At least one isolated microorganism and a fermentation method to convert hydrogen gas, carbon dioxide gas, and/or carbon monoxide gas to a lower alkyl alcohol and/or carboxylic acid and to produce at least 2% by volume of the lower alkyl alcohol or carboxylic acid in an aqueous-based medium.

At least one isolated microorganism and a fermentation method to convert hydrogen gas, carbon dioxide gas, and/or carbon monoxide gas to a lower alkyl alcohol and/or carboxylic acid and to produce at least 2% by volume of the lower alkyl alcohol or carboxylic acid in an aqueous-based medium.

Biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) is processed to produce useful intermediates and products, such as energy, fuels, foods or materials. Systems, methods and equipment are described for upgrading process streams using electrodialysis or electrodialysis reversal.

Materials (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) are processed to produce useful intermediates and products, such as energy, fuels, foods or materials. For example, systems equipment, and methods are described that can be used to treat feedstock materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials, using an array of vaults.

Materials (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) are processed to produce useful intermediates and products, such as energy, fuels, foods or materials. For example, systems equipment, and methods are described that can be used to treat feedstock materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials, using an array of vaults.

A process including the steps of: providing a glycerol rich-fraction as carbon source to a fermentation medium; fermenting the fermentation medium by means of a microorganism capable of producing propionic acid in the presence of a caustic salt to provide a fermentation broth including a propionic acid salt; and recovering propionic acid salt from the fermentation broth, wherein the glycerol rich-fraction is derived from a process including the steps of: subjecting the glycerol fraction to an evaporative crystallization step to form a distillate fraction including water, and a residue fraction including glycerol and solid salts; and subjecting the residue fraction to a salt removal step, resulting in a salt fraction and a glycerol-rich fraction. The process allows the manufacture of a propionic acid salt using a glycerol-rich carbon source without problems in down-stream processing, and without need for cost-intensive purification steps for the glycerol.

A process including the steps of: providing a glycerol rich-fraction as carbon source to a fermentation medium; fermenting the fermentation medium by means of a microorganism capable of producing propionic acid in the presence of a caustic salt to provide a fermentation broth including a propionic acid salt; and recovering propionic acid salt from the fermentation broth, wherein the glycerol rich-fraction is derived from a process including the steps of: subjecting the glycerol fraction to an evaporative crystallization step to form a distillate fraction including water, and a residue fraction including glycerol and solid salts; and subjecting the residue fraction to a salt removal step, resulting in a salt fraction and a glycerol-rich fraction. The process allows the manufacture of a propionic acid salt using a glycerol-rich carbon source without problems in down-stream processing, and without need for cost-intensive purification steps for the glycerol.

The process for producing amino acids from volatile fatty acid (VFA) molecules, referred to as precursors, produced by anaerobic fermentation from fermentable biomass, comprises at least the following steps: a) extracting the volatile fatty acid (VFA) molecules, without stopping the fermentation, via an extraction means chosen from means that are, at least, insoluble in the fermentation medium, b) collecting, outside the fermentation reactor, the volatile fatty acid (VFA) molecules once they have been extracted, c) synthesizing, by halogenation, using a type of volatile fatty acid (VFA) chosen from the volatile fatty acids collected in step b) and defined according to the desired type of amino acid, a given -halo acid, d) synthesizing from this -halo acid a defined amino acid.

The process for producing amino acids from volatile fatty acid (VFA) molecules, referred to as precursors, produced by anaerobic fermentation from fermentable biomass, comprises at least the following steps: a) extracting the volatile fatty acid (VFA) molecules, without stopping the fermentation, via an extraction means chosen from means that are, at least, insoluble in the fermentation medium, b) collecting, outside the fermentation reactor, the volatile fatty acid (VFA) molecules once they have been extracted, c) synthesizing, by halogenation, using a type of volatile fatty acid (VFA) chosen from the volatile fatty acids collected in step b) and defined according to the desired type of amino acid, a given -halo acid, d) synthesizing from this -halo acid a defined amino acid.

Processes for starting up and operating anaerobic, deep tank fermentation reactors including a process for anaerobic bioconversion of a gas substrate comprising carbon monoxide, hydrogen, and carbon dioxide in a reactor by contact of the gas substrate with an aqueous menstruum containing microorganisms suitable for converting the gas substrate to an oxygenated organic compound in the reactor. The process further includes: blanketing the reactor above the aqueous menstruum to the essential exclusion of oxygen with a head space gas comprising at least one of carbon monoxide, hydrogen, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and a lower alkane; continuously supplying a feed gas comprising at least a portion of the gas substrate to the aqueous menstruum in the reactor; and injecting the gas substrate and a motive liquid into the reactor to form a dispersion of the motive liquid and microbubbles, the microbubbles having a diameter of less than about 500 microns.