, MIXING SAID FRACTION WITH A SURFACE ACTIVE AGENT AND TREATING THE MIXTURE TO RECOVER (A) A WASHED FRACTION COMPRISING THE MICRO-ORGANISM TOGETHER WITH AN AQUEOUS PHASE AND SOME RESIDUAL HYDROCARBON FRACTION AND (B) A HYDROCARBON FRACTION OF REDUCED CONTENT OF STRAIGHT CHAIN PARAFFINS OR WHICH IS FREE OF NORMAL PARAFFINS; THE SAID WASHED FRACTION BEING TREATED BY SOLVENT EXTRACTION FOR THE REMOVAL, AT LEAST IN PART, FROM THE MICRO-ORGANISM OF LIPIDS TOGETHER WITH HYDROCARBONS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID MICRO-ORGANISM.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
127 words
A process which comprises cultivating a straight chain paraffinic hydrocarbon-consuming micro-organism in the presence of a feedstock consisting at least in part of a straight chain hydrocarbon, recovering a fraction comprising the micro-organism and at least some aqueous medium and residual hydrocarBon, mixing said fraction with a surface active agent and treating the mixture to recover (a) a washed fraction comprising the micro-organism together with an aqueous phase and some residual hydrocarbon fraction and (b) a hydrocarbon fraction of reduced content of straight chain paraffins or which is free of normal paraffins and thereafter a micro-organism containing fraction derived from said washed fraction being treated by solvent extraction for the removal, at least in part, from the micro-organism of lipids together with hydrocarbons associated with said micro-organism.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
127 words
A process which comprises cultivating a straight chain paraffinic hydrocarbon-consuming micro-organism in the presence of a feedstock consisting at least in part of a straight chain hydrocarbon, recovering a fraction comprising the micro-organism and at least some aqueous medium and residual hydrocarBon, mixing said fraction with a surface active agent and treating the mixture to recover (a) a washed fraction comprising the micro-organism together with an aqueous phase and some residual hydrocarbon fraction and (b) a hydrocarbon fraction of reduced content of straight chain paraffins or which is free of normal paraffins and thereafter a micro-organism containing fraction derived from said washed fraction being treated by solvent extraction for the removal, at least in part, from the micro-organism of lipids together with hydrocarbons associated with said micro-organism.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
A process according to claim 1 in which the straight chain paraffinic hydrocarbon-consuming micro-organism is a yeast.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
A process according to claim 3 in which the yeast is of the family Cryptococcaceae.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
A process according to claim 4 in which the yeast is of the subfamily Cryptococcoideae.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
A process according to claim 5 in which the yeast is of the genus Torulopsis.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
A process according to claim 5 in which the yeast is of the genus Candida.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
13 words
A process according to claim 7 in which the yeast is Candida lipolytica.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
13 words
A process according to claim 1 in which the micro-organism is a bacterium.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
A process according to claim 1 in which the solvent extraction is effected by means of a solvent comprising a hydrocarbon.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
A process according to claim 10 in which the solvent comprising a hydrocarbon is a mixture of a hydrocarbon and a polar solvent.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
A process according to claim 11 in which the polar solvent is an alcohol.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
13 words
A process according to claim 12 in which the polar solvent is ethanol.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
13 words
A process according to claim 12 in which the polar solvent is isopropanol.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
13 words
A process according to claim 11 in which the hydrocarbon is normal hexane.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
12 words
A process according to claim 11 in which the hydrocarbon is benzene.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
15 words
A process according to claim 11 in which the hydrocarbon is a light platformate fraction.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
18 words
A process according to claim 11 in which the mixed hydrocarbon and polar solvent is an azeotropic mixture.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
103 words
A process which comprises cultivating a straight chain paraffinic hydrocarbon-consuming yeast in the presence of a feedstock consisting at least in part of a straight chain hydrocarbon, recovering a fraction comprising the yeast and at least some aqueous medium and residual hydrocarbon, mixing said fraction with a surface active agent, subjecting the mixture to a phase separation to recover (a) a treated fraction comprising the yeast together with an aqueous phase and some residual hydrocarbon fraction and (b) a hydrocarbon fraction and subjecting the said treated fraction to solvent extraction to remove a part of the lipids and associated hydrocarbons from said yeast.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
103 words
A process which comprises cultivating a straight chain paraffinic hydrocarbon-consuming yeast in the presence of a feedstock consisting at least in part of a straight chain hydrocarbon, recovering a fraction comprising the yeast and at least some aqueous medium and residual hydrocarbon, mixing said fraction with a surface active agent, subjecting the mixture to a phase separation to recover (a) a treated fraction comprising the yeast together with an aqueous phase and some residual hydrocarbon fraction and (b) a hydrocarbon fraction and subjecting the said treated fraction to solvent extraction to remove a part of the lipids and associated hydrocarbons from said yeast.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3186962A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-11-11 | 1978-05-13 | 1978-11-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-11-11 | 1982-05-13 | 1982-11-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-11-11 | 1986-05-13 | 1986-11-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |