Process for co2 absorption with carbonic anhydrase entrapped in porous supports

Abstract

A carbonic anhydrase bioreactor for treating a CO 2 -containing gas includes a reaction chamber for receiving a liquid; porous particles with carbonic anhydrase entrapped therein provided in the reaction chamber for catalyzing a reaction of CO 2 into bicarbonate and hydrogen ions to obtain a treated gas and an ion-rich solution; a retention device for retaining the porous particles within the reaction chamber; a liquid inlet for providing the liquid; a gas inlet for providing the CO 2 -containing gas; a liquid outlet for releasing the ion-rich solution; and a gas outlet to release the treated gas. Processes are also described for treating a CO 2 -containing gas, where particles comprising porous material with entrapped carbonic anhydrase catalyze the reaction and the particles are retained in the reaction chamber.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A carbonic anhydrase bioreactor for treating a CO 2 -containing gas, comprising:
 a reaction chamber for receiving a liquid;   porous particles with carbonic anhydrase entrapped therein provided in the reaction chamber for catalyzing a reaction of CO 2  into bicarbonate and hydrogen ions to obtain a treated gas and an ion-rich solution;   a retention device for retaining the porous particles within the reaction to chamber;   a liquid inlet in fluid communication with the reaction chamber for providing the reaction chamber with the liquid;   a gas inlet connected to the reaction chamber for providing the CO 2 -containing gas to be treated into the reaction chamber in order to contact the liquid;   a liquid outlet in fluid communication with the reaction chamber for releasing the ion-rich solution; and   a gas outlet in fluid communication with the reaction chamber to release the treated gas.   
     
     
         2 . The carbonic anhydrase bioreactor according to  claim 1 , wherein the porous particles are composed of an insoluble gel. 
     
     
         3 . The carbonic anhydrase bioreactor according to  claim 1 , wherein the porous particles comprise silica. 
     
     
         4 . The carbonic anhydrase bioreactor according to  claim 1 , wherein the porous particles comprise silica gel. 
     
     
         5 . The carbonic anhydrase bioreactor according to  claim 1 , wherein the porous particles comprise functionalized silica gel. 
     
     
         6 . The carbonic anhydrase bioreactor according to  claim 1 , wherein the porous particles comprise alginate. 
     
     
         7 . The carbonic anhydrase bioreactor according to  claim 1 , wherein the porous particles comprise alginate/chitosan. 
     
     
         8 . The carbonic anhydrase bioreactor according to  claim 1 , wherein the porous particles comprise alginate/carboxymethylcellulose. 
     
     
         9 . The carbonic anhydrase bioreactor according to  claim 1 , wherein the porous particles comprise a PEG network. 
     
     
         10 . The carbonic anhydrase bioreactor according to  claim 1 , wherein the porous particles comprise an albumin network. 
     
     
         11 . The carbonic anhydrase bioreactor according to  claim 1 , wherein the porous particles include particles of 0.005 μm to 0.1 μm in size. 
     
     
         12 . The carbonic anhydrase bioreactor according to  claim 1 , wherein the porous particles include particles of up to 9 mm in diameter 
     
     
         13 . The carbonic anhydrase bioreactor according to  claim 1 , wherein the porous particles include particles of 1 mm to 9 mm in diameter. 
     
     
         14 . The carbonic anhydrase bioreactor according to  claim 1 , wherein the porous particles comprise nylon. 
     
     
         15 . The carbonic anhydrase bioreactor according to  claim 1 , wherein the porous particles comprise polystyrene. 
     
     
         16 . The carbonic anhydrase bioreactor according to  claim 1 , wherein the porous particles comprise polyurethane. 
     
     
         17 . The carbonic anhydrase bioreactor according to  claim 1 , wherein the porous particles comprise polymethylmethacrylate, 
     
     
         18 . The carbonic anhydrase bioreactor according to  claim 1 , wherein the porous particles are in suspension within the liquid in the reaction chamber. 
     
     
         19 . A process using carbonic anhydrase for treating a CO 2 -containing gas, comprising:
 providing porous particles with carbonic anhydrase entrapped therein in a reaction chamber for catalyzing a reaction of CO 2  into bicarbonate and hydrogen ions to obtain a treated gas and an ion-rich solution;   retaining the porous particles within the reaction chamber;   contacting the CO 2 -containing gas to be treated with the liquid within the reaction chamber in the presence of the carbonic anhydrase entrapped in the porous particles, to promote the chemical conversion of the dissolved CO 2  into an ion-rich solution containing hydrogen ions and bicarbonate ions and obtaining a treated gas;   releasing the ion-rich solution from the reaction chamber; and   releasing the treated gas from the reaction chamber.   
     
     
         20 . The process according to  claim 19 , wherein the porous particles comprise an insoluble gel, silica gel, alginate, alginate/chitosan, alginate/carboxymethylcellulose, a PEG network, an albumin network, nylon, polystyrene, polyurethane, or polymethylmethacrylate. 
     
     
         21 . The process according to  claim 19 , wherein the porous particles include particles of 0.005 μm to 0.1 μm in size. 
     
     
         22 . The process according to  claim 19 , wherein the porous particles include particles of 1 mm to 9 mm in diameter. 
     
     
         23 . The process according to  claim 19 , wherein the porous particles are in suspension within the liquid in the reaction chamber. 
     
     
         24 . A carbonic anhydrase bioreactor for treating a CO 2 -containing gas, comprising:
 a reaction chamber for receiving a liquid;   particles comprising porous material with carbonic anhydrase entrapped in the porous material, the particles being provided in the reaction chamber for catalyzing a reaction of CO 2  into bicarbonate and hydrogen ions to obtain a treated gas and an ion-rich solution;   a retention device for retaining the porous particles within the reaction chamber;   a liquid inlet in fluid communication with the reaction chamber for providing the reaction chamber with the liquid;   a gas inlet connected to the reaction chamber for providing the CO 2 -containing gas to be treated into the reaction chamber in order to contact the liquid;   a liquid outlet in fluid communication with the reaction chamber for releasing the ion-rich solution; and   a gas outlet in fluid communication with the reaction chamber to release the treated gas.   
     
     
         25 . The carbonic anhydrase bioreactor according to  claim 24 , wherein the porous material comprises an insoluble gel, silica gel, alginate, alginate/chitosan, alginate/carboxymethylcellulose, a PEG network, or an albumin network. 
     
     
         26 . The carbonic anhydrase bioreactor according to  claim 24 , wherein the particles are 0.005 μm to 0.1 μm in size. 
     
     
         27 . The carbonic anhydrase bioreactor according to  claim 24 , wherein the particles are 1 mm to 9 mm in diameter. 
     
     
         28 . The carbonic anhydrase bioreactor according to  claim 24 , wherein the particles are in suspension within the liquid in the reaction chamber. 
     
     
         29 . A process using carbonic anhydrase for treating a CO 2 -containing gas, comprising:
 providing particles comprising porous material with carbonic anhydrase entrapped in the porous material, in a reaction chamber for catalyzing a reaction of CO 2  into bicarbonate and hydrogen ions to obtain a treated gas and an ion-rich solution;   retaining the particles within the reaction chamber;   contacting the CO 2 -containing gas to be treated with the liquid within the reaction chamber in the presence of the carbonic anhydrase entrapped in the porous particles, to promote the chemical conversion of the dissolved CO 2  into an ion-rich solution containing hydrogen ions and bicarbonate ions and obtaining a treated gas;   releasing the ion-rich solution from the reaction chamber; and   releasing the treated gas from the reaction chamber.   
     
     
         30 . The process according to  claim 29 , wherein the porous material comprises an insoluble gel, silica gel, alginate, alginate/chitosan, alginate/carboxymethylcellulose, a PEG network, or an albumin network. 
     
     
         31 . The process according to  claim 29 , wherein the particles are 0.005 μm to 0.1 μm in size. 
     
     
         32 . The process according to  claim 29 , wherein the particles are 1 mm to 9 mm in diameter. 
     
     
         33 . The process according to  claim 29 , wherein the particles are in suspension within the liquid in the reaction chamber.