Abstract
A two-stage process for the manufacture of propylene oxide is described. The preliminary economics based on use of methanol as a regeneration factor has resulted in a production cost of $12.10/lb of propylene oxide based on propylene oxide production rate of 40 mg/g-cell/h in conventional reactor. Increasing the propylene oxide production from 40 to 500 mg/g-cell/h resulted in a cost reduction from $12.10 to 5.8/lb of propylene oxide. The granular-activated, carbon-fluidized bed reactor (GAC-FBR) absorbs the propylene oxide and when saturated is eluted with ethyl acetate, and the bed is regenerated by steam to drive off the residual solvents. The estimated manufacturing costs are approx 59% lower (from $12.10/lb in conventional reactors to $5.00/lb for GAC-FBRs) for products that are highly inhibitory such as epoxides. In the GAC-FBR reactor, enhancing the propylene oxide production rate from 120 to 1500 mg/g-cell/h has resulted in the cost reduction to $2.00/lb. Enhancing the production capacity from 1 million lb to 10 million lb/yr has further reduced the cost of production to $1.00/lb.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Colby, J., Stirling, D. I., and Dalton, H. (1977),Biochem. J. 165, 395–402.
Higgins, I. J., Hammond, R. C, Sariaslani, F. S., Best, D., Davies, M. M, Tryhorn, S. E., and Taylor, F. (1979),Biochem. Biophy. Res. Commun. 89, 671–677.
Hou, C. T., Patel, R. N. Laskin, A. I. (1979),FEMS Micro Letts. 9, 267–270.
Higgins, I. J., Best, I. J., Hammond, R. C, and Scott, D. (1981),Microorganism Microbiol. Rev. 45, 556–589.
Hou, C. T., Patel, R. N., Laskin, A. I., and Barnabe, N. (1982),J. Appl. Biochem. 4, 379–383.
Lee, J., Soni, B. K., and Kelley, R. L. (1996a),Biotechnol. Lett. 8, 897–902.
Lee, J., Soni, B. K., and Kelley, R. L. (1996b),Biotechnol. Lett. 8, 903–908.
Hill, A. H., Kelley, R. L., Srivastava, V. J., Akin, C., and Hayes, T. D. (1991), inGas, Oil, Coal and Environmental Biotechnology, vol. III. pp. 417–435.
Voice, T. C, Pak, D., Zhao, J. Shi, and Hickey, R. F. (1992),Water Res. 26(10), 1389–1401.
Hickey, R. F., Wagner, D., and Mazewski, G. (1991),Remediation 2, 447–460.
Jeris, J. S., Owens, R. W., Hickey, R. F., and Flood, F. (1977),JWPCF 49, 816–831.
Hickney, R. F. (personal communication, Michigan Biotechnology Institute, 1994).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Soni, B.K., Kelley, R.L. & Srivastava, V.J. Technical and economic evaluation of different reactors for methanotrophic cultures for propylene oxide production. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 70, 651–659 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02920176
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02920176