Provided is a method for facilitating an aerobic fermentation reaction using combustion waste gas, wherein organic waste in a reactor is heated using waste gas with heat produced from fuel combustion to facilitate the fermentation reaction, some of the chemical substances in the waste gas with heat produced from fuel combustion are absorbed by the organic waste in the reactor, and an environmental friendly treatment is performed on the waste gas with heat produced from fuel combustion. The specific practices comprise: connecting a gas outlet of a combustion device to a conveying pipe, and then connecting the conveying pipe to a gas inlet of the reactor or an air chamber aeration nozzle at a lower part of the reactor. Not only the equipment and cost for combustion waste gas treatments are saved, but also the aerobic fermentation efficiency of the organic waste is improved, which reduces the fermentation time. Not only the combustion waste gas is treated for environmental protection, but also the environmental friendly treatments of organic refuse waste are facilitated; and thus the method is an energy saving and environmental friendly technique.

The invention described herein presents compositions and methods for a multistep biological and chemical process for the capture and conversion of carbon dioxide and/or other forms of inorganic carbon into organic chemicals including biofuels or other useful industrial, chemical, pharmaceutical, or biomass products. One or more process steps utilizes chemoautotrophic microorganisms to fix inorganic carbon into organic compounds through chemosynthesis. An additional feature described are process steps whereby electron donors used for the chemosynthetic fixation of carbon are generated by chemical or electrochemical means, or are produced from inorganic or waste sources. An additional feature described are process steps for the recovery of useful chemicals produced by the carbon dioxide capture and conversion process, both from chemosynthetic reaction steps, as well as from non-biological reaction steps.

The invention relates to a method for producing products by microbial fermentation. The method comprises first converting a feed stream containing methane to a gaseous substrate comprising CO, of the invention include converting CO H.sub.2, and CO.sub.2 using a steam reforming zone and a water gas shift zone. The gaseous substrate is then converted to products such as alcohols and/or acids byto one or more products including alcohols and/or acids by fermentation using a carboxydotrophic microorganism.

An apparatus utilizes a membrane unit to capture components from atmospheric air, including carbon dioxide, enriches the carbon dioxide concentration, and delivers the enriched concentration of carbon dioxide to a sequestering facility. The membrane is configured such that as a first gas containing oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide is drawn through the membrane, a permeate stream is formed where the permeate stream has an oxygen concentration and a carbon dioxide concentration higher than in the first gas and a nitrogen concentration lower than in the first gas. A permeate conduit, having a vacuum applied to it by a vacuum generating device receives the permeate stream and a delivery conduit delivers at least a portion of the enriched carbon dioxide to a sequestering facility. The apparatus may comprise a component of a system where the system may have a flue gas generator and/or a secondary enrichment system disposed between the vacuum generating device and the sequestering facility.

The disclosure relates to methods of capturing carbon by microbial fermentation of a gaseous substrate comprising CO into one or more first products which, in turn, may be incorporated into an article of manufacture or one or more second products. Further, the disclosure relates to improving carbon capture and/or efficiency.

The present disclosure includes systems and methods for hydrolyzing (e.g., pretreatment and/or enzymatic hydrolysis) lignocellulosic biomass into one or more sugars such as pentose and glucose sugars. The present disclosure includes configurations that incorporate flashing and/or liquid cooling so as to permit desirable throughput. The present disclosure also includes a liquefaction configuration so as to permit desirable (e.g., continuous high volume) throughput.

The invention describes a methodology for production of a secondary extra-particle fungal matrix for application as a mycological material, manufactured via a Type II actively aerated static packed-bed bioreactor. A pre-conditioned air stream is passed through a substrate of discrete elements inoculated with a filamentous fungus to form an isotropic inter-particle hyphal matrix between the discrete elements. Continued feeding of the air through the substrate of discrete elements and isotropic inter-particle hyphal matrixes develops an extra-particle hyphal matrix that extends from an isotropic inter-particle hyphal matrix in the direction of airflow into a void space within the vessel.

The invention relates to a biogas plant for fermenting organic materials and for generating biogas, having a plurality of containers and/or tanks, which form at least one slurry store (7), at least one fermenter container (8) downstream of the slurry store (7), at least one post-fermenter container (9) downstream of the fermenter container (8) and/or at least one final storage container (10) downstream of the fermenter container (8). According to the invention it is provided that the entire functional biogas plant is, as a floating biogas plant, a component of a one-part or of a multi-part connected floating body.

An apparatus utilizes a membrane unit to capture components from atmospheric air, including carbon dioxide, enriches the carbon dioxide concentration, and delivers the enriched concentration of carbon dioxide to a sequestering facility. The membrane is configured such that as a first gas containing oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide is drawn through the membrane, a permeate stream is formed where the permeate stream has an oxygen concentration and a carbon dioxide concentration higher than in the first gas and a nitrogen concentration lower than in the first gas. A permeate conduit, having a vacuum applied to it by a vacuum generating device receives the permeate stream and a delivery conduit delivers at least a portion of the enriched carbon dioxide to a sequestering facility. The apparatus may comprise a component of a system where the system may have a flue gas generator and/or a secondary enrichment system disposed between the vacuum generating device and the sequestering facility.

The invention described herein presents compositions and methods for a multistep biological and chemical process for the capture and conversion of carbon dioxide and/or other forms of inorganic carbon into organic chemicals including biofuels or other useful industrial, chemical, pharmaceutical, or biomass products. One or more process steps utilizes chemoautotrophic microorganisms to fix inorganic carbon into organic compounds through chemosynthesis. An additional feature described are process steps whereby electron donors used for the chemosynthetic fixation of carbon are generated by chemical or electrochemical means, or are produced from inorganic or waste sources. An additional feature described are process steps for recovery of useful chemicals produced by the carbon dioxide capture and conversion process, both from chemosynthetic reaction steps, as well as from non-biological reaction steps.