PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Our client has developed a production process of organic acids by fermentation. Organic acids need to be extracted and purify from the broth using a solvent extraction technology.

TECHNICAL CHALLENGES

In order to satisfy client requirements for its Project, Processium had to to identify a bio-based solvent for the extraction of acids and able to preserve microbes used for fermentation.

OUR METHODOLOGY

The methodology developed by Processium for the successful development of the Project had been developed as follow:

• screening of in - house database containing more than 1,000 industrial solvents data sets,
• identification of additional candidate determined thanks to a specific Computer Aided Molecular Design tool,
• modeling of solvent properties and prediction of missing data,
• identification of 5 solvents and measurement of distribution coefficients,
• performance evaluation of solvents on Processium own extraction pilot scale unit,
• sizing of corresponding unit at industrial scale,
• CAPEX and OPEX estimate for the purification process.

RESULTS

Thanks to Processium methodology, solvent selection and associated purification technology had been defined technically and economically.