Impact of flocculant addition in oil recovery from multiphasic fermentations

Journal article (2020)

Authors

R.M. Sousa Pires da Costa Basto BT/Bioprocess Engineering - AS
R.F. Mudde Executive board, ChemE/Transport Phenomena - AS
L.A.M. van der Wielen University of Limerick, BT/Bioprocess Engineering - AS
M.C. Cuellar Soares BT/Bioprocess Engineering - AS
Research Group
BT/Bioprocess Engineering (AS) (TU Delft)
Copyright: © 2020 R.M. Sousa Pires da Costa Basto, M. Jiménez, R.F. Mudde, L.A.M. van der Wielen, M.C. Cuellar Soares
DOI
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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fbp.2020.06.006
Proteins Flocculation Oil recovery Emulsion Integrated bioreactor Multiphasic fermentation
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Published Date

2020

Language

English

Reuse Rights

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Faculty

Applied Sciences

Department

BT/Biotechnologie

Research Group

BT/Bioprocess Engineering

Abstract

Emulsion formation is a major concern when dealing with multiphasic fermentations. Flocculants can be used together with other demulsification techniques to improve oil recovery in multiphasic fermentations. In this paper, the impact of adding flocculants during a multiphasic fermentation with 10 wt% dodecane, to destabilize the broth emulsion, improve creaming formation and enhance oil recovery is studied. Flocculants, CaCl2 and (NH4)2SO4 were shown to be the most promising flocculants. Flocculant addition, their time of addition, and its impact on multiphasic fermentations has been evaluated by comparing fermentation performance against reference fermentations and three oil recovery methods: gravity settling, gas enhanced oil recovery and centrifugation. When adding 75 mM of (NH4)2SO4 during fermentation, the creaming rate during gravity settling increased 3-fold and the oil recovery by gas enhanced oil recovery was 35%, without altering fermentation performance. Addition of CaCl2 during fermentation resulted in 88% and 67% oil recovery for early and late addition, which is a 4 and 3-fold increase in comparison with the reference. Yet, CaCl2 deviated from standard fermentation performance when added immediately after second phase addition. In conclusion, flocculant addition during multiphasic fermentation can be used to destabilize microbial emulsions and potentially improve in situ oil recovery.