Process Intensification for the Biological Production of the Fuel Precursor Butyric Acid from Biomass

Davinia Salvachua; Patrick Saboe; Robert Nelson; Christine Singer; Ian McNamara; Carlos del Cerro; Yat-Chen Chou; Ali Mohagheghi; Darren Peterson; Stefan Haugen; Nicholas Cleveland; Hanna Monroe; Michael Guarnieri; Eric Tan; Gregg Beckham; Eric Karp; Jeffrey Linger

doi:10.1016/j.xcrp.2021.100587

Process Intensification for the Biological Production of the Fuel Precursor Butyric Acid from Biomass

Davinia Salvachua, Patrick Saboe, Robert Nelson, Christine Singer, Ian McNamara, Carlos del Cerro, Yat-Chen Chou, Ali Mohagheghi, Darren Peterson, Stefan Haugen, Nicholas Cleveland, Hanna Monroe, Michael Guarnieri, Eric Tan, Gregg Beckham, Eric Karp, Jeffrey Linger

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

21 Scopus Citations

Abstract

The production of fuels from lignocellulosic biomass is key to reduce our reliance on petroleum and to promote a sustainable bioeconomy. Butyric acid (BA) is a promising chemical precursor for the production of renewable diesel and jet fuels. BA can be biologically produced from lignocellulosic sugars. However, challenges associated with product selectivity and recovery must be overcome to achieve industrially relevant metrics. Here, we evaluate various fermentation configurations and demonstrate near-homo-butyrate production by using the biocatalyst Clostridium tyrobutyricum. We also develop an advanced in situ product recovery process based on hybrid extraction-distillation (HED-ISPR) and conduct techno-economic analyses and life cycle assessments. We demonstrate that the HED-ISPR process lowers the overall capital and operating expenses and environmental impact compared to other traditional fermentation processes. Overall, BA minimum product selling price from biomass is 55% of the current BA selling price from petroleum, a significant decrease toward viable renewable fuel production.

Original language	American English
Article number	Article No. 100587
Number of pages	21
Journal	Cell Reports Physical Science
Volume	2
Issue number	10
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xcrp.2021.100587 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xcrp.2021.100587
State	Published - 20 Oct 2021

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Authors

NREL Publication Number

NREL/JA-2800-80834

Keywords

biofuels
bioseparations
carboxylic acids
Clostridium butyricum
Clostridium tyrobutyricum
fermentation
hybrid extraction-distillation
in situ product recovery
life cycle assessment.
volatile fatty acids

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy22osti/80834.pdf

Cite this

Salvachua, D., Saboe, P., Nelson, R., Singer, C., McNamara, I., del Cerro, C., Chou, Y.-C., Mohagheghi, A., Peterson, D., Haugen, S., Cleveland, N., Monroe, H., Guarnieri, M., Tan, E., Beckham, G., Karp, E., & Linger, J. (2021). Process Intensification for the Biological Production of the Fuel Precursor Butyric Acid from Biomass. Cell Reports Physical Science, 2(10), Article Article No. 100587. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xcrp.2021.100587, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xcrp.2021.100587

@article{23c0e1f968a34fd8954320c422d10347,

title = "Process Intensification for the Biological Production of the Fuel Precursor Butyric Acid from Biomass",

abstract = "The production of fuels from lignocellulosic biomass is key to reduce our reliance on petroleum and to promote a sustainable bioeconomy. Butyric acid (BA) is a promising chemical precursor for the production of renewable diesel and jet fuels. BA can be biologically produced from lignocellulosic sugars. However, challenges associated with product selectivity and recovery must be overcome to achieve industrially relevant metrics. Here, we evaluate various fermentation configurations and demonstrate near-homo-butyrate production by using the biocatalyst Clostridium tyrobutyricum. We also develop an advanced in situ product recovery process based on hybrid extraction-distillation (HED-ISPR) and conduct techno-economic analyses and life cycle assessments. We demonstrate that the HED-ISPR process lowers the overall capital and operating expenses and environmental impact compared to other traditional fermentation processes. Overall, BA minimum product selling price from biomass is 55% of the current BA selling price from petroleum, a significant decrease toward viable renewable fuel production.",

keywords = "biofuels, bioseparations, carboxylic acids, Clostridium butyricum, Clostridium tyrobutyricum, fermentation, hybrid extraction-distillation, in situ product recovery, life cycle assessment., volatile fatty acids",

author = "Davinia Salvachua and Patrick Saboe and Robert Nelson and Christine Singer and Ian McNamara and {del Cerro}, Carlos and Yat-Chen Chou and Ali Mohagheghi and Darren Peterson and Stefan Haugen and Nicholas Cleveland and Hanna Monroe and Michael Guarnieri and Eric Tan and Gregg Beckham and Eric Karp and Jeffrey Linger",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 The Authors",

year = "2021",

month = oct,

day = "20",

doi = "10.1016/j.xcrp.2021.100587",

language = "American English",

volume = "2",

journal = "Cell Reports Physical Science",

issn = "2666-3864",

publisher = "Cell Press",

number = "10",

}

Salvachua, D , Saboe, P , Nelson, R , Singer, C, McNamara, I, del Cerro, C, Chou, Y-C, Mohagheghi, A, Peterson, D , Haugen, S , Cleveland, N, Monroe, H, Guarnieri, M , Tan, E , Beckham, G, Karp, E & Linger, J 2021, 'Process Intensification for the Biological Production of the Fuel Precursor Butyric Acid from Biomass', Cell Reports Physical Science, vol. 2, no. 10, Article No. 100587. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xcrp.2021.100587, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xcrp.2021.100587

TY - JOUR

T1 - Process Intensification for the Biological Production of the Fuel Precursor Butyric Acid from Biomass

AU - Salvachua, Davinia

AU - Saboe, Patrick

AU - Nelson, Robert

AU - Singer, Christine

AU - McNamara, Ian

AU - del Cerro, Carlos

AU - Chou, Yat-Chen

AU - Mohagheghi, Ali

AU - Peterson, Darren

AU - Haugen, Stefan

AU - Cleveland, Nicholas

AU - Monroe, Hanna

AU - Guarnieri, Michael

AU - Tan, Eric

AU - Beckham, Gregg

AU - Karp, Eric

AU - Linger, Jeffrey

PY - 2021/10/20

Y1 - 2021/10/20

N2 - The production of fuels from lignocellulosic biomass is key to reduce our reliance on petroleum and to promote a sustainable bioeconomy. Butyric acid (BA) is a promising chemical precursor for the production of renewable diesel and jet fuels. BA can be biologically produced from lignocellulosic sugars. However, challenges associated with product selectivity and recovery must be overcome to achieve industrially relevant metrics. Here, we evaluate various fermentation configurations and demonstrate near-homo-butyrate production by using the biocatalyst Clostridium tyrobutyricum. We also develop an advanced in situ product recovery process based on hybrid extraction-distillation (HED-ISPR) and conduct techno-economic analyses and life cycle assessments. We demonstrate that the HED-ISPR process lowers the overall capital and operating expenses and environmental impact compared to other traditional fermentation processes. Overall, BA minimum product selling price from biomass is 55% of the current BA selling price from petroleum, a significant decrease toward viable renewable fuel production.

AB - The production of fuels from lignocellulosic biomass is key to reduce our reliance on petroleum and to promote a sustainable bioeconomy. Butyric acid (BA) is a promising chemical precursor for the production of renewable diesel and jet fuels. BA can be biologically produced from lignocellulosic sugars. However, challenges associated with product selectivity and recovery must be overcome to achieve industrially relevant metrics. Here, we evaluate various fermentation configurations and demonstrate near-homo-butyrate production by using the biocatalyst Clostridium tyrobutyricum. We also develop an advanced in situ product recovery process based on hybrid extraction-distillation (HED-ISPR) and conduct techno-economic analyses and life cycle assessments. We demonstrate that the HED-ISPR process lowers the overall capital and operating expenses and environmental impact compared to other traditional fermentation processes. Overall, BA minimum product selling price from biomass is 55% of the current BA selling price from petroleum, a significant decrease toward viable renewable fuel production.

KW - biofuels

KW - bioseparations

KW - carboxylic acids

KW - Clostridium butyricum

KW - Clostridium tyrobutyricum

KW - fermentation

KW - hybrid extraction-distillation

KW - in situ product recovery

KW - life cycle assessment.

KW - volatile fatty acids

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85120316565&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.xcrp.2021.100587

DO - 10.1016/j.xcrp.2021.100587

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85120316565

SN - 2666-3864

VL - 2

JO - Cell Reports Physical Science

JF - Cell Reports Physical Science

IS - 10

M1 - Article No. 100587

ER -

Process Intensification for the Biological Production of the Fuel Precursor Butyric Acid from Biomass

Abstract

Bibliographical note

NREL Publication Number

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this