Methods of preserving a microalgae biomass and a preserved microalgae biomass

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018305656-A1
Application number	US-201715495625-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 24, 2017
Priority date	Apr 24, 2017
Publication date	Oct 25, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of preserving a biomass. The method comprises adding an acid solution to a biomass comprising microalgae to form an acidified microalgae biomass composition. The acidified microalgae biomass composition is stored under anaerobic conditions without inoculating the acidified microalgae biomass composition with bacteria. An additional method of preserving a biomass comprises storing the acidified microalgae biomass composition under anaerobic conditions and exposing the acidified microalgae biomass composition to carbon dioxide, nitrogen, or a combination thereof to produce a coproduct comprising succinic acid. Yet another method of preserving a biomass comprises storing the acidified microalgae biomass composition under anaerobic conditions and in the presence of carbon dioxide. A preserved biomass is also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of preserving a biomass, the method comprising:
adding an acid solution to a biomass comprising microalgae to form an acidified microalgae biomass composition; and storing the acidified microalgae biomass composition under anaerobic conditions without inoculating the acidified microalgae biomass composition with bacteria.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein adding an acid solution to a biomass comprising microalgae comprises adding the acid solution to the biomass comprising microalgae biomass and herbaceous biomass.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein adding an acid solution to a biomass comprising microalgae comprises adding the acid solution to the biomass comprising a pH of greater than about 6.0.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein adding an acid solution to a biomass comprising microalgae comprises adding lactic acid, acetic acid, combinations thereof, or sulfuric acid to the biomass.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising exposing the acidified microalgae biomass composition to carbon dioxide, nitrogen, or a combination thereof.

6 . A method of preserving a biomass, the method comprising:
adding an acid solution to a biomass comprising microalgae to form an acidified microalgae biomass composition; storing the acidified microalgae biomass composition under anaerobic conditions; and exposing the acidified microalgae biomass composition to carbon dioxide, nitrogen, or a combination thereof to produce a coproduct comprising succinic acid.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein adding an acid solution to a biomass comprising microalgae comprises adding the acid solution to the biomass comprising at least one microalgal strain.

8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein adding an acid solution to a biomass comprising microalgae comprises adding the acid solution to the biomass comprising Scenedesmus.

9 . The method of claim 6 , wherein adding an acid solution to a biomass comprising microalgae comprises adding the acid solution to the biomass comprising Scenedesmus and corn stover.

10 . The method of claim 6 , wherein adding an acid solution to a biomass comprises forming the acidified microalgae biomass composition comprising a pH of from about 2.0 to about 5.0.

11 . The method of claim 6 , wherein adding an acid solution to a biomass comprises forming the acidified microalgae biomass composition comprising a pH of from about 2.5 to about 4.5.

12 . The method of claim 6 , wherein adding an acid solution to a biomass comprises adding an organic acid solution comprising at least one organic acid to the biomass.

13 . The method of claim 6 , wherein adding an acid solution to a biomass comprises adding an inorganic acid solution comprising at least one inorganic acid to the biomass.

14 . The method of claim 6 , wherein storing the acidified microalgae biomass composition under anaerobic conditions comprises storing the acidified microalgae biomass composition under the anaerobic conditions for at least about 30 days.

15 . The method of claim 6 , wherein adding an acid solution to a biomass comprising microalgae comprises adding the acid solution to the biomass without inoculating the biomass with a bacteria.

16 . The method of claim 6 , wherein producing a coproduct comprising succinic acid comprises producing the succinic acid in-situ by the biomass comprising microalgae.

17 . The method of claim 6 , wherein producing a coproduct comprising succinic acid comprises producing the succinic acid while exhibiting a dry matter loss of the biomass of less than about 5% dry basis.

18 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising recovering the succinic acid.

19 . A method of preserving a biomass, the method comprising:
adding an acid solution to a biomass comprising microalgae to form an acidified microalgae biomass composition; and storing the acidified microalgae biomass composition under anaerobic conditions and in the presence of carbon dioxide.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein storing the acidified microalgae biomass composition under anaerobic conditions and in the presence of carbon dioxide comprises storing the acidified microalgae biomass composition in an environment consisting of carbon dioxide.

21 . The method of claim 19 , wherein storing the acidified microalgae biomass composition under anaerobic conditions and in the presence of carbon dioxide comprises storing the acidified microalgae biomass composition in a vessel comprising a headspace and the carbon dioxide.

22 . A preserved biomass, comprising:
a biomass comprising microalgae and succinic acid, the succinic acid comprising up to about 14% of the biomass on a dry weight basis.

23 . The preserved biomass of claim 22 , wherein the succinic acid comprises from about 6% of the biomass on a dry weight basis to about 14% of the biomass on a dry weight basis.

24 . The preserved biomass of claim 22 , wherein the preserved biomass comprises a dry matter loss of less than about 5% dry basis.

25 . The preserved biomass of claim 22 , further comprising a herbaceous biomass.

26 . The preserved biomass of claim 25 , wherein the microalgae comprises Scenedesmus and the herbaceous biomass comprises corn stover.

Assignees

• Battelle Energy Alliance Llc

Inventors

• Wendt Lynn M
• Wahlen Bradley D
• Li Chenlin

Classifications

• C12N1/20

  Bacteria; Culture media therefor · CPC title

• C12P7/46

  Dicarboxylic acids having four or less carbon atoms, e.g. fumaric acid, maleic acid · CPC title

• C12N1/12 Primary

  Unicellular algae; Culture media therefor (as new plants A01H13/00) · CPC title

• C12N1/04

  Preserving or maintaining viable microorganisms (immobilised microorganisms C12N11/00) · CPC title