초록 ▼

Water soluble oxygenated hydrocarbons produced by microbial fermentation, e.g., ethanol, butanol, acetone, etc., are conveniently and economically recovered with a minimum expenditure of energy by passing heated by-product carbon dioxide gas through at least a portion of the fermentation medium to s

Water soluble oxygenated hydrocarbons produced by microbial fermentation, e.g., ethanol, butanol, acetone, etc., are conveniently and economically recovered with a minimum expenditure of energy by passing heated by-product carbon dioxide gas through at least a portion of the fermentation medium to simultaneously vaporize and carry off oxygenated hydrocarbon fermentation product dissolved therein and reduce the temperature of the fermentation medium to a level conducive to maximum oxygenated hydrocarbon production. The vaporized oxygenated hydrocarbon fermentation product is separated from the carbon dioxide gas in a scrubbing unit and the resulting aqueous solution of product is concentrated, if desired, by distillation.

대표청구항 ▼

In a process for producing a water soluble oxygenated hydrocarbon and by-product carbon dioxide gas from the exothermic fermentative action of a microorganism upon a substrate, wherein the improvement comprises scrubbing the by-product carbon dioxide gas with water to recover substantially all of th

In a process for producing a water soluble oxygenated hydrocarbon and by-product carbon dioxide gas from the exothermic fermentative action of a microorganism upon a substrate, wherein the improvement comprises scrubbing the by-product carbon dioxide gas with water to recover substantially all of the oxygenated hydrocarbon present therein as a dilute aqueous solution, heating the carbon dioxide gas to a temperature above the temperature of the fermentation medium, and passing the heated gas through at least a portion of fermentation medium to simultaneously vaporize and carry off oxygenated hydrocarbon present in said medium and reduce the temperature of the medium by the effect of evaporative cooling.