Methods and Systems for the Production of Alcohols and/or Acids

Abstract

Methods and systems for the production of one or more products from a gas stream produced in a methanol production process. The method comprises converting at least a portion of a methane feedstock to a substrate comprising CO and H2. The substrate comprising CO and H2 is anaerobically fermented in a bioreactor to produce one or more alcohols. The method and system may further include process for the production of methanol processes for the production of acetic acid.

1 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A method for producing one or more products from a gas stream comprising methane, the method comprising;
 a) converting at least a portion of the gas stream to a substrate comprising CO and H 2  by catalytic oxidation;   b) passing a portion of the substrate to a methanol synthesis vessel operated at conditions to convert at least a portion of the CO and H 2  to methanol; and   c) passing a second portion of the substrate of step (a) to a bioreactor containing a culture of at least one microorganism, and anaerobically fermenting at least a portion of the substrate comprising CO and H 2  to produce at least one product.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22  further comprising taking an exit gas stream comprising CO and H 2  from the methanol synthesis vessel and passing it to the bioreactor for use as a fermentation substrate. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the at least one product is selected from the group consisting of ethanol; 2,3-butanediol; and acetic acid. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22  wherein a hydrogen rich gas stream is produced as a by-product of the fermentation, the hydrogen rich gas stream comprising hydrogen and carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25  further comprising passing the hydrogen rich gas stream to a second bioreactor comprising a culture of at least one microorganism; and anaerobically fermenting at least a portion of the hydrogen rich gas stream to produce at least one product. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the at least one product is selected from the group consisting of alcohols and acids. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27  wherein the acid is acetic acid. 
     
     
         29 . The process of  claim 22  further comprising passing at least a portion of an exit stream comprising methanol and CO from the methanol synthesis vessel to a methanol carbonylation vessel operated at conditions to convert the methanol and CO to acetic acid. 
     
     
         30 . The process of  claim 29  further comprising passing an exit stream from the carbonylation vessel, the exit stream comprising acetic acid, by-products and waste products to a separation vessel operated at conditions to produce an acetic acid product stream and a gaseous stream comprising CO. 
     
     
         31 . The process of  claim 30  where the gaseous stream is passed to the bioreactor. 
     
     
         32 . A system for producing products by microbial fermentation, the system comprising;
 a) a catalytic oxidation zone, wherein a methane feedstock is converted to a substrate comprising CO and H 2 ;   b) a methanol synthesis vessel configured to convert at least a portion of the substrate comprising CO and H 2  to methanol;   c) means to pass at least a portion of the substrate comprising CO and H 2  to a first bioreactor prior to and/or after the substrate is passed to the methanol synthesis vessel of (b); and   d) a first bioreactor containing a microbial culture of one or more microorganisms, the bioreactor being configured to covert at least a portion of the substrate comprising CO and H 2  to products by microbial fermentation.   
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 32 , further comprising a second bioreactor connected to the first bioreactor, the second bioreactor containing a culture of one or more microorganism, capable of converting a substrate comprising H 2  and CO 2  to products by microbial fermentation. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 33  wherein the substrate comprising H 2  and CO 2  is a by-product of the fermentation of CO and H 2  from the first bioreactor; wherein the system further comprises a means for passing the substrate comprising H 2  and CO 2  from the first bioreactor to the second bioreactor. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 32  further comprising a methanol carbonylation vessel configured to receive at least a portion of an exit stream comprising methanol and CO from the methanol synthesis vessel, the carbonylation vessel configured to convert the methanol and CO to acetic acid. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 35  further comprising a separation vessel configured to receive at least a portion of an exit stream comprising acetic acid, by-products and waste products from the carbonylation vessel, the separation vessel configured to produce an acetic acid product stream and a gaseous stream comprising CO.