A method for producing an organic substance includes a step of passing a synthesis gas G1 discharged from a gasifier 11 through a gas cooling tower 21 to cool the synthesis gas G1 with water sprayed in the gas cooling tower 21, a step of passing the synthesis gas G1 cooled in the gas cooling tower 21 through a filtration-type dust collector 22 and a step of bringing a synthesis gas G2 that has passed through at least the gas cooling tower 21 and the filtration-type dust collector 22 into contact with a microbial catalyst to generate an organic substance.

The invention provides a process for producing a fermentable gas stream from a gas source that contains one or more constituent which may be harmful to the fermentation process. To produce the fermentable gas stream, the gas stream is passed through a specifically ordered series of removal modules. The removal modules remove and/or convert various constituents found in the gas stream which may have harmful effects on downstream removal modules and/or inhibitory effects on downstream gas fermenting microorganisms. At least a portion of the fermentable gas stream is preferably capable of being passed to a bioreactor, which contains gas fermenting microorganisms, without inhibiting the fermentation process.

Systems and methods are provided for integrated conversion of biomass to ultimately form naphtha and/or diesel boiling range products. The integrated conversion can include an initial conversion of biomass to alcohols, such as by fermentation, followed by conversion of alcohols to olefins and then olefins to naphtha, jet, and diesel boiling range compounds, with high selectivity for formation of diesel boiling range compounds. The integrated conversion process can be facilitated by using a common catalyst for both the conversion of alcohols to olefins and the conversion of olefins to naphtha and/or diesel boiling range compounds. For example, ZSM-48 (an MRE zeotype framework structure catalyst) can be used as the catalyst for both conversion of alcohols to olefins and for oligomerization of olefins with increased selectivity for formation of diesel boiling range products.

According to one broad aspect of this disclosure, a method is provided for producing polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) from organic waste. The method comprises homogenizing organic waste to obtain a feedstock that has 1:1 to 3:1 (w/w) water to organic waste ratio. The feedstock is inoculated with an inoculum of acidogenic fermentative bacteria in order to obtain an inoculated feedstock. The inoculated feedstock is incubated for 5 to 10 days, 3 to 10 days, optionally 7 days, optionally 3 days, to obtain a fermentation broth. The fermentation broth comprises volatile fatty acids (VFAs) and undigested organic waste. The fermentation broth is filtered with a filter with a pore size ranging from 0.2 μm to 500,000 NMWC to remove the acidogenic fermentative bacteria and undigested organic waste, to obtain a clarified broth comprising concentrated VFAs. The clarified broth and high-PHA producing bacteria are incubated to produce intracellular PHA granules in the high-PHA producing bacteria. PHA polymers are extracted from the intracellular PHA granules.

A system for converting a biomass into a biofuel including a biomass processing station arranged to receive the biomass from a biomass harvester, output the biomass to a hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) converter, and receive a processed biomass from the HTL converter. The system includes a conduit arranged to transport the biomass from the biomass processing station to the HTL converter and transport the processed biomass from the HTL converter to the biomass processing station. The HTL converter includes a heat exchanger arranged to transfer thermal energy from a geothermal heat source to the biomass to convert the biomass into the processed biomass. The system also includes a controller arranged to monitor conditions of the biomass at locations along the conduit and adjust operations of components along the conduit to, thereby, adjust the conditions of the biomass at one or more locations along the conduit.

Device and process for the conversion of a feedstock of aromatic compounds, in which the feedstock is treated notably by means of a fractionation train (4-7), a xylene separation unit (10) and an isomerization unit (11), and in which a pyrolysis unit (13) treats a second hydrocarbon feedstock, produces a pyrolysis effluent feeding the feedstock, and produces a pyrolysis gas comprising CO, CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2; a reverse water gas shift RWGS reaction section (50) treats the pyrolysis gas and produces an RWGS gas enriched in CO and in water; a fermentation reaction section (52) treats the RWGS gas enriched in CO and in water, to produce ethanol and recycle the ethanol to the inlet of the pyrolysis unit.

What is described is an integrated steel mill and a bioreactor configured to produce useful products from the waste stream of the steel mill. A waste gas stack which is connected to the steel mill is connected to a heat exchanger to cool the waste gas from the steel mill. The cooled gas is pressurized using a pressurization apparatus connected to the heat exchanger. The pressurized gas is sent to an oxygen removal apparatus connected to the pressurization apparatus. An oxygen depleted waste stream from the oxygen removal apparatus is passed to a bioreactor (connected to the oxygen removal apparatus) where microorganisms ferment the waste stream to products. Optional apparatus such as scrubbers, valves, buffers, are also disclosed. The products of the fermentation in the bioreactor can be ethanol and or acetate.

A system for converting a biomass into a biofuel including a biomass processing station arranged to receive the biomass from a biomass harvester, output the biomass to a hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) converter, and receive a processed biomass from the HTL converter. The system includes a conduit arranged to transport the biomass from the biomass processing station to the HTL converter and transport the processed biomass from the HTL converter to the biomass processing station. The HTL converter includes a heat exchanger arranged to transfer thermal energy from a geothermal heat source to the biomass to convert the biomass into the processed biomass. The system also includes a controller arranged to monitor conditions of the biomass at locations along the conduit and adjust operations of components along the conduit to, thereby, adjust the conditions of the biomass at one or more locations along the conduit.

A process and/or system for producing one or more biofuels, wherein biogas (e.g., partially purified biogas produced by removing water, hydrogen sulfide and/or carbon dioxide from raw biogas) is transported by vehicle in one or mobile vessels. De-pressurization of the mobile vessels provides a change in pressure that can be used to provide work, cooling, and/or increased pressure for the production process. Combustion of the biogas produces heat and/or power used to reduce a carbon intensity of the biofuel or biofuel intermediate.

The subject invention provides systems, apparatuses and methods for cultivating microorganisms and for producing microbial metabolites on a large scale. Specifically, in certain embodiments, a system comprising three separate, but connected, vessels is provided, wherein a first vessel serves as a feed tank for supplying nutrient medium to a second vessel, said second vessel serving as a submerged fermentation reactor; and wherein a third vessel serves as a collection container into which foam containing microbial growth by-products is transferred from the second vessel.