I-Corps: Bioprocess producing high-value caproic and caprylic bio-oil from fermentation and organic waste streams

Cornell University, Ithaca NY

Investigators

Abstract

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the commercialization of high value bio-oil from low value feedstocks, especially dairy process and other agricultural waste streams. The enabling fermentation bioprocess, called the carboxylate platform, produces a bio-oil consisting primarily of caproate (C6) and caprylate (C8), which are medium chain carboxylates (MCCs). Using ethanol containing feedstocks, the carboxylate platform delivers a sustainable MCC product with five times the market value of the feedstock. Use of a dairy process waste stream holds the promise of converting a feedstock acquisition cost to a substantial revenue through waste remediation. In addition, MCCs are currently extracted from palm oil, an industry which is raising significant ecological concerns due to large scale deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions. In their raw form, MCCs currently have direct use as an animal feed supplement, but once refined, can also be used in the manufacture of detergents, care products, plastics, coatings, and pharmaceuticals, among many other applications. This I-Corps project will explore the commercialization of a fermentation bioprocess which produces a bio-oil consisting primarily of caproate (C6) and caprylate (C8). This bioprocess, called the carboxylate platform, has demonstrated long-term stable production of bio-oil, has proven resistant to system disturbances, and is compatible with a variety of feedstocks. Using an ethanol-containing feedstock obtained from the bio-ethanol industry, rates has been achieved that are competitive with those of methane production from anaerobic digestion. The carboxylate platform adapts knowledge from anaerobic digestion, a widely used and scalable bioprocess using an open culture to generate methane gas from organic waste. The bio-oil produced by the carboxylate platform has a 30 times higher value per carbon than methane, making this platform an attractive alternative to anaerobic digestion for organic waste remediation. Especially promising is the possibility of converting dairy process waste to this valuable bio-oil. A key goal of this project is to identify manufacturing partners to optimize the extraction system to concentrate the bio-oil. Currently, this portion of the process is a critical driver of the capital cost. While the current platform is economically competitive, a less capital-intensive extraction system will lead to far greater profitability.