Abstract:
A method, process, apparatus, use and formulation for dual biocatalytic conversion of CO2 containing gas into carbon containing bio-products by enzymatic hydration of CO2 into bicarbonate ions in the presence of carbonic anhydrase and metabolic conversion of the bicarbonate ions into carbon containing bio-products in a biological culture. The dual biocatalytic conversion may be relatively constant with controlling a feeding of the bicarbonate ions to the biological culture in accordance with demands of the biological culture by retaining over-production of bicarbonate ions and feeding part of the over-production to the biological culture in accordance with nutrient demands of the biological culture. Bicarbonate ions may also be reconverted to generate a pure CO2 gas stream. The CO2 containing gas may be derived from operations of a power plant which receives a carbon-containing fuel for combustion, and the biological culture may be an algae culture.
Abstract:
A method for CO2 capture may include operating a packed reactor comprising a reaction chamber containing packing including immobilized enzymes, by contacting a CO2 containing gas with a liquid solution in the reaction chamber to produce an ion-loaded solution and a CO2 depleted gas by an enzymatically catalyzed hydration reaction; monitoring enzyme activity of the immobilized enzymes; at a low enzyme activity threshold (i) stopping operation in the packed reactor, and (ii) replenishing the enzymatic activity by providing an enzyme replenishing solution into the packed reactor to contact the packing and provide a replenishing amount of the immobilized enzymes; and recommencing operation in the packed reactor for CO2 capture using the replenished immobilized enzymes. A corresponding system may include a packed reactor and an in situ enzyme supply device for supplying active enzyme within the reactor. The enzyme supply device may include spray nozzles with various configurations.