Technology Profile

Bio-Butanediol Production from Glucose

By Intratec Solutions Acetoxylation/
Glucose Fermentation Propylene
1__f hydroformulation

B
utanediol (BDO) refers to all
butylene glycol isomers. The Succimc acid Hydrogenation Butanediol Reppe process
Acetylene/
formaldehyde
most common isomer —
1,4-butanediol — is a versa­ Isomerization/
tile intermediate chemical used in thePropylene oxide hydroformulation ri Butadiene

manufacture of plastics, elastic fibers□ Raw material □ Process ■ Main product

and polyurethanes. Commercial pro­FIGURE 2. Several production pathways are available for producing butanediol
cesses for producing bio-based BDO
from sugars have emerged in recent During the fed-batch phase, glu­ Purification. The concentrated so­
years as alternatives to petroleum- cose and nutrients are continuously lution is fed to a distillation column
derived BDO. This one-page processsupplied. When the desired butane­ for light-end impurities separation,
description outlines the production ofdiol concentration is achieved, the and the light ends are discarded.
BDO by the fermentation of glucose.feeding is suspended and the fer­ The bottoms product, comprising
mentation gradually decreases until the BDO, is fed to another column,
The process being interrupted. The fermentation in which high-purity 99.5 wt.% BDO
The following paragraphs describe atemperature is controlled by circu­ is recovered as the overhead stream.
process for bio-butanediol produc­ lating cooling water through the fer­
tion from glucose (Figure 1) similar tomenter jackets. The pH is controlled Production pathways
the process described in patents is­ by ammonia injection. Petroleum-derived BDO is mainly pro­
sued to Genomatica Inc. (San Diego,Separation. The fermentation broth duced by continuous hydrogenation
Calif.; www.genomatica.com). is passed through a centrifuge that of the 2-butyne-1,4-diol over modified
Medium preparation. The prepa­ separates cells and other insoluble nickel catalysts. Figure 2 presents dif­
ration of the culture media involves particles. The separated biomass is ferent BDO production pathways.
dilution tanks, pumps and steriliz­ discharged, while the broth is direct­
ers. The culture media used in the ed to ultrafiltration, used to remove Economic performance
batch and fed-batch phases of pre­ soluble organic impurities, residual The total operating cost (raw materi­
fermentation and fermentation are cell bodies and suspended solids. als, utilities, fixed costs and deprecia­
prepared by mixing process water, The permeate is carbon-treated tion costs) estimated to produce BDO
glucose and nutrients. using a nanofiltration step for salts was about $2,100 per ton in 2014.
Fermentation. In the fermentation separation, color removal and desali­The analysis is based on a plant in the
area, the applied recombinant mi­ nation. The retained salts and sugarsU.S. with capacity to produce 75,000
croorganism is initially propagated are discarded, while the permeate metric tons per year of BDO. This
in inoculum fermenters, then sent to liquid is sent to an ion exchange sep­column is based on "Bio-Butanediol
seed fermenters to promote growth aration step for removal of inorganic Production from Glucose," a report
until the concentration required for cations and anions. published by Intratec. It can be found
the main fermentation is reached. The butanediol solution from ion at: www.intratec.us/analysis/butane-
The main fermentation is performed exchange is then concentrated by diol-production-cost. ■
in fed-batch mode under aerobic pro­water evaporation. The evaporation Edited by Scott Jenkins
cess conditions in agitated, jacketed is carried out in falling-film evapora­
Editor’s note: 'he content for ttiis column is supplied
fermenters. At the batch phase, the tors and a forced-circulation evapo­ by Intratec Solutions LLC (Houston; www.intratec.us) and
microbe seed is fed into the fermen­ rative crystallizer. The concentrated edited by Chemical Engineering. The analyses and models
ters, previously filled with the fermen­solution obtained is directed to a pu­presented are prepared on the basis of publicly avaiabte
and non-confidential information. The content represents
tation batch medium. After glucose rification stage. The overhead streamthe opinions of Intratec only. More information about the
exhaustion, the batch phase ends, (mostly water) is condensed and re­ methodology for preparing analysis can be found, along with
terms of use, at www.intratec.us/che.
and the fed-batch phase begins. cycled to the fermentation stage.
Exhaust gases« Ammonia Light ends 1. Medium preparation
Glucose syrup 2. Fermentation
(70 wt.%) 3. Centrifuge
Nutrients
.i B 4. Ultrafiltration
© . 5. Nanofiltration
Process water
© <S> Bio-butanediol 6. Ion exchange
-Q- 7. Evaporators
8. Lights removal
Air

Insoluble
impurities . Soluble Salts
impurities (waste)
®
Wastewater
TJ
T
Heavy ends
RF -e ®
CW-Q @
9. BDO purification

RF Refrigeration fluid
CW Cooling water
ST -t^) ® ST Steam

FIGURE 1. The process shown here describes the production of butanediol via the fermentation of glucose
32 CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM NOVEMBER 2018