Sulfide generation process and system for syngas fermentation
View Patent ↗A process that generates sulfide in production of liquid products from syngas and a system for syngas fermentation including a sulfide generation process to convert feed gas to liquid product, the process including: partially oxidizing high-temperature gas, input gas, and molten sulfur to generate sulfide gas, the high-temperature gas containing oxygen, the input gas containing carbonaceous fuel and the sulfide gas containing hydrogen sulfide, CO, CO 2 , and H 2 ; mixing the sulfide gas with the feed gas to generate mixed gas having a predetermined hydrogen sulfide concentration; providing at least a portion of the mixed gas to a production fermentor containing microorganisms; and converting the mixed gas to the liquid product by contact with the microorganisms.
1. A process to convert feed gas to liquid product, the process comprising:
partially oxidizing high-temperature gas, input gas, and molten sulfur to generate sulfide gas, the high-temperature gas containing oxygen, the input gas containing a carbonaceous fuel, and the sulfide gas containing hydrogen sulfide, CO, CO 2 , and H 2 ;
mixing the sulfide gas with the feed gas to generate mixed gas having a predetermined hydrogen sulfide concentration;
providing at least a portion of the mixed gas to a production fermentor containing microorganisms; and
converting the mixed gas to the liquid product by contact with the microorganisms.
2. The process of claim 1 further comprising combusting oxygen and burner gas to generate the high-temperature gas, the burner gas comprising at least one of hydrogen and C 1 to C 4 hydrocarbons.
3. The process of claim 2 wherein the burner gas comprises natural gas.
4. The process of claim 1 further comprising:
providing another portion of the mixed gas to a seed fermentor;
growing a culture of the microorganisms in the seed fermentor; and
providing the culture to the production fermentor.
5. The process of claim 1 wherein the input gas is selected from the group consisting of methane, syngas, and natural gas.
6. The process of claim 1 wherein the partially oxidizing high-temperature gas, input gas, and molten sulfur is performed at a temperature greater than about 1000° C.
7. The process of claim 1 wherein the predetermined hydrogen sulfide concentration is in the range from about 100 to 1000 ppm.
8. The process of claim 1 wherein the feed gas comprises syngas and the liquid product is selected from the group consisting of ethanol, propanol, and butanol.
9. A process to convert syngas feed to a C 1 to C 4 oxygenated liquid product, the process comprising:
combusting oxygen and burner gas to generate high-temperature gas;
partially oxidizing the high-temperature gas, syngas, and molten sulfur to generate sulfide gas, the high temperature gas containing oxygen, and the sulfide gas containing hydrogen sulfide, CO, CO 2 , and H 2 ;
mixing the sulfide gas with the syngas feed to generate mixed gas having a predetermined hydrogen sulfide concentration;
providing at least a portion of the mixed gas to a production fermentor containing microorganisms; and
converting the mixed gas to the C 1 to C 4 oxygenated liquid product by contact with the microorganisms.
10. The process of claim 9 further comprising:
providing another portion of the mixed gas to a seed fermentor;
growing a culture of the microorganisms in the seed fermentor; and
providing the culture to the production fermentor.
11. The process of claim 9 wherein the partially oxidizing the high-temperature gas, syngas, and molten sulfur is performed at a temperature greater than about 1000° C.
12. The process of claim 9 wherein the predetermined hydrogen sulfide concentration is in the range from about 100 to 1000 ppm.
13. The process of claim 9 wherein the C 1 to C 4 oxygenated liquid product is ethanol.