U.S. patent application number 10/390958 was filed with the patent office on 2003-09-18 for lactic acid processing; methods; arrangements; and, products.
This patent application is currently assigned to Cargill, Incorporated. Invention is credited to Canari, Riki, Eyal, Aharon M., Fisher, Rod, Gruber, Patrick R., Hazan, Betty, Kolstad, Jeffrey J., Starr, John N., Witzke, David R..
Application Number | 20030176736 10/390958 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25490231 |
Filed Date | 2003-09-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030176736 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Eyal, Aharon M. ; et
al. |
September 18, 2003 |
Lactic acid processing; methods; arrangements; and, products
Abstract
The techniques for processing lactic acid/lactate salt mixtures
are provided. Preferred mixtures for processing are obtained from
fermentation broths, preferably from fermentation processes
conducted at a pH of 4.8 or lower. The techniques generally concern
the provision of separated lactic acid and lactate streams, from
the mixtures. Preferred techniques of separation and processing of
each of the streams are provided.
Inventors: |
Eyal, Aharon M.; (Jerusalem,
IL) ; Starr, John N.; (Chaska, MN) ; Fisher,
Rod; (Eden Prairie, MN) ; Hazan, Betty;
(Jerusalem, IL) ; Canari, Riki; (Beit Zeit,
IL) ; Witzke, David R.; (Oskaloosa, IA) ;
Gruber, Patrick R.; (Blaine, MN) ; Kolstad, Jeffrey
J.; (Wayzata, MN) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MERCHANT & GOULD PC
P.O. BOX 2903
MINNEAPOLIS
MN
55402-0903
US
|
Assignee: |
Cargill, Incorporated
Minneapolis
MN
|
Family ID: |
25490231 |
Appl. No.: |
10/390958 |
Filed: |
March 18, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10390958 |
Mar 18, 2003 |
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09927116 |
Aug 10, 2001 |
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6534679 |
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09927116 |
Aug 10, 2001 |
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09132720 |
Aug 12, 1998 |
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6320077 |
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09132720 |
Aug 12, 1998 |
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08950289 |
Oct 14, 1997 |
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6229046 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
562/580 ;
562/589 |
Current CPC
Class: |
C07C 51/48 20130101;
C12P 7/56 20130101; Y02P 20/582 20151101; C07C 67/08 20130101; C07C
51/48 20130101; C07C 59/08 20130101; C07C 67/08 20130101; C07C
69/68 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
562/580 ;
562/589 |
International
Class: |
C07C 051/42; C07C
059/08 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A process for the production of lactic acid product from a
mixture containing free lactic acid and dissolved lactate salt;
said method including steps of: (a) providing a mixture having a
molar ratio of undissociated lactic acid to lactate anion of at
least 0.070:1; (b) preferentially separating lactate salt versus
lactic acid from the mixture and into a selected product stream to
generate: (i) an isolated lactate salt stream; and, (ii) a lactic
acid containing stream.
2. A process according to claim 1 wherein: (a) said step of
preferentially separating includes a simultaneous step of also
preferentially separating lactic acid into a selected separate
stream.
3. A process according to claim 1 wherein: (a) said lactic acid
containing stream is residual material from said mixture after
removal of lactate salt.
4. A process according to claim 3 wherein: (a) said mixture
comprises an aqueous mixture removed from a fermentor.
5. A process according to claim 4 wherein: (a) said process is
conducted such that said isolated lactate salt stream is a stream
selected from calcium lactate, sodium lactate, ammonium lactate and
mixtures thereof; and (b) at least a portion of the isolated salt
stream is added to the fermentor.
6. A process according to claim 4 including a step of: (a)
filtering the aqueous mixture removed from a fermentation broth,
prior to said step of preferentially separating.
7. A process according to claim 3 wherein: (a) said step of
preferentially separating comprises a step of lactate salt
crystallization from the mixture.
8. A process according to claim 7 wherein: (a) said step of lactate
salt crystallization comprises a step of calcium lactate
crystallization.
9. A process according to claim 3 wherein: (a) said step of
preferentially separating is selected from: (i) a step of adsorbing
lactate anion salt onto a solid adsorbent; and, (ii) a step of
electrodialysis.
10. A process for production of lactic acid product from a mixture
containing free lactic acid and dissolved lactate salt; said method
including steps of: (a) providing a mixture of lactic acid and
dissolved lactate salt; (b) preferentially extracting lactic acid
versus lactate salt from the mixture and into a non-aqueous phase;
and, (c) condensing lactic acid in the non-aqueous phase to form
oligomer.
11. A process according to claim 10 including a step of: (a)
separating the lactic acid oligomer from the non-aqueous
extractant.
12. A process according to claim 10 wherein: (a) said step of
providing a mixture comprises providing a mixture having a pH of no
greater than 5.0.
13. A process according to claim 10 wherein: (a) said step of
providing a mixture comprises providing an aqueous mixture which
has been modified by addition of acid thereto, following removal
from a fermentor.
14. A process according to claim 10 including a step of: (a) adding
phosphoric acid to the aqueous mixture, to obtain at least one
calcium salt of phosphoric acid, after a step of removing the
mixture from a fermentor.
15. A process according to claim 10 including a step of: (a)
directly forming lactide from the oligomer in the presence of the
non-aqueous phase.
16. A process according to claim 15 wherein: (a) said step of
preferentially extracting lactic acid into a non-aqueous phase
comprises extracting into a phase comprising tertiary amine.
17. A process according to claim 10 wherein: (a) said step of
condensing is conducted under conditions sufficient to form an
oligomer phase and a separate non-aqueous extractant phase; and,
(b) said step of separating comprises separating the separate
oligomer phase and extractate phase.
18. A process according to claim 17 wherein: (a) said step of
providing a mixture comprises providing a mixture having a pH of at
least 3.0.
19. A process according to claim 17 wherein: (a) said oligomer
phase, after said step of separating, includes residual tertiary
amine having at least 18 carbon atoms; and, (b) said step of
directly forming lactide is conducted without a prior step of
removing the residual tertiary amine from the oligomer phase.
20. A process for the production of lactic product acid products
from a mixture containing free lactic acid and dissolved lactate
salt; said method including steps of: (a) providing an aqueous
mixture of free lactic acid and dissolved lactate salt having: (i)
a pH within the range of 3.0 to 4.8; and, (ii) a concentration of
at least 50 g/liter of a lactic acid enantiomer selected from
L-lactic acid and D-lactic acid; and, (b) preferentially separating
lactic acid salt from the aqueous mixture and into a lactic acid
stream.
21. A process according to claim 20 wherein: (a) said aqueous
mixture comprises L-lactic acid with a chiral purity of at least
75%.
22. A process according to claim 21 wherein: (a) said step of
providing an aqueous mixture comprises providing a fermentation
broth having a pH of no greater than 4.2 and a concentration of
L-lactic acid of at least 80 g/liter.
23. A process according to claim 22 wherein: (a) said step of
preferentially separating is selected from: (i) preferentially
extracting lactic acid into a non-aqueous phase; and (ii)
preferentially adsorbing lactic acid onto a solid adsorbent.
24. A process according to claim 22 wherein: (a) said step of
preferentially separating comprises preferentially extracting
lactic acid into a non-aqueous phase; and, (b) said process
includes a step of separating the lactic acid from the non-aqueous
phase by a step selected from: (i) distillation; and (ii) back
extraction into another solvent.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to lactic acid processing. It
particularly concerns: methods for separating lactic acid streams
and lactate salt streams from mixtures such as fermentation broths;
isolating and processing the lactic acid; and, isolating the
lactate salt in preferred forms.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The potential of lactic acid as a commodity chemical, for
example for use in the production of various industrial polymers,
is known. This has been described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos.
5,142,023; 5,247,058; 5,258,488; 5,357,035; 5,338,822; 5,446,123;
5,539,081; 5,525,706; 5,475,080; 5,359,026; 5,484,881; 5,585,191;
5,536,807; 5,247,059; 5,274,073; 5,510,526; and 5,594,095. (The
complete disclosures of these seventeen patents, which are owned by
the assignee of the present application, Cargill, Inc. of
Minneapolis, Minn., are incorporated herein by reference.) There
has been general interest in developing improved techniques for
generation and isolation of lactic acid. Also, because of their
potential commercial value, there is great interest in isolation of
the other valuable related lactate products such as lactide,
lactate esters and amides, and oligomers; see e.g. the same 17
patents.
[0003] In general, large amounts of lactic acid can be readily
generated by the conduct of large-scale, industrial,
bacterially-conducted fermentation processes, particularly using
carbohydrates, such as dextrose, as the feed stock, along with
suitable mineral and amino acid based nutrients. Typically, such
productions occur at broth temperatures of at least 45.degree. C.,
usually around 48.degree. C.
[0004] Issues of concern with respect to lactic acid generation
include, inter alia, appropriate control of pH within the
fermentation system to ensure proper environment for bacterial
action; separation and isolation of either or both of lactic acid
and lactate salts from the fermentation process; and downstream
isolation and production involving the isolated lactic acid or
lactic acid derived product.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] According to the present disclosure, techniques for
processing mixtures of lactic acid and dissolved lactate salts are
provided. The preferred techniques are provided for processing
fermentation broths, preferably fermentation broths produced with
or adjusted to have a pH of less than about 4.8, typically and
preferably less than about 4.5, more preferably less than 4.3 and
most preferably within the range of about 3.0 to 4.2 inclusive.
[0006] The techniques concern processing the mixtures into: (a) a
lactic acid stream, component or phase; and, (b) a lactate salt
stream component or phase. Preferred techniques are provided so
that the lactic acid stream, component or phase can be readily
taken on to produce desirable lactate products, such as lactate
oligomers, lactide lactate esters, lactate amides and/or
polylactate. The preferred processing also provides the lactate
salt in a form suitable for further use, such as recycling to a
fermentation broth; or, for as a fertilizer or feed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1 is a process flow chart of a process according to the
present disclosure;
[0008] FIG. 2 is an alternate process flow diagram to the one shown
in FIG. 1;
[0009] FIG. 3 is an alternate process flow diagram to the ones
shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;
[0010] FIG. 4 is an alternate process flow diagram to the ones
shown in FIGS. 1-3;
[0011] FIG. 5 is an alternate process flow diagram to the ones
shown in FIGS. 1-4;
[0012] FIG. 6 is an alternate process flow diagram to the ones
shown in FIGS. 1-5;
[0013] FIG. 7 is an alternate process flow diagram to the ones
shown in FIGS. 1-6;
[0014] FIG. 8 is an alternate process flow diagram to the ones
shown in FIGS. 1-7;
[0015] FIG. 9 is an alternate process flow diagram to the ones
shown in FIGS. 1-8;
[0016] FIG. 10 is an alternate process flow diagram to the ones
shown in FIGS. 1-9; and,
[0017] FIG. 11 is a graph showing percent of lactic acid in free
acid form, in a lactic acid mixture, as a function of pH.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0018] I. Selected Issues of Concern with Respect to Lactic Acid
Processing, Isolation and Use
[0019] A. Chirality
[0020] Lactic acid has a chiral center and is found in both the D
and L forms. The chiral purity of the lactic acid is important with
respect to meeting the needs of industrial applications, see for
example U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,142,023; 5,338,822; 5,484,881; and
5,536,807. There are bacteria, for example from the Lactobacillus
genus, that can make either the D-lactic acid or the L-lactic acid.
However, it is typical that any one bacteria strain makes a vast
majority of only one enantiomer. Indeed, fermentation broths with
high chiral purity (90% or greater) of lactic acid can be readily
obtained. This chirality is obtained from the metabolism of
dextrose or other carbohydrates by microorganism cells during
fermentation. For example, Lactobacillus bulgaricas and
Lactobacillus coryniformis typically make the D-lactic acid
enantiomer almost exclusively. Lactobacillus casei has been found
to produce, in majority, L-lactic acid.
[0021] For polylactic acid applications, the chiral purity of the
lactic acid has a strong influence on the properties of the
polymer. The chiral purity of the polymer controls the ability of
the polymer to crystallize; See for example U.S. Pat. Nos.
5,484,881; 5,585,191; and, 5,536,807; and, commonly assigned U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 08/850,319 filed May 2, 1997. (Each of
these four references is incorporated herein by reference.) In some
instances, polymers with controlled amounts of crystallinity are
desired in order to get polymer properties that are advantageous in
an industrial application, for example to raise the heat distortion
temperature of the polymer. Other advantages of controlled polymer
crystallinity relate to the storage, transfer and processing of
polylactic acid resins into fibers, non-woven fabrics, films, and
other end products.
[0022] Lactic acid currently used in food applications has chiral
purity requirements greater than 95% chiral purity, generally with
a preference for the "L" form. The chiral purity of lactic acid is
also important for end products such as pharmaceuticals and other
medical devices where lactic acid is a starting material. Herein
the term "95% chiral purity" means 95% of the lactic acid/lactate
content is one the of two possible enantiomers. (Thus, the
composition could alternatively be characterized as 10% racemic or
90% optically pure.)
[0023] Herein the terms "polylactic acid" or "polylactate" are
intended to refer to any polymer comprising at least 50% by wt.
polymer units of lactic acid residue or lactide residue. Thus, the
two terms include within their scope polylactides. The terms
"polylactic acid" and "polylactate" are not meant to specifically
identify the polymerized monomer, for example whether the material
polymerized was lactide (lactic acid dimer) or lactic acid
itself.
[0024] B. Control of pH During Fermentation
[0025] Most microorganisms have a range of pH in which they are
able to most efficiently carry out metabolism. Therefore, the pH of
the fermentation is a processing variable that strongly affects the
overall productivity of the microorganism cells in the
fermentation.
[0026] The Lactobacillus microorganisms produce lactic acid.
Without a neutralizing agent, the pH of a typical, conventional,
fermentation broth quickly drops to a value at which most of the
microorganisms die or cease useful production. Therefore, addition
of a neutralizing agent has typically been required to meet the
economic need for a fermentation with high overall productivity.
The pH value for many lactic acid fermentations with good
productivity (i.e. >0.5 g lactic material (lactic acid and
lactate salt) produced/liter/hr) are in the range of 5.0 to 7.0;
see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,510,526. Much work has been done
to look for organisms that retain high lactic acid productivities
while operating in broths at pH ranges from about 3.0 to 4.8. This
is discussed below.
[0027] Lactic acid (HLa or LaH) dissociates into a proton, H.sup.+,
and a lactate anion, La.sup.- (sometimes referred to herein as
dissolved lactate salt when another source of cation is present,
typically from the buffering salt). The amount of dissociation is
related to the pH of the solution and the pK.sub.a of lactic acid.
The pK.sub.a of lactic acid at 25.degree. is 3.86 (at 50.degree. C.
it is about 3.89). Equation 1 below describes how the pH, pK.sub.a,
and degree of lactic acid dissociation are related. 1 pH = pK a +
log [ La - ] [ HLa ] Equation 1
[0028] Equation 1 shows that half the acid is dissociated when the
pH equals the pK.sub.a of the acid. At higher pH values, the
majority of the lactic acid is in the lactate anion form. FIG. 11
is a graph which shows the percent of lactic acid in the
undissociated (free acid) form as the pH varies from 1 to 7. The
graph shows that the percent of undissociated lactic acid present
in solution at the pH values of 5 to 7 is relatively low.
[0029] If the fermentation broth has a pH value between 3.0 and
4.5, there will be a significant amount of lactic acid in the
undissociated form, see FIG. 11. Indeed at a pH of 3.0 the molar
ratio of free lactic acid (undissociated) to lactate ion at
25.degree. C. is about 7.0; and, at a pH of about 4.5 the ratio at
25.degree. C., is about 0.23. A separation process that
specifically separates the undissociated lactic acid or a lactate
derivative and the lactate salt would be beneficial because it
would provide a stream of: (1) lactic acid products to be further
purified (and/or converted to lactide or polymer); and, (2) a
lactate salt, useful as a buffering agent for pH control in the
fermentor.
[0030] Equation 1 shows how the ratio of lactate anion, La.sup.-,
to free lactic acid HLa, is related to the pH of the solution. As
free lactic acid is produced by the microorganism during
fermentation, the addition of lactate salt can keep the pH of the
solution constant. If the added lactate salt, for pH control, is a
recycled material, then it follows that efficiency of conversion
and recovery of raw material into lactic acid, in the overall
fermentation processes, is improved. That is, a higher percentage
of added feed stock is converted into, and is retained and isolated
as, lactic acid, as opposed to lactate salt, due to the maintenance
of the equilibria suggested by Equation 1 with recycling of lactate
salt.
[0031] The preferred separation scheme to be employed will depend
on the form of the lactate material in solution. The isolation of
lactate material from an aqueous solution can require substantial
energy, especially if the aqueous solution is at a pH greater than
4.5 and the lactate material is mainly present as a lactate salt,
as opposed to an aqueous solution at a pH below 4.5 where a
significant amount of lactate material is in the free acid form.
When the pH of the fermentation broth is about 5 to 7, a typical
step in conventional separation processes has been to strongly
acidify the solution by the addition of sulfuric acid. This process
forms the free lactic acid, but also forms a by-product salt
(typically calcium sulfate). The formation of by-product salt
represents the use of chemical energy to transform the lactate salt
into lactic acid, and can create a waste disposal issue when
manufacturing lactic acid on a large scale. In many alternative
separation processes in which direct acidification does not occur,
energy would be used to split the lactate salt back into lactic
acid and a base. Water-splitting electrodialysis is a good example
of this type of separation process in which electrical energy is
used to form an acid and a base from the salt and water.
[0032] It is noted that as the desired product (HLa) from the
fermentation builds in concentration, the fermentation is often not
only inhibited due to pH but also due to HLa concentration.
[0033] C. Downstream Processing: Definition of Materials
[0034] Once the lactic acid is separated from the lactate salt, the
lactic acid can be used to form high molecular weight polylactic
acid (typically average M.W. from 10,000 to about 300,000).
Processes such as those described in: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,338,822;
5,446,123; 5,539,081; 5,525,706; 5,475,080; 5,359,026; 5,484,881;
5,585,191; 5,536,807; 5,247,059; 5,274,073; and 5,594,095, are
typically and preferably used. Such techniques generally include:
(a) providing a lactide mixture (optionally with other reactants
such as other monomers and/or epoxidized oils) with an appropriate
catalyst and a sufficiently low water presence; (b) polymerizing
the lactide mixture, generally by application of heat; and, (c)
devolatilization of the polylactide to remove unreacted monomer and
residual water. Stabilizing agents such as free radical scavengers,
and catalyst deactivators may be used, to provide the final
composition with preferred melt stability.
[0035] Chemical intermediates formed from lactic acid, such as
lactide, alkyl lactate esters, alkyl lactate amides, and oligomers
with an average molecular weight less than about 5,000, are
typically used to form polylactide polymers, sometimes by first
being reacted to form lactide when an intermediate other than
lactide itself is involved. Thus, generation and/or isolation of
these identified "building blocks" for polymers, from the LaH of a
fermentation broth, is of great interest. The term "lactic acid
products" as used herein is meant to include lactic acid, lactate
salts, alkyl lactate esters, alkyl lactate amides, lactide, lactoyl
lactate, lactic acid trimers and tetramers and lactic acid
oligomers, typically with an average molecular weight of less than
about 5,000. Of course, lactic acid is the smallest repeating unit
(present as the acid residue from condensation polymerization) in
polylactic acid. It is the most basic starting material for
polylactic acid, and the other chemical intermediates such as
lactide and lactic acid oligomers are typically made from lactic
acid (or lactate salts).
[0036] Lactide is a cyclic ester comprising of two lactic acid
molecules. That is, it is a dimer of lactic acid. Due to the chiral
nature of the lactic acid, lactide may have one of three types of
optical activity depending upon whether it comprises two D-lactic
acid residues, two L-lactic acid residues, or an L-lactic acid
residue and a D-lactic acid residue. These three dimers are
designated D-lactide, L-lactide, and meso-lactide, respectively.
Lactide is fully dehydrated lactic acid, and is commonly used in
the manufacture of polylactic acid (or polylactide) using a
ring-opening reaction to grow the polymer to high molecular
weights. Lactide can also be a key starting material in the
production of other industrially relevant chemicals.
[0037] Alkyl lactate esters and alkyl lactate amides are compounds
that can be used as feedstocks for lactic acid oligomers, lactide,
or polylactic acid. To make lactic acid oligomers with an ester on
the terminal carboxylic acid end, alkyl lactate esters can be
transesterified with the corresponding alcohol being obtained along
with the oligomer. The simultaneous or sequential removal of the
alcohol drives the reaction to the oligomer formation. Lactide can
be made from esterified lactic acid oligomers. The alkyl lactate
amides would have similar chemistry to the esters, but with an
amine being obtained along with the oligomer. Lactide can be made
from a lactic acid oligomer with an amide group on the terminal
carboxylic acid end.
[0038] Forming the esters or amides from the lactic acid may also
aid in the separation of the lactic acid derivative from
impurities. After a purified alkyl lactate ester or alkyl lactate
amide stream is obtained, the ester or amide can be hydrolyzed to
obtain the lactic acid and the corresponding alcohol or amine. The
lactic acid can be separated from this mixture, and the alcohol or
amine recycled back to the ester or amide formation step. Of
course, certain lactic esters and amides could be further purified
if needed. Useful alkyl lactate esters include: methyl lactate,
ethyl lactate, butyl lactate, octyl lactate, dodecyl lactate,
2-ethyl hexyl lactate, and the lactate of 1,4-butane diol. Indeed,
alkyl lactates with 1-20 carbon atoms in the alcohol residue, both
saturated and unsaturated, are potentially useful. With respect to
lactate esters and their use, see for example U.S. Pat. No.
5,247,059.
[0039] Lactamide (the ammonia amide of lactic acid) is an
industrially important lactic amide. It is used in hair care
products.
[0040] Lactic acid oligomers having an average molecular weight of
less than about 5,000 are useful in making lactide. Techniques
usable are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,142,023, incorporated by
reference. Certain preferred modifications described herein concern
directly forming lactide even in the presence of residual
extractant, such as residual trialkylamine. A catalyst can be used
to increase the rate of lactide formation from polylactic acid
oligomers. Many suitable catalysts are known, such as metal oxides,
metal dusts, and organic metal compounds, see for example U.S. Pat.
Nos. 5,142,023; 5,338,822; and 5,594,095. To drive the lactide
formation, the lactide is, typically, simultaneously or
sequentially removed from the lactic acid oligomer stream. One
method for this removal is the addition of heat to vaporize a crude
lactide stream from the oligomers. In addition to use as precursors
to lactides, lactic acid oligomers are useful as antimicrobial
agents and as controlled release acidulants for food and
agricultural use. Of course the oligomer may be terminated or
functionalized, in some instances, as the amide or ester.
[0041] II. Lower pH Fermentation
[0042] Generation of lactic acid solutions, via bacteriological
systems, having pHs on the order of 5.0 or below, preferably 4.8 or
below and typically 3.5 to 4.5, lead to a greater percentage of
production of the lactate material, in the lactic acid form. This
is described, for example, in commonly assigned (to Cargill, Inc.
of Minnetonka, Minn.), co-filed, U.S. patent application entitled
LOW pH LACTIC ACID FERMENTATION, identifying Ting Carlson and
Eugene Max Peters, Jr. as inventors (hereinafter referred to as the
Carlson et al application). The Carlson et al application was filed
on the same date of the present application (Oct. 14, 1997) and is
incorporated herein by reference.
[0043] Again, generation of relatively large amounts of product
from the fermentation process in the form of lactic acid, rather
than lactate salt, is advantageous since it can reduce the need
for, or extent of, certain follow-up process steps of acidulation
and/or "salt splitting." That is, if a larger amount of the
material is generated as free lactic acid, a processing step of
generating the lactic acid from the lactate, and the expenses and
consequences associated therewith, are reduced or avoided. Even if
some acidulation is conducted, substantially less acid addition
would be involved than would be the case with a high pH system.
[0044] In general, it has been determined that with processes
conducted to render fermentation broths (or other lactic
acid/lactate salt mixtures) at pHs on the order of about 4.8 or
lower (preferably 4.5 or lower, most preferably 4.3 or lower,
typically 3.5 to 4.2), an overall efficient process can be
developed, in which the lactic acid generated is used in polymer
production, and recovered lactate salt is recycled into the
fermentation system as a buffering agent, or differently put for pH
control.
[0045] The process of Carlson et al allows the efficient production
of lactate and, in particular, the efficient production of high
concentrations of free lactic acid via incubation of an
acid-tolerant homolactic bacteria in a suitable nutrient medium. By
"homolactic" it is meant that the bacteria strain produces
substantially only lactic acid as the fermentation product. The
acid-tolerant homolactic bacteria is typically isolated from the
corn steep water of a commercial corn milling facility. While
different bacteria of this type may produce racemic lactate, or
lactate predominantly in either the D- or L-isomeric form, the
process of Carlson et al describes preferred fermentation using a
homolactic bacteria which produces the L-lactate, most preferably
in optically pure form.
[0046] The process of Carlson et al allows the efficient production
of relatively high concentrations of free lactic acid. This
efficiency may be expressed in a variety of manners. The
concentration of free lactic acid in the fermentation broth serves
as one measure of the overall productivity of the process. The
process of Carlson et al typically produces a broth containing at
least about 25 g/L, preferably at least about 30 g/L, and more
preferably at least about 40 g/L free lactic acid.
[0047] Most typically and preferably, the lactate produced by the
fermentation process is predominantly of one chiral form, either
D-lactate or L-lactate. For preferred downstream processing, an
optical purity of the lactic acid from the fermentation process of
at least 50%, more preferably at least 75% and most preferably at
least 90% up to optically pure is produced in the fermentation and
used. For example, one embodiment of the process described in
Carlson et al includes incubating an acid-tolerant homolactic
bacteria in a nutrient medium to produce L-lactate having an
optical purity of at least about 50% (That is, it has a chiral
purity of at least about 75%.). The process of Carlson et al can
even be applied to produce L-lactate in optically pure form (i.e.,
in which essentially only the L-form of lactate is produced).
[0048] As indicated above, the amount of free lactic acid present
in a solution is a function of both the pH of the solution and the
overall concentration of lactate material (i.e. lactic acid plus
dissolved lactate salt) in the mixture. Thus, specifying these two
parameters for a given solution (e.g., a fermentation broth),
effectively specifies the free lactic acid concentration. The
process of Carlson et al typically generates a solution containing
at least about 50 g/L, preferably at least about 80 g/L, and more
preferably at least about 100 g/L lactate salt/lactic acid at a
relatively low pH. The lower the solution pH, the higher the
percentage of the lactate material which is present in the free
acid form. Again, if the medium (solution or mixture) pH is equal
to the pK.sub.a of lactic acid (which is about 3.8 at 25.degree.
C.), 50% of the lactate material is present in the free acid
form.
[0049] The pH of the nutrient medium during the homolactic
bacterial incubation step can be expressed in several different
ways, e.g., in terms of the average incubation pH or the final
incubation pH. The fermentation process of Carlson et al is
typically capable of producing high levels of lactate material at
an average incubation pH of no more than about 4.3, preferably no
more than about 4.2, and more preferably no more than about
4.0.
[0050] Alternatively, the pH of the broth during incubation can be
expressed in terms of the final incubation pH. The process of
Carlson et al typically allows the production of high lactate
concentrations at a final incubation pH (or mixture pH) of no more
than about 4.2, preferably no more than about 4.0, and more
preferably no more than about 3.9. Particularly effective
embodiments of the fermentation process described in Carlson et al
are capable of generating solution containing at least about 100
g/L lactate material at an average incubation pH of no more than
about 4.0 and/or a final incubation pH of no more than about
3.9.
[0051] Herein the terms "nutrient medium" and "fermentation broth"
are used interchangeably. Both are mixtures of free lactic acid and
lactate anion (salt). These terms may be used to refer to: (i)
media in the form originally provided, for example to the
acid-tolerant bacteria and the sources of nutrient including
carbohydrates; (ii) media produced after some or all of the
originally provided nutrients have been consumed and fermentation
products including lactate have been excreted into the media by the
bacteria; and, (iii) clarified media after removal from a fermentor
and filtration.
[0052] The process provided in Carlson et al for producing lactic
acid includes incubating acid-tolerant bacteria, such as
acid-tolerant homolactic bacteria, in nutrient medium at a pH which
furnishes a substantial portion of the lactate material in the free
acid form. Herein, when the term "acid-tolerant" is employed in
reference to bacteria, the intent is to refer to bacteria which are
capable of producing lactate material at a pH sufficient to furnish
a substantial portion of the lactate material in the free acid
form. The acid-tolerant bacteria described in Carlson et al are
typically capable of producing at least about 25 g/L free lactic
acid. Such bacteria generally can also produce at least about 50
g/L lactate material in nutrient medium at an average incubation pH
of no more than about 4.2. If fermentation is carried out to a
point where pH and/or lactic acid concentration inhibits further
lactate production, the "average incubation pH" is determined based
on an average of the pH values measured at ten(10) or more equal
time intervals over the time period necessary to produce 90% of the
limiting lactate concentration. The fermentation process may be run
in a continuous fashion. Under such conditions, steady state
conditions (in terms of pH, lactate concentration and nutrient
concentrations) are generally achieved and maintained after an
initial startup phase has been concluded. When fermentation is
conducted in this manner, the average incubation pH is the average
pH of the broth after the initial startup phase has been
completed.
[0053] If fermentation is not carried out to a point where the
limiting lactate concentration is reached, the "average incubation
pH" is determined based on an average of the pH values measured at
ten(10) or more equal time intervals over the course of the
fermentation. As used herein, the "limiting lactate concentration"
is the lactate concentration (concentration of undissociated and
dissociated lactic acid) under a given set of incubation conditions
(nutrient medium, temperature, degree of aeration) at which pH
and/or lactic acid concentration generated by the fermentation
inhibits further lactate production. As used herein, the term
"limiting incubation pH" means the pH of the fermentation broth for
a given set of incubation conditions at which the pH and/or lactic
acid concentration inhibits further lactate production. Inhibition
of lactate production is considered to have occurred when the
amount of lactate produced in a batch fermentation does not
increase by more than about 3% upon further incubation for a period
of up to about twelve (12) hours under the same conditions. This
definition presumes that sufficient nutrients for lactate
production are still available in the fermentation broth and
applies to both batch and continuous operations.
[0054] In the process of Carlson et al, the pH of the fermentation
broth after incubation of the acid-tolerant bacteria to produce
lactate is typically no more than about 4.2 ("final incubation
pH").
[0055] As referred to herein, the "final incubation pH" is the pH
of the fermentation broth at the point that growth and/or lactate
material production by the acid-tolerant bacteria ceases. The
cessation of growth and/or lactate material production may be the
result of a change in reaction temperature, the exhaustion of one
or more necessary nutrients in the fermentation broth, a deliberate
change in pH, or the separation of the fermentation broth from the
bacterial cells. In those instances in which fermentation is
deliberately stopped by the addition to the fermentation broth of
sufficient acid or base to stop lactate production, the final
incubation pH is defined to be the pH of the nutrient medium just
prior to the addition. Alternatively, growth and/or lactate
material production may stop due to the accumulation of one or more
fermentation products and/or a change in broth pH resulting from
the production of fermentation products, i.e., the fermentation
reaction has reached a self limiting point for the given set of
incubation conditions. As noted above, it is quite common for
bacterial fermentations which produce an organic acid such as
lactic acid to be subject to end-product inhibition.
[0056] The term "lactate material" as used in this application
refers to 2-hydroxypropionate in either its free acid or salt form.
The terms "lactic acid" and "free lactic acid" are employed
interchangeably herein to refer to the acid form, i.e.,
2-hydroxypropionic acid. The salt or dissociated form of lactate is
specifically referred to herein as a "lactate salt," for example,
as the sodium (or calcium) salt of lactic acid or sodium lactate
(or calcium lactate).
[0057] III. Separation from the Fermentation Broth--Lactate vs.
Lactic Acid
[0058] A variety of issues are presented upon development of a
processing approach for lactate/lactic acid solutions involving
generation of large amounts of lactic acid; for example, in
solution at pHs no greater than about 4.8 (preferably no greater
than about 4.2 or 4.3) from the fermentation broth; and, with a
concomitant isolation (and if desired recycling) of lactate salt
(typically calcium lactate, potassium lactate, sodium lactate
and/or ammonium lactate). The principle concerns relate to design
of the system to accommodate the two objectives of:
[0059] 1. Isolation of lactic acid products for follow-up
processing, for example to generate polymer; and
[0060] 2. Isolation of lactate salt, preferably in a form desirable
for recycling to the fermentation broth.
[0061] Three general approaches concern:
[0062] 1. Separation of the lactic acid from the solution leaving
the lactate salt behind; and, if desired, direction of the residual
solution having the lactate salt therein, after the separation,
into a fermentor;
[0063] 2. Isolation of the lactate salt from the solution;
direction of the lactate salt, if desired, into a fermentor; and, a
follow-up isolation of the lactic acid product from the residual
solution after lactate salt separation; and,
[0064] 3. Simultaneous separation of lactic acid into one stream
and lactate salt into another, leaving residual mixture.
[0065] With the techniques described herein, each is possible.
However, advantageous overall processes will depend, in part, upon
selection, among the approaches, of the one which most readily
facilitates an overall cost-effective and efficient processing
scheme in large scale implementation.
[0066] The techniques herein can be practiced on a variety of
solutions of lactate material (i.e. solutions of lactic acid and
dissolved lactate salt). These solutions may comprise fermentation
broth or broth which has been removed from a fermentor and modified
in some manner, for example by filtration or pH adjustment. Indeed
the techniques can be applied to the solutions which are made in
other manners as well. The techniques and proposals described
herein, however, are particularly developed with a focus on
efficient processing of fermentation broth solutions, especially
relatively acidic ones, in which pH modification by addition of
acid is not required and preferably has not occurred.
[0067] Although the techniques described herein are particularly
well suited to processing selected bacterial fermentation broths,
they can be applied to other mixtures of lactic acid such as those
obtained from: fungal or yeast action; purge streams from lactide
reactions; or, polylactic acid streams from polylactic acid
processing.
[0068] Typical compositions in which techniques according to the
present invention can be applied, with respect to pH, would be at
least 0.86 and less than 6.0. That is, typical compositions on
which the techniques will be practiced, will have a pH within this
range. As indicated by Equation 1, and FIG. 11, for such
compositions the molar ratio of free lactic acid to dissociated
acid or dissolved lactate salt at 25.degree. C., is within a range
of about 1,000:1 to 0.007:1. More preferred processing will involve
solutions with a pH in the order of about 1.98-5.00 (HLA:LA ratio
within the range of about 75:1 to 0.070:1); and, most preferred
processing will involve solutions having a pH within the range of
about 3.0-4.5 (HLA:LA ratio within the range of about 7.0:1 to
0.23:1).
[0069] As indicated above, with preferred processing described in
Carlson et al, solutions within the most preferred pH range
described above are readily obtained, with substantial
concentrations of the lactate material therein. Alternatively,
other fermentation broths can be used, for example with pH
adjustment by addition of acid typically to the most preferred pH
range given. Certain preferred methods of acidulation are described
hereinbelow.
[0070] Herein, there will sometimes be reference to "preferential
separating" of: lactic acid from a composition containing lactic
acid and lactate salt; or, lactate salt from composition containing
lactic acid and lactate salt. The term "preferential separating"
and variants thereof, in this context, is meant to refer to
separation technique which preferentially removes one of the two
components (lactic acid or lactate salt) with respect to the other.
In typical preferred processing according to the present invention
a mixture of lactic acid and lactate salt is divided into two
"product streams". In one product stream, (i.e., the free lactic
acid rich stream), preferably the molar ratio of free lactic acid
to lactate salt obtained is at least 2/1 and preferably at least
3/1. With certain of the techniques described herein, ratios of at
least 5/1 and indeed in ratios of 10/1 or more are readily
obtainable.
[0071] The other product stream is the lactate salt rich stream. In
this stream, preferably the molar ratio of free lactic acid to
lactate salt is no greater than 0.5. With typical preferred
processing as described herein ratios of no greater than 0.3,
preferably no greater than 0.2 and most preferably 0.1 or lower are
readily obtained.
[0072] Herein the term "stream" when used in the context indicated
by the previous two paragraphs, is meant to refer to an isolated
phase or product segment, without regard to whether that phase or
product segment is a solution, solid or a mixture of materials.
Thus, a "lactate acid rich stream" is merely a phase or mixture
rich in lactic acid (versus lactate salt) by comparison to the
original mixture processed; and, a "lactate salt rich stream" is a
stream rich in lactate salt (versus lactic acid) by comparison to
the original mixture processed.
[0073] When the product stream enriched in free lactic acid is
obtained as a result of separating the free lactic acid from the
mixture, for example from a fermentation broth, the remaining
aqueous mixture after the free lactic acid removal will sometimes
be referred to as "depleted" with respect to free lactic acid.
Similarly, when the lactate salt enriched stream results from
separation of the lactate salt from a mixture containing the free
lactic acid and the lactate salt, the remaining mixture will
sometimes be referred to as "depleted" with respect to the lactate
salt.
[0074] Preferably, when the solution processed is a fermentation
broth, the product stream enriched in lactate salt is provided and
formed such that the weight ratio of impurities from the fermentor,
to lactate salt therein, is lower than found in the fermentation
broth, preferably by a factor of at least 5. This can be managed by
techniques described herein concerning control over the particular
approach selected for isolation of the lactate salt, as well as
through use as various purification techniques, such as back
washing or recrystallization. Preferably, the lactate product
stream is eventually isolated as an aqueous solution or mixture of
an aqueous phase and a solid phase, for convenient recycling into a
fermentation system, in order to maintain water balance. If
concentration of an aqueous solution is used in order to facilitate
the water balance in the broth, preferably relatively low-cost
concentration techniques such as reverse osmosis and vapor
recompression are used.
[0075] IV. Various Options for Lactic Acid/Lactate Salt Separation;
Advantages and Disadvantages
[0076] A. Removal of Lactic Acid from the Fermentation Broth (or
Other Lactic Acid/Lactate Salt Mixture).
[0077] A class of advantageous processing approaches involves
removal of the lactic acid from the fermentation broth or other
mixture, while leaving the soluble lactate salt behind in the
fermentation broth. (The separation can, in some instances, occur
within the fermentor or it can be conducted on solution material
removed from the fermentor.) If, after such separation, the
residual fermentation broth can then be recycled, one can also
preserve at least part of the various nutrient values in the broth,
for use in the feed.
[0078] A number of approaches can be used for preferentially
separating lactic acid from a fermentation broth (or other mixture)
including such materials as lactate salt and other dissociated
salts therein. The approaches include the following:
[0079] 1. Extraction. It is possible to remove the lactic acid from
a lactic acid/lactate salt mixture such as a fermentation broth, by
extraction. For example, extraction can be conducted with a water
insoluble amine, preferably amines having at least 18 carbon atoms,
most preferably tertiary amines, see for example U.S. Pat. Nos.
4,771,001; 5,132,456; and 5,510,526; and Shimizu et al, J. of
Fermentation and Bioengineering (1996), Vol. 81 pp. 240-246;
Yabennauor and Wang, Biotech Bioeng., (1991) Vol. 37, p. 1095-1100;
and, Chen and Lee, Appl. Biochem. Biotech, (1997), Vol. 63-65, pp.
435-447. These six references are incorporated herein by reference.
Extraction of the lactic acid is a favored approach when the lactic
acid partitions between two immiscible liquid phases. The scale-up
and performance of extraction processes is straight-forward.
Extraction processes are favorable due to the lack of solids
handling, the wide variety of equipment available for contacting
two immiscible phases, and the ability to handle large flow rates.
Extraction processes can suffer when the phases tend to form stable
emulsions or have a high viscosity. One also has to be concerned
about: (a) entrained and soluble solvent components affecting the
productivity of the microbe; and (b) the extraction process
removing important nutrients from the recycled broth.
[0080] The extraction process can be performed in the fermentor, in
an outside contactor, or with the use of a membrane to keep one
phase from being dispersed in the other. The use of a supported
liquid membrane can be useful depending upon the overall separation
process.
[0081] The choice of the extraction solvent is important to the
overall efficiency and economics of the separation process. A
measure of extraction efficiency is the partition coefficient as
calculated by the concentration (wt. basis) of lactic acid in the
organic phase (extractant) divided by the concentration of the
lactic acid in the aqueous phase (phase from which extraction
occurs). It is desired to have a partition coefficient greater than
0.1, even more desirable is a partition coefficient greater than
1.0, and even better if the partition coefficient is greater than
3.0. This latter can be accomplished by selecting the appropriate
solvent or mixture of solvents from the following preferred
solvents. Of course in commercial scale practice, extraction
efficiency is the ability to achieve a combination of high yield,
low extractant volume, and concentrated product. This can be
accomplished with the techniques discussed herein.
[0082] Solvents that give favorable partitioning include:
oxygenated solvents, phosphate esters, phosphine oxides, amines,
and mixtures of these solvents. Oxygenated solvents that are
suitable include alcohols, ketones, ethers, esters, acids or
solvents that have a multiple number of these functional groups.
Solvents including at least 60% by wt., more preferably at least
80% by wt. and most preferably at least 90% by wt. (typically 95%
or more), component(s) which is (are) generally water immiscible
(solubility not more than about 50 grams per liter in water at
25.degree. C.) are preferable. Specific usable solvents are
1-butanol, 2-ethyl hexanol, 1-octanol, methyl isobutyl ketone,
cyclohexanone, disobutyl ketone, isopropyl ether, ethyl acetate,
isobutyl acetate, ethyl lactate, butyl lactate, octyl lactate,
N.N-dibutyl lactamide, and hexanoic acid. Suitable phosphate
compounds include tributyl phosphate, triphenyl phosphate,
diethylhexylphosphoric acid, and trioctylphosphine oxide. Suitable
amines include triethylamine, dioctylamine, trioctylamine,
tridecylamine, methyl didodecylamine and industrial preparations
such as Amberlite LA-1 (a dialkyl amine mixture with twelve carbon
atoms in each alkyl chain), Alamine 304 (tridodecylamine), Alamine
308 (a trialkyl mixture of branched chains with a total of 8 carbon
atoms on each chain), and Alamine 336 (a commercially available
mixture of trioctyl.sup.-1; tridecyl.sup.-; dioctyldecyl.sup.- and
didecyloctyl amines). The extracting solvent may also preferably
contain a hydrocarbon fraction, such as kerosene, typically (if
used at all) at 1 to 40% by wt. Such a hydrocarbon fraction
favorably modifies the viscosity, phase coalescence, and other
physical properties of the system. One useable, and often
preferred, solvent system comprises, by wt., 0 to 15% ethanol; 65
to 85% Alamine 336 and 15 to 35% kerosene.
[0083] Depending upon the lactic acid product of interest, the
solvent characteristics will be varied. If the lactic acid product
of interest comprises lactic acid oligomers, a solvent with a
relatively low boiling point by comparison to lactic acid
oligmores/lactic acid (preferably less than 200.degree. C. at 760
mm Hg) is advantageous because the solvent can be easily vaporized
and separated from the lactic acid oligomers. If the lactic acid
product is an alkyl lactate ester such as methyl lactate, a solvent
with a relatively high boiling point by comparison to the ester(s)
(preferably greater than 175.degree. C. at 760 mmHg) is
advantageous to easily distill the methyl lactate away from the
solvent.
[0084] Also, when making a lactate ester, it may be advantageous
for the alcohol of that ester to be a component in the extracting
solvent. If the product is a lactic acid amide, it may be useful to
have the corresponding amine present. Conversely, if the product is
lactic acid, the presence of an alcohol or non-tertiary amine in
the solvent may be unfavorable due to the possibility of yield loss
in the formation of esters or amides.
[0085] 2. Adsorption. Another approach to isolation of lactic acid
from a fermentation broth including free lactic acid and dissolved
lactate salt is through: adsorption of the lactic acid onto a solid
adsorbent; follow-up physical separation of the solid adsorbent
from the liquid phase; and, eventual generation of the lactic acid
from the solid adsorbent. (Herein the term "adsorption" is intended
to include within its scope absorption. That is, the specific
mechanism of interaction is not referenced, unless otherwise
specified.)
[0086] The partitioning of the free lactic acid into a solid phase
either by ion exchange or adsorption is another favorable method
for separating lactic acid from an aqueous solution. These methods
show good efficiency when the solid phase has a high capacity for
lactic acid, an efficient regeneration cycle, and long life time in
the process. Excessive pressure drop over a solid bed, bed
swelling, possible dilution of product upon regeneration, resin
fouling and slow mass transfer rates can make solid phase processes
difficult.
[0087] The capacity of the resin is an important characteristic of
the resin because it determines, along with the mass transfer rate,
how much resin is required for a given amount of lactic acid. A
resin with a capacity of 0.10 g lactic acid per g dry resin would
be suitable, a capacity of 0.20 g lactic acid per g dry resin is
better, and a capacity of 0.30 g lactic acid per g dry resin is
best. This latter can be accomplished for example with Dowex MWA-1
resin in equilibrium with a 20 g/liter lactic acid solution having
a pH of no more than 4.5 at room temperature.
[0088] Contacting a solid phase with the aqueous lactic acid
solution can occur in the fermentor or in equipment outside the
fermentor. For contact inside the fermentor, the microbes are
immobilized and the solid phase adsorbent is separated from the
microbes on the basis of differences in falling velocity in a
fluidized bioreactor; See for example, Davidson and Scott,
Biotechnology and Bioengineering, (1992), Vol. 39, pg. 365-368,
incorporated herein by reference.
[0089] Ion exchange resins that would be suitable for lactic acid
recovery are weak, moderate, and strong basic anion exchangers. As
the pH of the aqueous lactic acid stream increases, a stronger
basic anion exchanger is required to recover the lactic acid.
Therefore, the pH of the lactic acid stream will be one factor in
the choice of ion exchange resin. Commercially available tertiary
amine ion exchange resins that would be suitable include Reillex
425 and Reillex HP (both poly-4 vinylpyridine resins, Reilly
Industries, Inc. of Indianapolis, Ind.), Dowex MWA-1 and Dowex 66
(both polystyrene-divinylbenzene tertiary amine resins, Dow
Chemical Company of Midland, Mich.), and Duolite A561 (an
acrylic-divinylbenzene tertiary amine copolymer), and Amberlite
IRA-67 (a crosslinked phenol-formaldehyde-tertiary amine resin)
(Rohm and Haas Corp. of Philadelphia, Pa.). Both macroreticular and
gel resins are suitable.
[0090] Another factor of importance in the choice of resin is the
technique available for removing the lactic acid from the resin. As
the basicity of the resin increases, the regeneration method must
be more "powerful" to remove the lactic acid from the resin. A
suitable regeneration method would be to contact the resin with a
polar liquid possibly at an elevated temperature. Suitable polar
liquids include water, aqueous solutions, methanol, ethanol,
triethylamine, methyl isobutyl ketone, dimethyl sulfoxide,
N-methylpyrrolidinone, 1,4-dioxane, tributyl phosphate,
trioctylphosphine oxide, and various combinations thereof.
Evaporation of the lactic acid product is potentially a method as
well. In the case of evaporation, thermally stable resins, like the
Reillex ones are very useful. King et al disclose the use of
aqueous trimethyl amine solutions to regenerate adsorbents and
distill of water and trimethylamine to isolate lactic acid in U.S.
Pat. No. 5,132,456, incorporated herein by reference.
[0091] The selectivity of the resin is also important since
preferably, the resin should be selective for the lactic acid and
not the nutrients needed by the microbes. The resin may also need
to be washed with solvents, acids, and/or bases prior to use to
minimize any leaching of monomers, oligomers, or other compounds
that may be toxic to the microbes.
[0092] 3. Separation by Vaporization. Distillation of the lactic
acid from the aqueous solution or mixture is an alternative method
of separation. This method would not contaminate the recycle stream
with residual extractant material that may be toxic to the microbes
and it allows good water balance control. A disadvantage of this
approach is that water needs to be distilled first. This is energy
intensive; and, as water is removed, conditions are favorable for
lactic acid condensation.
[0093] Vacuum conditions for the distillation (i.e. less than 300
mm Hg), to lower the temperature of the distillation will be
preferred because lactic acid condensation to dimer or oligomer, is
reduced. Lactic acid recovery can be facilitated by using equipment
such as a thin film evaporator that minimizes the residence time of
the monomer during the distillation. One possibility is to add an
alcohol such as ethanol and make ethyl lactate, which has a greater
volatility compared to lactic acid, and therefore is easier to
distill.
[0094] 4. Separation via Membrane. Lactic acid can pass through a
membrane into a separate aqueous phase. This method will be
favorable if the membrane chosen is one which is highly selective
for lactic acid (versus lactate salt). A useful membrane is a dense
hydrophilic membrane such as Celgard 3400 from Hoechst Celanese Co.
of Somerville, N.J. and anion exchange membranes that also allow
proton transfer.
[0095] An example of this type of process is to have an ammonia
solution across the membrane from the lactic acid solution. The
lactic acid is driven across the membrane to neutralize the
ammonia. The ammonium lactate solution could then be subjected to
conditions that vaporize the ammonia giving a lactic acid solution.
Other volatile bases such as trimethylamine or triethylamine could
be used alternatively. The use of a strong base, such as sodium
hydroxide, would typically undesirably neutralize the lactic acid
to sodium lactate. Thus, in general with such an approach, a weak
base should be used on the opposite side of the membrane from the
fermentation broth. That is, a weak base, such as the amine bases
mentioned above, will form an association that can be readily
disassociated to regenerate the lactic acid.
[0096] The term "weak base" as used herein is meant to refer to a
base with a pH of half neutralization of less than 2.5; a
"moderate" base will be considered to be a base with a pH of half
neutralization of between 2.5 and 7.0; and a "strong" base will be
considered to be a base with a pH of half neutralization of greater
than 7.0. The term "pH of half neutralization" is a measure of
apparent basicity of a water immiscible base, as defined in
Grinstead, R. R. et al., J. Phys. Chem., Vol. 72, #5, p. 1630
(1968), incorporated herein by reference.
[0097] No matter which method is used for removal of the lactic
acid from the fermentation broth, the follow-up fate of the lactate
salt and residual fermentation broth needs to be considered. Of
course, it would be preferable to use a technique which leaves the
residual fermentation broth and lactate salt in a desirable form
for direct recycling, without further significant treatment. On the
other hand, it may be desirable to isolate the lactate salt from
the residual broth, so that the lactate salt can be recycled or
otherwise used, with the fermentation broth either directly
recycled, or disposed of or used in other manners. Various
approaches to removal of the lactate salt from the residual
fermentation broth, after lactic acid removal, include: extraction;
electrodialysis; ion exclusion; adsorption with a solid adsorbent,
with follow-up separation from the adsorbent; separation with
membrane; and, crystallization.
[0098] It is noted that in some instances the techniques involved
may lead to addition of a material to the recycle stream, having
the lactate salt in solution. For example, extraction methods may
affect the composition of this stream. When such approaches are
chosen, it is important to either use materials that will have low
toxicity to microbes, or to develop follow-up treatments which
modify the composition of the stream appropriately for recycling,
for example by flashing the volatile compounds from the residual
broth or contacting the broth with a low toxicity immiscible liquid
that extracts toxic components. A preferred method would be to use
a low toxicity immiscible liquid as the extracting solvent or as a
component in the extracting solvent and as the immiscible liquid
used to extract out the toxic components.
[0099] The techniques described in this section can be practiced in
a continuous or a batch manner. Indeed even the feed flow from the
fermentor, and fermentor operation, can be practiced continuous or
batchwise.
[0100] B. Removal of Lactate Salt from Fermentation Broth--Leaving
Lactic Acid Behind
[0101] As indicated above, an alternate approach to lactic acid
production involves separation of lactate salt from the
fermentation broth (or other mixture), leaving the lactic acid
behind in the residual mixture, with later processing of lactic
acid from the residual mixture. The isolated lactate salt could be
useful, for direction (or recycling) to the fermentation system for
pH control, if desired.
[0102] A variety of approaches can be used for isolation of lactate
salt, from a fermentation broth or other lactic acid/lactate salt
mixture, leaving the lactic acid behind. These could, in general,
be developed around the same approaches as characterized in the
previous section for isolation of lactate salt from the residual
fermentation broth after lactic acid removal. As with the
approaches of the other section, they can be practiced in a
continuous or a batch manner. The approaches, then, would generally
be the following:
[0103] 1. Extraction.
[0104] A lactate salt can be extracted from an aqueous solution
containing lactic acid with the use of a quaternary amine such as
methyl trioctyl ammonium chloride or a mixture of methyl
trialkylammonium chloride salts such as ALIQUAT 336 (the
corresponding methyl ammonium chloride of Alamine 336 available
from Henkel Corp. in Kankakee, Ill.). Typically, methyl trialkyl
ammonium halide (preferably chloride) salts of trialkyl amines of
18 carbons or more are used. In general an anion exchange occurs,
in which the lactate anion is exchanged for the chloride anion
present in the amine phase. Thus, this approach can "load" the
residual solution, containing the lactic acid therein, with
chloride ion.
[0105] Another extraction approach is to fully extract the lactate
salt using a coupled extractant consisting of both a liquid cation
and liquid anion exchanger in a solvent. An example would be the
use of quaternary amine as listed above with diethylhexylphosphoric
acid. The lactate salt is extracted with the formation of water.
The quaternary amine may need to be pretreated to the free base
form of the amine for this to work efficiently.
[0106] 2. Solid Adsorbent.
[0107] The fermentation broth containing both the lactic acid and
lactate ion could be contacted with a solid adsorbent, for removal
of the lactate ion. Preferred solid adsorbents for this would be
strong anion exchangers such as fixed quaternary ammonium
compounds. An example would be Amberlite IRA-400 and Amberlite
IRE-900 available from Rohm and Haas Co., Philadelphia, Pa. Such
materials generally comprise quaternary ammonium functionality and
styrene divinyl benzene copolymer.
[0108] Another approach would be to use mixed bed ion exchange
resins to separate the lactate salt from the aqueous solution. This
is similar to the mixed liquid ion exchangers mentioned above.
[0109] Another approach to separate the mixture using a solid
adsorbent is the technique of ion exclusion. In ion exclusion
chromatography, an anion exchange resin is converted to the lactate
form. The lactate anion in the feed solution comes out with the
void volume of while other ionic components are retained by the
resin.
[0110] 3. Separation with a Membrane.
[0111] The lactate ion can also be removed from an aqueous solution
such as a fermentation broth, leaving a lactic acid behind, by
electrodialysis. More specifically, the fermentation broth,
preferably prefiltered, and a relatively pure water stream are fed
to an electrodialysis unit. The unit would include alternating
cation and anion exchange membranes forming a plurality of
compartments (or stack) with a cathode and anode at opposite sides
of the stack (for providing an electric field through the stack).
The properties of the membranes would be such that substantially
only anions would pass through the anion exchange membrane and only
cations pass through the cation exchange membranes. An
electrodialysis unit for water desalination would be suitable for
separating and concentrating the lactic salt, and providing a
lactic acid rich/lactate salt depleted stream. Companies such as
Aqualytics in Warren, N.J. and Ionics, Inc. in Watertown Mass.
provide desalination equipment appropriate for this use.
[0112] 4. Crystallization.
[0113] Lactate salts can be crystallized from aqueous solutions.
Thus, the lactate salt can be removed from the fermentation broth
(or other mixture) via a crystallization process. This can be done
through concentration (for example, by evaporation of the water);
by reduction in temperature and/or by addition of agents to
facilitate the crystallization (for example water soluble alcohols
such as C.sub.1 to C.sub.4 alcohols (methanol, ethanol, propanol,
and/or the various butanols). After the physical separation of the
crystallized product from the solution, the remaining lactic acid
containing solution could then be further treated for isolation of
the lactic acid.
[0114] In certain preferred processing, the added agent is
preferably one which has a low solubility in water at about ambient
temperature, but this solubility increases sharply upon an increase
in temperature. Butanol provides a good example. Addition of
butanol to a lactic acid and lactate salt containing solution at an
elevated temperature, about 100.degree. C., and under appropriate
pressure to avoid vaporization, would result in the efficient
crystallization of the lactate salt. This type of agent has many
advantages. First, it is relatively easy to separate from the
remaining solution after the crystallization, for example by
cooling. Second, upon cooling of the liquor after lactate salt
crystallization, the lactic acid will distribute between the two
phases (water and butanol) forming a very efficient combination of
crystallization and extraction in one operation. That is, the
lactate salt is crystallized and the lactic acid is extracted into
butanol. Third, if the added agent is an appropriate alcohol, a
lactate ester can be formed and separated in a pure form, for
example by distillation.
[0115] If crystallization is the selected approach, calcium lactate
(CaLa.sub.2) will often be the selected salt because: (a) it has a
relatively low solubility in water; and (b) its solubility in water
is strongly dependent on temperature. The calcium lactate salt can
be provided by use of the appropriate soluble calcium salt, such as
calcium carbonate, to the mixture.
[0116] Of course, whatever approach is used to isolate the lactate
from the mixture, the overall processing scheme will require
recovery of the lactic acid value, in some form, from the residual
broth (or other mixture) after the lactate salt removal. Approaches
analogous to those described above, with respect to removal of
lactic acid from a fermentation broth or other mixture, can be
used. More specifically: extraction; solid adsorption;
vaporization; or membrane separation as described previously, are
feasible. For many of these options, a step of previous separation
of the lactate salt will be beneficial, because in some instances
acid separation will be more efficient when conducted without the
buffering effect of the lactate salt. Thus, the techniques
described above for lactic acid recovery would be applied to a
lactate depleted solution, to achieve lactic acid
purification/isolation rather than separation from lactate.
[0117] V. One Preferred Class of Approaches--Lactic Acid Removal
from the Mixture by Extraction
[0118] In some instances, a preferred class of approaches to
overall processing will involve lactic acid separation from the
mixture via extraction. Among the reasons for this are the
following:
[0119] 1. With an extraction process, especially if practiced on a
clarified fermentation broth or similar solution, it may be
possible to leave the residual lactic acid depleted solution, with
the lactate therein, in an appropriate form for recycling into the
fermentor without substantial further treatment, other than perhaps
a diluent wash or similar treatment to remove any residual
extractant that may be toxic to the microorganisms of the
fermentor.
[0120] 2. Extraction processes can be conducted, in many instances,
efficiently and rapidly on a large scale.
[0121] 3. Extraction processes can be quite selective for the
lactic acid, versus other materials (such as amino acids and
carbohydrates) in the fermentation mixture. Such high selectivity
can be achieved using basic extractants such as trialkylamines,
especially relatively insoluble trialkylamines having at least 18
carbon atoms, such as Alamine 336.
[0122] A variety of approaches can be used for lactic acid
recovery, i.e., the removal of the lactic acid values, or lactic
products, from the lactic acid containing extract. Approaches
include the following:
[0123] A. Phase-Splitting.
[0124] In general, when applying this technique, the extractant
containing the lactic acid is modified to generate lactide and/or
lactic acid oligomers. This would be done, for example, by driving
the condensation reaction (lactic acid to dimer or oligomer)
through evaporation of water, during concentration. To facilitate
such a follow-up process, a hydrophobic extracting solvent for the
original extraction is preferred, since most of the separation of
the lactic acid from the water of the original aqueous phase (e.g.
fermentation broth) will have been done by the extraction step and
phase separation. An example of a suitable hydrophobic extracting
solvent is one with a high proportion of long-chain alkylamines and
at least 1-35% kerosene, by wt. Those extracting solvents typically
coextract only one mole of water per mole of extracted lactic acid.
The condensation reaction (to form lactide or oligomer) can be
facilitated by catalyst addition. In general, during
condensation/concentration the resulting lactide or oligomers will
form a separate phase from the remainder of the extractant, for
example, the amine. Physical separation can then be used to
accomplish recovery of the desired lactic product. The separated
oligomer can then be taken directly to lactide, without removal of
residual extractant therein, if desired.
[0125] It is noted that this approach, especially when an amine is
used as the extractant, can lead to some degree of racemization of
the lactic product. The racemization can be minimized through use
of low temperature, low pressure conditions for the condensation
reaction. For example, below 150.degree. C. and below 20 mm Hg.
[0126] B. Extraction.
[0127] With this approach, one back extracts the lactic acid from
the first extracted phase. This can often be done with an aqueous
extraction or wash, due to the high solubility of lactic acid in
water. Of course, other polar liquids such as dimethylsulfoxide
(DMSO), N-methylpyrrolidinone, N,N-dimethylforamide (DMF),
triethylamine, and lactide can be used. In some instances it may be
desirable to use relatively warm back extraction conditions by
comparison to the first extraction, for example back extraction
with water at a temperature of at least 100.degree. C., typically
about 150.degree. C. or higher, to facilitate the process.
(Assuming conditions of the first extraction of
15.degree.-60.degree. C. at atmospheric pressure.) Such a back
extraction would typically be conducted under a pressure of at
least 30 psig.
[0128] C. Membrane Separation.
[0129] Membrane separation techniques can be used to facilitate
separation of the lactic acid from the lactic acid-extracting
solvent phase. For example, one could use a hydrophilic barrier
with the extractant phase on one side and a preferred phase for the
lactic acid on the other. This preferred phase could, for example,
be a tertiary amine such as described above for membrane separation
for lactic acid from the fermentation broth. In some instances,
aqueous systems can be used.
[0130] D. Distillation of Solvent.
[0131] If the solvent of the extractant phase is of relatively low
molecular weight or high volatility, for example butanol, it can be
distilled or flashed from the extractant phase, leaving lactic acid
behind. This approach will be most useful when the extractant phase
comprises such solvents as: butanol, methyl isobutyl ketone or
triethylamine. It may be desirable to use relatively low pressure
conditions to facilitate the distillation. For example, processing
at pressures on the order of about 500 mm Hg or below will be
preferred. The use of a carrier gas and of pervaporation are also
preferred. In some instances the lactic acid concentration which
occurs during distillation will lead to formation of condensation
products such as lactate esters (if alcohols are present), lactide
or lactic acid oligomers.
[0132] E. Distillation of Lactic Product.
[0133] Distillation of lactic product, for example lactic acid,
from the extractant phase will be favored when the extractant phase
comprises a material of relatively low volatility. For example,
when tertiary amine, especially tertiary amines of 18 carbon atoms
or more, is used in the extractant phase, distillation can be
readily used to recover the lactic acid. With respect to this,
attention is directed to U.S. Pat. No. 5,510,526 incorporated
herein by reference.
[0134] Of course, in some instances, the extraction phase may
contain materials of both high volatility and low volatility. When
such is the case, multi-staged distillations may be preferred, to
obtain isolation of lactic acid or lactic product. Here again, a
carrier gas and particularly pervaporation could be
advantageous.
[0135] F. Crystallization of Lactic Product.
[0136] When the lactic acid product is lactide, a favorable
approach to separation from the extracted phase is crystallization.
More specifically, lactide crystallizes readily from non-polar
solvents such as toluene.
[0137] It will typically be desired to generate lactide from the
recovered lactic acid in the extraction. This can be done by water
removal and condensation under controlled conditions. See for
example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,142,023 incorporated herein by reference,
with respect to lactide formation.
[0138] G. Aqueous Extraction, Solvent Re-Extract.
[0139] With this approach, the lactic acid is extracted from the
extractant phase into an aqueous phase. It is then removed from the
aqueous phase into a preferred extractant phase for follow-up
processing, such as condensation to oligomer and eventual
processing to lactide. A typical example would be a first
extraction into a tertiary amine phase, preferably amines of 18
carbons or more, with a follow-up extraction from the tertiary
amine phase into an aqueous phase. The lactic acid can then be
extracted into cyclohexanone or another non-amine, polar, solvent,
with the condensation (to oligomer) occurring in the cyclohexanone
(or other non-amine, polar, organic solvent) during
concentration/distillatio- n. The temperature of the back
extraction into the aqueous phase can be higher than the
temperature during extraction into the organic phases. This is
preferred to condensation within the tertiary amine phase directly,
if racemization is to be minimized or avoided.
[0140] Of course, the lactic acid could be isolated from the
aqueous phase directly, for example, by distillation of the water.
However, in general, this may require more energy than condensation
within a preferred polar organic phase of higher volatility.
[0141] VI. Various Approaches to Separation of Lactic Product from
an Extracted Phase--a Closer Look
[0142] The following describes a typical approach to the problem of
making lactic acid products from a lactic acid fermentation or
other aqueous lactic acid solution, using the techniques described
above. Assume a broth comprising about 50 to 110 g/liter total
lactic material at a pH of 3.5 to 4.3. The broth is withdrawn,
continuously, from a fermentor. The broth is clarified to remove
coarse impurities and other insolubles in the stream, for example
by passage through a filter (or through flocculation,
centrifugation or a combination of those various techniques). This
filter may be a dead-end filter or a cross-flow filter using micro-
or ultrafiltration membranes. (In some instances, pretreatment with
activated carbon may also be conducted to purify the mixture.) The
undissociated lactic acid is then extracted from the broth or
remaining lactate salt solution. The extracting solvent includes a
tertiary alkylamine, an oxygenated solvent that increases the
partition coefficient, and a kerosene fraction that modifies the
viscosity of the solvent mixture. Preferably the extracting solvent
contains 60 to 80 wt % tertiary alkylamine, such as Alamine 336, 5
to 20 wt % methyl isobutyl ketone, and 10 to 30 wt % kerosene (for
example IsoPar K). The aqueous lactic acid solution and extracting
solvent are contacted in a countercurrent fashion in either: an
agitated column; a packed column; a perforated plate column; a
raining bucket contactor; a centrifugal contactor; or,
mixer/settler equipment. The temperature during this contacting is
between 0.degree. C. and 95.degree. C., but more preferentially
between 15.degree. C. and 60.degree. C. The exiting streams from
the extraction process are a lactate salt aqueous solution and a
lactic acid-rich extract. The lactate salt aqueous solution is
recycled back to the fermentor. The lactic acid-rich extract would
then be processed in order to make the lactic acid products
generally referenced above.
[0143] To make a nearly pure lactic acid stream, the lactic acid
product in the extract should be separated from the solvent in
order to regenerate the solvent and isolate the lactic acid
product. As indicated above, there are a number of methods to
separate the lactic acid from the solvent. For example, the lactic
acid product can: be extracted into a second phase of low
miscibility with the extracting solvent; distilled with either the
solvent or the lactic acid product going overhead; or passed,
through a membrane to another phase. In another method, all or some
of the extracting solvent can be distilled off while adding a
second, less volatile, solvent in order to get the lactic acid in a
different solvent composition. This method was disclosed by Verser,
et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,420,304, incorporated herein by
reference.
[0144] A preferred separation scheme to obtain lactic acid from the
extracting solvent is to distill the lactic acid/extracting solvent
stream to get a crude lactic acid stream. There may be components
in the extracting phase that are both higher boiling and lower
boiling than the lactic acid. Efficient and economical distillation
schemes of these components can be conducted with conventional
distillation equipment. In a preferred method, high vacuum and high
surface area equipment are used to isolate lactic acid efficiently
with a minimum amount of condensation. A wiped film evaporator or a
falling film evaporator would be suitable for this type of
operation.
[0145] A vaporized lactic acid stream could be condensed to form a
concentrated liquid lactic acid stream that can be further
processed to lactic acid oligomers and lactide in processes
described by Gruber, et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,142,023. A vaporized
lactic acid stream can be contacted with an appropriate catalyst to
form lactide as described by Bellis and Bhatia in U.S. Pat. No.
5,138,074, incorporated herein by reference. This lactic acid
stream could also be sold as final product with purification as
needed. The lactic acid could also be reacted to form other
products of value such as lactate esters, lactate amides, and
acrylic acid.
[0146] Distilling off the relatively small amount of lactic acid
from the extracting solvent is a particularly attractive approach
to lactic acid recovery since the minor component of the solution
is being taken overhead. Therefore, an extracting solvent with a
lower volatility relative to lactic acid would be preferred.
[0147] Alamine 336, a commercially available mixture of tertiary
alkylamines with octyl and decyl alkyl groups has a lower
volatility than lactic acid. It has been discovered that for a
Alamine 336 and aqueous lactic acid mixture at relatively low
temperatures (about <65.degree. C.) and certain aqueous free
lactic acid concentrations, three liquid phases are in equilibrium;
one aqueous free lactic acid concentration is about 2.2 wt %, while
the lactic acid concentrations are about 16 wt % and 1.4 wt % for
the middle and top organic phases, respectively. The total organic
phase or the highly loaded lactic acid--Alamine 336 middle phase
can be physically separated from the other phase(s). The lactic
acid could then be distilled from the Alamine 336, or the lactic
acid extract can be further processed using other methods described
in this application to obtain lactic acid products.
[0148] It should be noted that at room temperature, if the aqueous
free lactic acid concentration at equilibrium is significantly
above or below the 2.2 wt %, only a single organic phase will be
obtained. Example 2 reports one example of making a three phase
system, and how by recontacting the two organic phases with a fresh
aqueous lactic acid solution, a single organic phase with a high
lactic acid concentration was obtained.
[0149] As indicated above, another possible method to obtain the
lactic acid from the extracting solvent is to back extract the
lactic acid into a liquid phase that is immiscible with the
extracting solvent. The second immiscible phase can be water, polar
organic compounds, or mixtures of these liquids. It has been found
that some polar organic compounds are immiscible with the preferred
extracting solvents described above. As the weight fraction of the
trialkyl amine and kerosene increases, the probability that a polar
organic compound is immiscible with the extracting solvent
increases. Polar organic compounds of interest include: methanol;
ethanol; lactide; lactic acid oligomers; dimenthyl sulfoxide;
N,N-dimethyl foramide; N-methyl pyrrolidinone; and sulfolane. In
general the polar organic compounds of interest are ones which have
a solubility in water greater than 1 g per 10 g of water. The back
extraction will preferably be performed at a temperature higher
than the initial extraction of lactic acid into the extracting
solvent (typically 30.degree. C. to 160.degree. C. or higher,
usually at 90.degree. C. to 160.degree. C.). There are exceptions
to this and when using an extracting solvent comprising a large
proportion alcohol such as hexanol or octanol, it can be favorable
to perform the back extraction at a lower temperature than the
initial extraction. The composition of the extracting solvent can
be changed between the forward extraction of lactic acid and the
back extraction. The equipment suitable for the forward extraction
as listed above is also appropriate for use in the back
extraction.
[0150] The back extraction solvent may also have a basic compound
to increase the distribution of the lactic acid back into the
second immiscible phase. It has been found that the ternary system
of triethylamine-lactic acid-trioctylamine at room temperature has
two phases. This is somewhat surprising because triethylamine and
trioctylamine are miscible. The trioctylamine phase contains little
lactic acid if the amount of triethylamine added is slightly more
than stoichiometric. The triethylamine-rich phase is nearly a 1:1
molar ratio of lactic acid to triethylamine, which gives a weight
percent of lactic acid of 47%. Thus, this system is capable of
concentrating the lactic acid during the back extraction. The
triethylamine is substantially more volatile than lactic acid and
can be distilled to obtain a crude lactic acid product. It is
expected that trimethylamine, ammonia, and other amines with a
molecular weight of less than 200 would show similar behavior as
the triethylamine. Bailey et al. disclose the use of trialkyl
tertiary amines in an organic solvent with back extraction into an
aqueous phase (with a relatively strong base such as ammonia) in
U.S. Pat. No. 4,771,001 incorporated herein by reference).
[0151] Back extraction into a mixture of triethylamine in polar
solvent with relatively low volatility is an efficient process
since the solvent to triethylamine ratio can be carefully
controlled. The presence of the solvent allows the viscosity to
remain low during the distillation of the amine from the lactic
acid and would provide a medium for further reactions of the lactic
acid to lactic acid products.
[0152] This last recited option of back extracting the lactic acid
has been generally described as having a non-polar solvent with a
basic extractant, such as a long-chain (18 carbon atoms or more)
alkylamine, and using a polar organic solvent as the back
extracting phase. Of course, the opposite can be true. The initial
extracting solvent can be relatively polar, but still immiscible
with water, and the back extraction liquid can be a non-polar
solvent with a basic extractant. The fundamental concept is the
ability to extract lactic acid from an aqueous solution with an
extracting solvent and back extracting the lactic acid into a
second liquid. In some cases that liquid will be water, but it can
also be an organic liquid that is appropriate for efficient
separation of the lactic acid or to make and separate lactic acid
products.
[0153] When back extracting the lactic acid into a second polar
liquid phase, there will be a residual amount of the extracting
solvent components in the lactic acid rich back extraction phase.
If desired, the residual extracting solvent can be decreased by
contacting the back extraction phase with a non-polar solvent such
as IsoPar K. This extra purification is shown in Example 3.
[0154] Another option for separating the lactic acid out of the
extract is the use of a membrane-process. In this case, the lactic
acid passes through the membrane to a phase different in
composition than the extracting solvent. One possible case is when
the extracting solvent contains a long-chain alkylamine in a
non-polar solvent. On the other side of the membrane is a volatile
base, such as trimethylamine, in the same non-polar solvent. The
membrane is an anion exchange membrane which doesn't allow cations,
such as trimethylammonium, to pass. The lactic acid passes through
the membrane to form a lactate:trimethylammonium complex. The
volatile base is then removed by distillation and lactic acid
products can be made and separated in the non-polar mixture. In
general, the use of the membrane allows the conduct of phase
separation between two otherwise miscible liquids.
[0155] As indicated previously, the formation of the alkyl lactate
ester can be a condensation reaction between the lactic acid and a
hydroxyl group on another molecule. This other molecule could be
another lactic acid molecule or any other molecule that has a
hydroxyl group. Possibilities include methanol, ethanol, butanol,
octanol, dodecanol, 2-ethyl hexanol, and 1,4-butane diol. The
condensation reaction is driven towards the production of the ester
by the removal of the ester and/or water from the reaction mixture.
The condensation reaction can be performed in the extracting
solvent or the polar liquid that is used for the back extraction.
The separation of the lactate ester can be performed by evaporation
or extraction.
[0156] The alkyl lactate ester could also be formed by a
transesterification reaction between the lactic acid carboxylic
acid group and an ester. The by-product of a transesterification
reaction is an acid, and the reaction is driven forward to the
production of the lactate ester by the separation of the acid
and/or the lactate ester from the reaction mixture. The use of
formate esters, acetate esters, or other esters which have a
corresponding acid that is more volatile than lactic acid and the
formed lactate ester are good choices because the volatile acid can
be evaporated out of the reaction mixture to drive the reaction to
completion. The lactate ester can then be evaporated or back
extracted into an extracting solvent immiscible phase.
[0157] An ester with a corresponding acid that has a lower
volatility than lactate ester formed could be used. The reaction is
driven to completion by the separation of the lactate ester from
the reaction mixture. Suitable esters for this type of process
would be methyl ocanoate, dimethyl succinate, and ethyl decanoate.
The advantage of this system is that the lactate ester product is
immediately removed from the reaction mixture. The disadvantage is
that the by-product acid must be efficiently regenerated back to
the desired ester.
[0158] In the transesterification processes described above, the
initial ester was chosen due to the relative volatility of the
corresponding acid. This was because evaporation was chosen as the
method to remove the products of the transesterification reaction.
If back extraction into a phase that is immiscible with the
extracting solvent is used to separate the products of the
transesterification reaction, the initial ester would be chosen
based on the selectivity of the immiscible phase for the
corresponding acid or lactate ester. For instance, if an immiscible
phase was found to select for succinic acid over lactic acid, butyl
lactate, butyl succinate, and dibutyl succinate, the condensation
reaction could be driven to butyl lactate by extracting away the
succinic acid.
[0159] The alcohol or initial ester can be part of the extracting
solvent or added to the lactic acid extract after it is separated
from the aqueous phase. As mentioned, the removal of the products
of the condensation reaction is important to drive the reaction
towards formation of the lactate esters. This removal can be
simultaneously or sequentially. Reactive distillation would be
suitable for the simultaneous removal of one of the reaction
products. A sequential separation process may require a direction
(recycle)of material back to the condensation reactor for efficient
operation.
[0160] The lactate ester can be further purified if required,
especially if the lactate ester is the final product of interest.
Once an appropriate lactate ester stream is obtained, polylactic
acid can be obtained by the following method. Any free water in the
system would be separated, and the stream would be heated, possibly
under subatmospheric pressure. The lactate ester's corresponding
alcohol would be evaporated from the reaction mixture to drive the
transesterification reaction. For instance, a methyl lactate stream
would give off methanol and a lactoyl methyl lactate. As the
methanol is evaporated off, the molecular weight of the methyl
capped lactic acid oligomer increases. This stream would then be
fed to a lactide formation reactor where a catalyst is added.
Lactide, the cyclic ester of lactic acid, would then form and be
used to form polylactic acid. Processes to make lactide from alkyl
lactate esters have been disclosed by Gruber, et al. in U.S. Pat.
Nos. 5,247,059 and 5,274,073, each of which is incorporated herein
by reference.
[0161] Lactic acid oligomers are also lactic acid products of
interest that could be used to make polylactic acid. Earlier, a
preferred process was described for taking a lactic acid-rich
extract and make lactic acid oligomers. The oligomer formation is
performed in the presence of the extracting solvent, with the
reaction being driven by the removal of water. The preferred
process is to remove water by evaporation, typically under
subatmospheric pressures. There are other methods to remove water
that are suitable such as adsorption on molecular sieves or silica,
reaction with an anhydrous salt to form a hydrated salt, and
passing water preferentially through a membrane, such a
pervaporation. Generation of lactic acid oligomers is generally
discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,142,023.
[0162] If the extracting solvent is relatively volatile, the
extracting solvent could also be removed by evaporation leaving a
concentrated lactide acid oligomer stream. A preferred process
would have the volatile extracting solvent forming an azeotrope
with water, thus aiding in the water removal step.
[0163] If the extracting solvent cannot be easily evaporated, other
methods to separate the lactic acid oligomers from the extracting
solvent are used. These methods are suitable when the extracting
solvent includes a high molecular weight trialkylamine, such as
tridodecyl amine, or high molecular weight oxygenated phosphorus
compound, such as tributyl phosphine and trioctyl phosphine oxide.
It has been found that the prepolymer can be substantially
separated from the extracting solvent by causing the creation of
two immiscible phases.
[0164] It has been found that when Alamine 336 is used as the
extracting solvent, a significant amount of the trialkylamine can
be separated from the lactic acid oligomers with little additional
effort. The Alamine 336--lactic acid extract is subjected to
conditions that cause the condensation of lactic acid to lactic
acid oligomers. It has been found that upon cooling this mixture,
two immiscible phases are obtained. One of the phases is Alamine
336 enriched, and the other is lactic acid oligomer enriched. It
was found that the lactic acid oligomer enriched phase had an
Alamine 336 concentration about equal to a 1:1 molar ratio of amine
to lactic acid oligomer. Therefore, as the average molecular weight
of the oligomers increases, the average amount of residual Alamine
336 in the oligomer-rich phase will decrease.
[0165] There are other ways to force the creation of a second
liquid phase. Acid or base displacement are suitable methods to use
when the extracting solvent contains a high molecular weight
tertiary amine. The oligomer still has a carboxylic acid end that
can strongly interact with an amine group. If another acid is added
to the system and the amine selectively prefers this other acid,
this acid will interact with the amine and the oligomer is free to
partition in to a separate phase. The required amount of said other
acid is equivalent to that of the oligomer. Thus, the higher the
molecular weight of the oligomer, the lower amount of the other
acid is required. Alternatively, another base could be added to the
system and the carboxylic acid end of the oligomer could
selectively prefer this other base. The amine could then form a
second liquid phase. The displacing acid or displacing base need to
be separated from the amine phase or oligomer phase, respectively,
possibly via distillation or ion exchange. The displacing acid or
base may be added in a solution and the solvent associated with the
displacing species may need to be separated as well.
[0166] If the lactide formation is conducted, and it is performed
at temperatures between about 150.degree. C. and 250.degree. C. and
pressures from about 2 mm Hg to 100 mm Hg, the lactide produced
will evaporate. This stream of crude lactide may need to be further
purified to meet the purity requirements for making quality poly
lactic acid.
[0167] If a stream from the lactide formation reactor is cooled,
the stream may produce a new solid phase. Lactide with a chiral
purity of greater than 95% has a melting point of about 96.degree.
C. Therefore, lactide can be crystallized from the extracting
solvent provided the concentration of lactide exceeds the
solubility of the lactide in that solvent. If the solubility of the
lactide is not exceeded, the addition of another liquid, an
anti-solvent, to the lactide stream may decrease the solubility of
the lactide such that the lactide crystallizes. Filtration of the
slurry provides a crude lactide stream that can be used for polymer
formation.
[0168] Another method for lactide isolation, from the lactide
formation reactor, is to cause the lactide to phase split from the
extracting solvent. This phase split could be caused by changing
the temperature of a stream or adding liquid solutions to the
stream leaving the lactide formation reactor. It has been found
that lactide is immiscible with Alamine 336 and mixtures of Alamine
336 and IsoPar K, an aliphatic solvent from Exxon. Therefore,
lactide could be concentrated and further processed to poly lactic
acid if Alamine 336 is used as the extracting solvent.
[0169] In some processes, it may be desirable to convert the
lactate salt, from the fermentation, to another salt, to facilitate
the separation, for example, the calcium salt could be converted to
the sodium salt.
[0170] VII. Some Specific Processing Schemes
[0171] The techniques described below in connection with the
Figures are often presented with respect to the process system
involving processing of a fermentation broth by removal, from the
aqueous phase, of the lactic acid: Downstream processing steps
conducted with respect to the lactic acid component are sometimes
described. Of course it is not necessary that the downstream
processing of the lactic acid/lactate mixture be conducted of a
fermentation broth directly, i.e. without some prior modification
of the broth other than merely filtration. For example, pH
adjustments to the broth for example to a pH of about 2.0, can be
conducted. Further, the downstream processing of lactic acid
fraction can be conducted after a previous step of lactate removal
from the broth or mixture, if desired.
[0172] It is also noted that the techniques presented in the
Figures can be applied in both continuous processes and batch
processes, as desired. As a result, the techniques indicated in the
figures are well adapted for commercial implementation.
[0173] A. FIG. 1; Extraction of Lactic Acid, Lactate Salt and
Nutrients Recycled, (Optional) Extract Regenerated, Lactic Acid
Concentrated by Distillation.
[0174] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a preferred lactic
acid recovery process in which the lactic acid solution is formed
by fermentation. Referring to FIG. 1, the fermentor is indicated
generally at 1. Via line 2, the fermentation broth is removed from
the fermentor 1. The fermentation broth is passed through a filter
unit 3, with removed solids (for example, cell material) shown
taken off of line 4 and the clarified or filtered liquid
transferred into an extraction process or extraction unit 6. The
filter unit 3 may comprise a simple physical filter, or it may
include adsorptive materials such as activated carbon and/or
physical ion exchange media. Preferably, an approach is chosen so
that sterilization of the material before recycling is not
required. (Of course the cells, in many instances, can be directed
back into the fermentor 1, if desired.)
[0175] More specifically, the liquid in line 5, comprising an
aqueous solution of lactic acid and lactate salt, is directed into
an extraction unit 6 such as an agitated column, perforated plate
column or a series of mixer settlers. Two or more such units can be
used in series, for a multi-step extraction process. The extractant
is shown fed into the system via line 7, with the lactic acid
carrying extractant phase removed via line 8. The raffinate or
residual aqueous phase (lactic acid depleted), containing the
lactate salt and any residual nutrients is shown removed via line
10 and directed into a pretreatment system 11, for return to the
fermentation broth via line 12. The pretreatment system 11 may be,
for example, a solvent back wash to remove any level of residual
extract which may be toxic to the organisms in the fermentor, or to
remove some other undesired impurities to avoid impurity build-up
in the fermentor due to recycling.
[0176] The extractant phase, containing the lactic acid, is
directed in a distillation system 13. The lactic acid products are
distilled via line 15. The resulting lactic acid product comprises
lactic acid and condensation products (oligomers) of lactic acid
(depending on the extent of concentration in distillation system
13). It can be used to form lactide and polymer. The extracting
solvent is removed via line 14 and is shown recycled in the
extraction.
[0177] The schematic of FIG. 1, then, is particularly well suited
for use in systems wherein the lactic acid is removed from the
fermentation broth by extraction, and recovery of the lactic acid
results from distillation of the lactic acid away from the
extractant. The schematic of FIG. 1 is suitable, for example, for
application wherein the extractant phase comprises a mixture of
tertiary amines and alkanes, such as Alamine 336, and kerosene.
[0178] Specific preferred conditions for the extraction would
involve contacting the aqueous lactic acid solution and extracting
solvent at a temperature between 30.degree. C. and 50.degree. C.
The aqueous to organic phase ratio is preferably between 0.1 and
10, and more preferred is between 0.2 and 5.
[0179] Of course a process similar to FIG. 1 could be practiced on
a variety of solutions other than simply fermentation broths. The
material in line 5 could be modified broth (acidified for example)
or it could be from a source other than fermentation.
[0180] Alternatively, if the extracting solvent is more volatile
than lactic acid, the same flowsheet as FIG. 1 is appropriate.
However, the extracting solvent would be distilled from the lactic
acid products).
[0181] B. FIG. 2; Lactate Crystallization from Broth, Recycle of
Lactate Salt to Fermentation; Recovery of Acid from Salt Depleted
Broth.
[0182] Attention is now directed to the schematic of FIG. 2. In
this alternative approach, a lactate salt of relatively low
solubility, e.g. calcium lactate, is precipitated from the mixture,
and the lactic acid is recovered from the mother liquid. Referring
to FIG. 2, the fermentor is indicated generally at 31. The
fermentation broth is shown removed via line 32 to be directed
through filter or clarifier 33. The solids from the clarifier are
shown removed via line 34. The clarified broth is then directed via
line 35 into evaporation unit 36. (Of course the material in line
35 could be modified broth or a mixture from some other source.)
During evaporation, concentration and crystallization of the
lactate salt contained within the broth will occur. Water from the
evaporation is shown drawn off via line 37. Physical separation of
the mother liquor from the crystallized material is shown by
directing the result of the evaporation, line 38, through filter
40. The solids recovered from the filter 40, comprising
crystallized lactate, are shown directed via line 45 into a
purification unit and eventually (if desired) recycled to the
fermentation via line 46 (with optional purification at station 47
if desired). Of course, alternatively they may be directed into
other processing (line 48). A combination of the two may be
preferred in some circumstances.
[0183] The mother liquor from the filtration is shown directed via
line 49 into lactic acid recovery 50. The lactic acid recovery step
can be any of the variety of steps characterized above.
[0184] In general, the schematic of FIG. 2 will be particularly
useful when the lactate salt is calcium lactate due to low
solubility of calcium lactate in aqueous solutions. It is noted
that the calcium lactate recovered will make an excellent buffer or
pH adjuster for the fermentation broth.
[0185] C. FIG. 3; Extraction of Lactic Acid, Formation of Oligomer
and Lactide in Extracting Solvent.
[0186] Attention is now directed to the schematic of FIG. 3. This
approach will be particularly useful when the intent is to directly
produce, as a "lactic product", lactide and/or oligomer of lactic
acid, without previous isolation of lactic acid, and, preferably,
without a step of back extraction.
[0187] Referring to FIG. 3, the fermentor is indicated generally at
60. Fermentation broth is shown removed from the fermentor 60 via
line 61, for direction into clarifier filtration unit 62. Solids
from the filtration unit are shown removed via line 63. The
clarified fermentation broth, or other mixture such as modified
broth, containing lactic acid and lactate salt, is shown directed
into an extraction unit via line 64. The extraction unit is
indicated generally at 65, and may comprise more than one stage of
extraction. These stages may be generally as described above in
connection with FIG. 1. Alternatively, the salt is separated first
as in FIG. 2 and the mother liquor is extracted. The extractant
phase is shown removed via line 66, and is directed into unit 67
for oligomer formation. Unit 67 may comprise, for example, a
multi-stage evaporating unit, from which water and other volatiles
are shown driven off via line 68 as the extractant is concentrated
and the lactic acid condenses to form oligomer.
[0188] The resulting lactic product phase (oligomer) is shown
removed from the multi-stage evaporator via line 69, and is
directed into reactor stage 70. In the reactor stage 70, catalysts
may be added, for example via line 75, to facilitate lactide
formation. The lactide formation step, indicated generally at 76,
results in generation of crude lactide, shown drawn off via line
77, and reactor bottoms shown withdrawn via line 78, for catalyst
recovery or other treatment 79. The catalyst, of course, can be
recycled, if desired, via line 75.
[0189] The extracting solvent is shown removed from the lactide
formation phase via line 80, for recycling into the extraction.
[0190] Still referring to FIG. 3, in the extraction step, the
aqueous phase is shown withdrawn via line 81 for optional recycling
as desired back to the fermentation broth. Purification of this, if
needed, is shown indicated at equipment 82. Such purification may
be desired, for example, if the extractant is one which is toxic to
the microorganisms of the fermentation broth. Approaches to removal
of such materials were discussed above.
[0191] From a review of the above, and FIG. 3, it should be
apparent that with the techniques described "direct" oligomer
formation can be conducted without a step of back extraction or
otherwise separating the lactic acid from the extraction; and, they
direct lactide formation, from the oligomer, can be conducted even
if residual extractant is present in the oligomer. Thus, with the
techniques presented, highly efficient processes can be
developed.
[0192] D. FIG. 4; Extraction of Lactic Acid; Distillation of
Solvents; Oligomer Lactide Formation by Condensation.
[0193] Attention is now directed to FIG. 4. In FIG. 4, lactic acid
and lactate aqueous feed from a fermentor, typically following
clarification, is shown in line 91. The feed (or other mixture) is
directed into an extraction system 92. As with previous
arrangements described, the extraction system 92 of FIG. 4 may
comprise multiple stages, each of which may comprise extraction
equipment as previously characterized. The aqueous raffinate
(lactic acid depleted) is shown removed from the system via line
93. The raffinate will include the lactate salt, and may be treated
for recycling to the fermentation broth via techniques previously
described. The extractant phase is shown directed to an evaporator
95, via line 96. In the evaporator, the extracting solvent is
removed under distillation conditions, typically low pressure. For
example, hexanol and other alkanols with 4 to 7 carbons, and methyl
isobutyl ketone or other ketones with 5 to 9 carbons, can be used
to extract lactic acid from an aqueous solution. The alkanols
(and/or ketones) can then be distilled from the lactic acid at
temperatures below about 120.degree. C. Keeping the temperature low
is important to reduce the condensation reaction with lactic acid
and the alkanol.
[0194] The nonvolatiles from the evaporator are shown directed via
line 97 into a system 98 for oligomer formation. Within the system
98, generally a lactic acid condensation reaction is facilitated by
concentration and removal of water. The oligomer is removed from
the reactor 98 via line 99. Catalyst is added, via line 100, and
lactide formation is generated, as indicated at system 101. The
crude lactide stream is then removed from the reactor of line 105,
with the catalyst purge shown removed via line 106. The lactide
formation step may be conducted as generally described in U.S. Pat.
Nos. 5,142,023; 5,247,058; 5,258,488; and 5,357,035, incorporated
herein by reference.
[0195] E. FIG. 5; Extraction of Lactic Acid; Raffinate Recycle;
Back Extraction of Lactic Acid into Second Polar Phase; Formation
of Oligomer and Lactide in Second Polar Phase;
[0196] Attention is now directed to FIG. 5. In FIG. 5, the
fermentor is indicated generally at 120. Fermentation broth is
shown removed from the fermentor 120 via line 121, for direction
through clarifier filter 122. Solids are removed from the filter
via line 123. The aqueous phase, containing lactic acid and lactate
salt, is shown directed into an extractor system 125 via line 124.
(Of course this phase could also be modified broth or some other
mixture.) The aqueous phase (raffinate) is removed via line 126 for
direction through a purifier 127, if desired, and eventual
recycling into the fermentor 120.
[0197] The extractant phase is shown removed from the extractant
system 125, via line 130. The extractant phase is directed into a
second extractant step or system 131. (Of course, the same physical
extraction equipment can be used for both extractions.) A second
polar liquid is shown directed into the extractor 131 via line 132.
The lactic acid will be preferentially extracted into the second
polar liquid, with the original extracting solvent from extractor
125 shown removed via line 133, for recycling. The second polar
liquid, containing the lactic acid therein, is shown withdrawn from
the extractant system via line 134, for direction into a system 135
for oligomer formation. This would be conducted as previously
described, with condensation occurring as a result of water being
driven off via line 136. The oligomer is then shown directed into a
reactor system 137, for mixing with a catalyst directed into via
line 138. Lactide formation is indicated generally at 139, with
crude lactide removed via line 140, and the reactor purge,
containing a catalyst, being shown directed via line 141 the
catalyst recovery 142. This recovered polar liquid can then be
cycled back into the system as shown by line 132.
[0198] F. FIG. 6; Extraction of Lactic Acid: Raffinate Recycle;
Back Extraction into the Second Polar Phase; Lactic Acid Purified
by Distillation; Follow-Up (Optional) Oligomer and Lactide
Formation.
[0199] Attention is now directed to FIG. 6. A fermentor is
indicated generally at 160. The fermentation broth, containing
lactic acid and lactate salt, is shown withdrawn via line 161 and
is directed through filter 162. Solids are shown removed via line
163. The mixture of lactate salt and lactic acid is shown directed
into an extractor system 165 via line 166. (Of course this mixture
could also be modified broth or a mixture other than fermentation
broth.) The extractant is shown fed in via line 167, with the
extractant phase withdrawn via line 168, and the residual aqueous
phase, containing the lactate salt, removed via line 169. The
residual lactate phase is then directed for broth purification, if
desired, into purifier 170 and eventually for recycle into
fermentor 160. The extractant phase is shown directed via line 168
into back extractor unit 175. The second polar liquid is shown
directed into the back extractor system 175 via line 176, with the
original extracting solvent (from extraction at 165) shown drawn
off via line 178 for recycling into the first extracting system
165; and, with the second polar liquid, containing the lactic acid,
shown removed via line 180 and directed in distillation system 181.
Within the distillation system 181, either the lactic acid will be
distilled from the second polar liquid, or the second polar liquid
will be distilled from the lactic acid, depending upon the relative
volatilities. The separated lactic acid is shown directed via line
182 into downstream oligomer formation at 183, with follow-up
catalyst addition at 184 and lactide formation at 185. Crude
lactide is shown removed via line 186, with the lactide formation
purge shown at 187. At line 190, water is shown expelled during the
oligomer formation. The second polar liquid is shown removed from
the distillation step 181 via line 191. The second polar liquid of
course, can be recycled into the second extraction system 175.
[0200] G. FIG. 7; Adsorption of Lactic Acid; Elution by Liquid;
Optional Oligomer and Lactide Formation.
[0201] Attention is now directed to FIG. 7. A feed of fermentation
broth (or other lactic acid/lactate salt mixture) is shown at line
200. This feed is shown directed into a system 201 containing solid
adsorbent lactic acid. In this system, the aqueous feed is
contacted with the solid adsorbent, with the depleted aqueous phase
shown removed via line 202. For this system, the solid adsorbent
would be an adsorbent preferentially adsorbing lactic acid verses
lactate. Weak anion exchangers would be preferred for this, as
characterized above.
[0202] The solid adsorbent is shown removed from the contacting
step or system 201, via line 203.
[0203] The solid adsorbent is shown treated with an eluting liquid
introduced via line 205. The eluting liquid would remove the lactic
acid from the solid adsorbent. The eluting liquid is shown removed
via line 206. Of course, the eluting liquid can be directed into
downstream oligomer formation steps and/or lactide formation steps
(as indicated), or other processing for isolation of the recovered
lactic acid, as desired. After the step of eluting, the solid
adsorbent can be appropriately prepared for use (via recycling) in
still further in steps of adsorption.
[0204] H. FIG. 8; Extraction of Lactic Acid; Oligomer and Lactide
Formation in Extracting Solvents; Lactide Purification of Phase
Split.
[0205] Attention is now directed to FIG. 8. The fermentation broth
feed (or other mixture), containing lactic acid and lactate, is
shown directed into an extraction system 221 via line 220. The
aqueous phase (raffinate) containing the lactate salt is shown
removed via line 222. The extractant phase, containing the
extracted lactic acid, is shown removed via line 223. It is then
directed into processing for oligomer formation at 225 with
catalyst addition 225a, and eventually lactide formation at 226,
using techniques previously described. The lactide is shown removed
from the lactide formation step via line 227 and is directed into a
lactide/solvent phase split. This could, for example, be a system
in which the reaction mixture is cooled to a temperature between
about 70.degree. C. and 150.degree. C. causing the lactide to
spontaneously phase split with the extracting solvent. At this
point, the extracting solvent is removed from the lactide, and is
recycled via line 230. During oligomer formation, water resulting
from the condensation is shown removed via line 231. The oligomer
can then be directed to lactide formation. Herein, such a process
will sometimes be referred to as "direct" formation of lactide from
the non-aqueous extractant phase because there was no intervening
back extraction step for the lactic acid from the extractant phase.
Rather, the lactic acid was condensed and then reacted to lactide.
Such "direct" formation can be practices with a variety of the
approaches described herein.
[0206] I. FIG. 9; Extraction of Lactic Acid; Oligomer Formation and
Extracting Solvents; Oligomer Purification by Phase Split; Lactide
Formation from Oligomer.
[0207] Attention is now directed to the schematic of FIG. 9. Feed
of lactic acid/lactate solution from a fermentor or other source is
shown at line 250 being directed into an extractor unit 251. The
aqueous raffinate, containing the lactate salt, is shown removed
from the extractor unit 251 via line 252. The extracting solvent
containing lactic acid therein is shown removed via line 253 and is
directed into an oligomer formation step as previously described at
254. Water is expelled from the oligomer formation via line 255,
with the oligomer directed into following processing via line 256.
In phase splitting/extraction unit 270, the lactic acid oligomer
and extracting solvent mixture is cooled to about 0.degree. C. to
60.degree. C. With relatively non-polar extracting solvents, the
lactic acid oligomers will spontaneously phase split and nothing
needs to be added via line 282. Relatively polar extracting solvent
may need to have a phase splitting compound, such as those
described in Example 18, added to generate two phases. The lactic
acid-oligomer rich phase is removed via 271 and treated by addition
of catalyst at 275 for formation of lactide at reactor 276. Crude
lactide stream is shown removed via line 277, with the reactor
pure, containing the catalyst, removed at line 278. In line 280,
the phase splitting compound, if any, is removed from the
extracting solvent via distillation or ion exchange at 281. The
regenerated extracting solvent is recycled back to the extractor
251.
[0208] J. FIG. 10; Extraction of Lactic Acid; Formation of Alkyl
Lactate Ester; Purification of Lactate Ester by Distillation.
[0209] Attention is now directed to FIG. 10. In FIG. 10 a fermentor
is shown at 300. Fermentation broth is shown removed from the
fermentor 300 at 301, and is directed through filter unit 302.
Solids are shown removed via line 303. The aqueous solution from
the filtration unit, or other source (modified or not) containing
lactic acid and lactate, is shown directed into an extractor 305.
The extractant is fed in via line 306, with the resulting aqueous
raffinate, containing lactate salt therein, shown directed via line
310 into a purification unit 311, if desired, and then recycled as
needed into fermentor 300. The extractant, containing the lactic
acid, is shown directed a condensation reactor 315 via line 316.
From the condensation reactor 315 water is drawn off via line 317.
The product is then shown directed into distillation 318 for
distillation resulting in separation of solvent from residual
lactate product. If the selected extracting solvent contained an
appropriate alcohol, the product within the distillation unit 318
will comprise an alkylactate ester. For example, the extracting
solvent could contain ethanol, which readily forms esters with
lactic acid. The alkyl lactate ester is purified in the
distillation unit 318 and removed via line 319. The extracting
solvent exits the distillation system via line 320 for possible
recycle back to the extraction unit 305. Alcohol reacted in the
condensation reactor 315 can be replaced via addition at line
321.
[0210] IX. Some Usable Process Schemes; Conditions
[0211] In this section some hypothetical process descriptions are
provided, to indicate how the techniques described above can be
applied.
[0212] A. Direct Distillation of Lactic Acid from Extractant
[0213] A strain of bacteria would be used to ferment dextrose to
lactic acid at 45.degree. C. in a batch mode. The fermentation
medium would include dextrose, corn steep water, and other salts
for efficient productivity of lactic acid. At the end of the batch,
the final pH would be 3.9 with a lactate material concentration
(lactic acid+dissociated salt) of 80 g per 1 of broth. This gives
about 38 g/liter of undissociated lactic acid in broth. Preferably
a bacteria which produces L-lactate at a chiral purity of at least
90% is used. The broth would be filtered to remove cell mass and
other insolubles and contacted with an extracting solvent in a
series of mixer settlers at 20.degree. C. to 30.degree. C. The
extracting solvent would be 50 wt % Alamine 336, 40% dodecanol, and
10% IsoPar K. IsoParK is a mixture of alkanes. The aqueous to
extract phase weight ratio would be 1:2. The extract and aqueous
raffinate would be settled and carefully separated to avoid
entrainment. The raffinate would be sent to a hold tank to be used
for pH control on the next batch.
[0214] The extract would be sent to a falling film evaporator at 10
mm Hg pressure and 175.degree. C. Lactic acid would be evaporated
and then condensed to obtain a concentrated lactic acid solution
with a small amount of residual solvent. The liquid lactic acid
stream would be sent to a distillation column with a forced
circulation reboiler with a bottoms at 150.degree. C. and 200 mm Hg
pressure to remove water. The average molecular weight of the
oligomer exiting this distillation column would be about 500 g per
mole. FASCAT 9102 catalyst would be added to the oligomer stream
and the mixture recirculated through a falling film evaporator at
190.degree. C. and 10 mm Hg pressure. A crude lactide stream would
be obtained from the vapor phase of the falling film evaporator.
About 5% of the material would be purged from the lactide reactor
as lactic acid oligomers with an average molecular weight greater
than 1,500 g per mole.
[0215] B. Aqueous Back Extract, Removal of Water to Make
Prepolymer, then Lactide
[0216] A strain of bacteria would be used to ferment dextrose to
lactic acid at 45.degree. C. in a batch mode. The fermentation
medium would include dextrose, corn steep water, and other salts
for efficient productivity of lactic acid. At the end of the batch,
the final pH is 3.9 with a lactate material concentration of 80 g
per 1 of broth. This gives about 38 g/1 of undissociated lactic
acid in the broth. Preferably a bacteria which produces L-lactic
acid with a chiral purity of at least 90% is used. The broth would
be filtered to remove cell mass and other insolubles and contacted
with an extracting solvent in a rotary disk contactor at 20.degree.
C. to 40.degree. C. Tributyl phosphate would be the extracting
solvent, and the aqueous to extract ratio would be 1:3. The extract
is back extracted into water in a packed bed extraction column at
80.degree. C. to 100.degree. C. The column would be pressurized to
15 psig by nitrogen. The aqueous to extract ratio in the back
extraction would be 1:2. The resulting aqueous phase would be about
19 wt % lactic acid. This aqueous stream would be sent to a triple
effect evaporation system which removes water such that the lactic
acid concentration increases to greater than 88 wt %, more
preferably to greater than 92 wt %, and most preferably to greater
than 95 wt %. At this point, lactic acid oligomers will have been
formed and lactide can be made from this stream as described
above.
[0217] C. Crystallization of Calcium Lactate with Recovery of
Lactic Acid
[0218] A strain of bacteria would be is used to ferment dextrose to
lactic acid at 48.degree. C. in a two stage continuous fermentation
providing 1000 kg per hour fermentation broth. The fermentation
medium would have dextrose, corn steep water, and other salts for
efficient productivity of lactic acid. The fermentation broth would
have a pH of 3.86 and a total lactate anion concentration of
lactate material of 90 grams per kilogram of broth. This would give
about 45 g/kg of free lactic acid in the broth, and 55 g/kg calcium
lactate. Preferably a system providing L-lactic acid at a chiral
purity of at least 90% is used. The broth would be filtered to
remove cell mass and other insolubles.
[0219] The clarified broth would be sent to an evaporator which
runs at atmospheric pressure.. Approximately 700 kg/hr water is
distilled from the broth. The broth would be cooled in a
forced-circulation cooling crystallizer that crystallizes the
calcium lactate out of solution at 25.degree. C. Ethanol would be
added to the crystallizer at a rate of 85.1 kg/hr to decrease the
solubility of the calcium lactate to 3.0 wt % calcium lactate.
Solid calcium lactate would be recovered via filtration at a rate
of 44.8 kg/hr, with 10.2 kg/hr calcium lactate remaining in the
mother liquors. The solid salt would be recycled back to the
fermentor for pH control with calcium carbonate being added as
needed.
[0220] The salt-depleted broth would be contacted with an 350 kg/hr
extracting solvent consisting of 20 wt % kerosene and 80%
trioctylamine in a series of centrifugal contactors. The lactic
acid and ethanol will distribute between the two liquid phases such
that the organic layer contains about 10 wt % lactic acid and about
5 wt % ethanol. The aqueous stream would have ethanol, residual
lactic acid, calcium lactate, and other broth components. The
ethanol in this stream could be recovered via distillation or other
technology for recycle, while the remaining aqueous stream would go
to animal feed or other system. This aqueous stream with ethanol
could be appropriate feed to a larger ethanol plant.
[0221] The extract with lactic acid and ethanol could be processed
in a variety of ways to make needed lactic acid products. The
stream could be subject to conditions to make ethyl lactate, which
would then be distilled away from the remaining extracting solvent.
The lactic acid could be back extracted into ethanol at an elevated
temperature, and ethyl lactate could be made in the back extraction
phase. Ethyl lactate made by these methods could be sold or used to
make lactide. Of course, the ethanol could be separated from the
lactic acid/extracting solvent phase and lactic acid could be
processed by any of the methods described in this application to
make lactic acid products that could be sold or used in the
manufacture of PLA.
[0222] D. Direct Condensation in the Extractant Phase.
[0223] A strain of bacteria is used to ferment dextrose to lactic
acid at 40.degree. C. in a batch mode using calcium carbonate as a
neutralization agent. At the end of the batch the final pH value is
about 5.7 with a total lactate material concentration of 120
g/liter. The broth is filtered to remove cell mass and other
insolubles. The free lactic acid concentration is less than 2
g/liter so a strong acid, either sulfuric acid or phosphoric acid,
is added to decrease the pH value to about 2.0. The free lactic
acid concentration is now about 118 g/liter. Calcium sulfate or
calcium phosphate will be formed and crystallized out of solution.
The solution will be filtered to remove the calcium salt.
[0224] The clarified and acidulated fermentation broth is contacted
in a counter current fashion with Alamine 336 in a series of
centrifugal contactors at about 40.degree. C. The Alamine 336 can
be predistilled at conditions similar to lactide formation
conditions if needed to remove any impurities that may be volatile.
The aqueous to organic phase ratio is 3:1 and the lactic acid
concentration in the extractant phase is 21 wt % and is a single
phase. The aqueous raffinate can be recycled to the extraction if
needed.
[0225] The extractant phase is then taken to an evaporator at
atmospheric pressure and 130.degree. C. where water is evaporated.
A second evaporator at 50 mm Hg and 160.degree. C. also evaporates
water and drives the condensation of lactic acid to lactic acid
oligomers. The average molecular weight of the oligomers at this
point is about 600 to 800. After this stage, the reaction mixture
is cooled to about 60.degree. C. where the mixture spontaneously
splits into two phases; a nearly pure Alamine 336 phase and lactic
acid oligomer--Alamine 336 phase. These phases are physically
separated using a typical settler and the nearly pure Alamine 336
phase is recycled back to the extractor.
[0226] The tin (II) octanoate is added to the lactic acid
oligomer--Alamine 336 phase at about 0.1 to 0.5 wt % of tin. The
mixture is recirculated through a wiped film evaporator at about
180.degree. C. and 5 mm Hg pressure. A crude lactide stream is
obtained in the vapor phase.
[0227] A purge is taken from the evaporated recirculation loop and
is processed to separate tin, possibly via ion exchange. The lactic
acid oligomer--Alamine 336 is recycled or can be separated into a
lactic acid oligomer rich stream and Alamine 336 rich stream via
acid or base displacement as shown in Example 18 and 19. These two
streams can then be recycled back into the process.
[0228] X. Experimental
EXAMPLE 1
[0229] 600 ml of caustic washed Alamine 336, 800 ml of 15 wt %
aqueous lactic acid solution, and 100 ml of 50 wt % aqueous lactic
acid solution were added to a separation funnel and mixed at room
temperature. The phases were allowed to settle overnight. The
phases were split and the top organic phase was centrifuged to
remove entrained aqueous phase. The lactic acid concentration in
the organic phase was determined to be 19.75 wt % by titration with
a sodium hydroxide solution with phenolphthalein as an indicator.
304.6 grams of the Alamine 336 and lactic acid solution were added
to a round bottom, 4-neck flask with a stir shaft, thermocouple,
condenser, heating mantle and nitrogen purge. The solution was
heated up to 200.degree. C. and atmospheric pressure over 45
minutes. It was then allowed to cool to about 64.degree. C. Then it
was heated to 200.degree. C. at 60 mm Hg pressure over 30 minutes.
The flask was held at 200.degree. C. and 70 mm Hg pressure for 45
minutes. The flask was cooled and the bottoms split into two phases
upon cooling. The top phase was determined to be virtually all
Alamine 336 by gas chromatography. The bottom phase was viscous and
consisted of lactic acid oligomers and small amount of Alamine
336.
[0230] 185.9 grams of Alamine 336 and lactic acid oligomer solution
(about 54.8 wt % oligomer at average M.W. of 476) were added to a
500 ml round bottom, 4-neck flask with a stir shaft, high vacuum
system, nitrogen purge, condenser, thermocouple, and heating
mantle. With the solution at 125.degree. C., 900 .mu.l of FASCAT
9102, a butyltin tris-2-ethylhexanoate catalyst from Atochem was
added. The solution was heated to 200.degree. C. over four hours,
and the mixture was held at 200.degree. C. for 60 minutes. The
pressure was held constant at about 1 mm Hg over the entire heating
time. The condenser media temperature was held at 110.degree. C.
The overhead material crystallized upon cooling. The flask bottoms
after heating were determined by gas chromatography to be virtually
all Alamine 336. 139 g of material went overhead with virtually all
the oligomer being transformed to lactide and distilled overhead.
Some Alamine 336 also was distilled overhead due to the high
temperature and low pressure. The presence of significant amounts
of lactide in the distilled material was confirmed by gas
chromatography. The lactide obtained had a chiral purity of less
than 80%. The chiral purity can be improved by using lower
temperatures and using high surface area equipment for the lactide
reactor to allow for good mass transfer of lactide out of the
reactor.
[0231] This example shows how the extracting solvent can be used as
a solvent for the lactic acid oligomer and lactide formation.
EXAMPLE 2
[0232] 300 ml of Alamine 336 and 200 ml of a 22 wt % aqueous lactic
acid solution was added to a separation funnel. The mixture was
shaken and allowed to settle. Three liquid phases were obtained,
which is typical for pure Alamine 336 extractions at these
conditions. The lower aqueous phase was discarded. The top two
organic phases were contacted with 100 ml of a 22 wt % aqueous
lactic acid solution. The mixture was shaken and allowed to settle
overnight. Only two phases were obtained, and the bottom aqueous
phase was discarded. The top organic phase was centrifuged to
remove any entrained water. The lactic acid concentration in the
organic phase was 19.4 wt % as determined by titration. The water
content in solution was 4.6 wt % as determined by titration using
an automatic Karl Fischer titrator.
[0233] 143.0 g of this Alamine 336 and lactic acid solution were
added to a 500 ml, round bottom, 3-neck flask with thermocouple,
vacuum, nitrogen purge, condenser, and stir shaft. The pressure was
set at 20 mm Hg and the solution was heated from room temperature
to 210.degree. C. Fraction 1 was taken from the vapor phase with
pot temperature between room temperature and 103.degree. C.
Fraction 2 was taken with the pot temperature between 103.degree.
C. and 150.degree. C. Fraction 3 was taken with the pot temperature
between 150.degree. C. and 169.degree. C. Fraction 4 was taken with
the pot temperature between 169.degree. C. and 210.degree. C. The
acid concentration in Fractions 1, 2, 3 and 4 were determined by
titration to be 0.23 wt %, 16.1 wt %. 73.2 wt %, and 60.8 wt %
respectively. The pot bottoms weighed 109.1 g and were two liquid
phases at room temperature showing that some condensation occurred
during the distillation. Fraction 4 was found to be about 2%
lactide showing additional evidence for condensation. The addition
of 23.8 g octanol caused the two bottom phases to become miscible.
The single phase bottoms were titrated to find only 2.2 wt % lactic
acid when corrected for the octanol. About 60% of the lactic acid
was recovered overhead.
[0234] This example shows that distillation of the lactic acid from
a less volatile extracting solvent is a viable process option.
EXAMPLE 3
[0235] 200 ml of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and 200 ml of a
previously made Alamine 336 and lactic acid solution with 18.4 wt %
lactic acid were added to a 500 ml round bottom, 3-neck flask with
a stir shaft, temperature control, condenser, and heating mantle.
The mixture was stirred and heated to 140.degree. C. and held at
140.degree. C. for 15 minutes. The two phases settled quickly, were
separated, and were allowed to cool to room temperature. Samples of
the bottom DMSO phase showed 11.3 wt % lactic acid by titration and
0.58 wt % Alamine 336 by gas chromatography. 40 ml of IsoPar K from
Exxon was added to the DMSO phase in a separation funnel. The
funnel was shaken at room temperature, and the phases were allowed
to settle and were separated. Samples of the bottom DMSO phase
showed 11.4 wt % lactic acid, 2.7 wt % water by Karl Fischer
titration, and 0.05 wt % Alamine 336.
[0236] 230.0 g of this DMSO and lactic acid solution was then
placed in a 500 ml round bottom, 4-neck flask with stir shaft,
vacuum, condenser, thermocouple, and heating mantle. The material
was heated at atmospheric pressure to 180.degree. C., collecting
42.0 g overhead. The material was allowed to cool. The acid
concentration in the bottom phase was determined to be 12.4 wt %,
showing some condensation by loss of acidity assuming no lactic
acid evaporated. The material was then heated from room temperature
to 117.degree. C. with about a 60 mm Hg pressure over 60 minutes.
Another 34.7 g of material was distilled overhead. This completed
the lactic acid oligomer formation step.
[0237] 146.7 g of DMSO and lactic acid oligomer solution remained
for the lactide formation portion. 1.53 g of FASCAT 9102, a
butyltin tris-2-ethylhexanoate catalyst, was added. A dry ice cold
trap and nitrogen purge was added and the condenser was changed to
an ethylene glycol media at 110.degree. C. The mixture was heated
from room temperature to 145.degree. C. at 10 mm Hg pressure over
80 minutes. Only 7.8 g of material remained in the bottom of the
flask. The receiver contained 116.2 g of material. The boiling
point of DMSO is close enough to lactide that it was expected that
a significant amount of DMSO would be distilled over. The presence
of lactide in the overheads was confirmed by gas
chromatography.
[0238] This example shows the feasibility of back extracting the
lactic acid into a polar liquid from the extracting solvent, and
using the polar liquid as a solvent to make lactic acid oligomer
and lactide.
EXAMPLE 4
[0239] Two solutions of lactic acid and Alamine 336 were made by
contacting the Alamine 336 with various amounts and concentrations
of aqueous lactic acid solutions. Alamine 336 mixtures with 4.35 wt
% and 18.85 wt % lactic acid were obtained. 2 ml of the Alamine 336
and lactic acid solutions were contacted separately with the
following solvents--dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO); N,N-dimethyl
foramide (DMF); 1,4-dioxane; N-methyl pyrrolidinone (NMP); and,
1,3-dioxalane. The samples were held at the specified temperature
in an oil bath for about 45 to 60 minutes with regular mixing. The
1,4-dioxane and 1,3-dioxalane samples formed a single liquid phase
at temperatures between 20.degree. C. and about 80.degree. C. A
similar procedure was used for contacting Alamine 336 and lactic
acid solutions with lactide and tetramethylene sulfone (TMSF).
Phases were allowed to settle at specified temperature and then
quickly separated by piping out the bottom phase. Samples were
taken for titration with a sodium hydroxide solution with
phenolphthalein as an indicator to determine lactic acid
concentration, and gas chromatography to determine Alamine 336
concentrations. In all cases, the Alamine 336 phase was the least
dense phase or the top phase.
[0240] Table 1 reports the lactic acid and Alamine 336
concentrations in the top and bottom phases. The partition
coefficient is calculated by dividing the lactic acid concentration
in the Alamine 336 top phase by the lactic acid concentration in
the bottom polar liquid phase. The results show that significant
amounts of lactic acid distributes into the polar liquid phase at
these conditions. In some of the solvents, there was a significant
amount of Alamine 336 co-extracted into the polar liquid phase.
Dimethyl sulfoxide looks like a favorable solvent for this type of
process because of the good selectivity for the lactic acid over
the Alamine 336.
[0241] This example shows that lactic acid can be back extracted
into a polar liquid from the initial extracting solvent with good
efficiency. This example supports the feasibility of a process that
uses a back extraction of the lactic acid into a second polar
liquid.
1TABLE 1 Results for back extraction of lactic acid into secod
polar phase Lactic Alamine Partition Solvent Sample Temp .degree.
C. Acid Wt % 336 Wt % Coefficient DMSO Top 140 0.18 72.4 0.19
Bottom 0.93 0.0 Top 140 0.69 66.03 0.06 Bottom 11.78 0.98 Top 110
2.73 67.14 0.22 Bottom 12.2 19.71 TMSF Top 140 0.88 71.69 0.21
Bottom 4.15 5.28 Top 140 1.25 73.06 0.17 Bottom 7.52 10.09 Top 140
1.50 78.10 0.17 Bottom 8.66 13.56 Lactide Top 140 2.44 n.d. 0.82
Bottom 2.98.sup.2 2 = calculated from overall mass balance nd = not
determined
EXAMPLE 5
[0242] Alamine 336 and an aqueous lactic acid solution were
contacted to-obtain a 26.74 wt % lactic acid in the Alamine 336
phase. Ten grams of the lactic acid loaded Alamine 336 phase was
contacted with 5 grams of triethylamine in a 125 ml separation
funnel. The flask was shaken for one minute at 24.degree. C., and
the phases were allowed to settle. The top phase contained Alamine
336 excess triethylamine, and virtually no lactic acid while the
bottom phase contained 43 wt % lactic acid and triethylamine. Acid
concentrations were determined by titration with sodium
hydroxide.
[0243] The back extraction was scaled up to allow the distillation
experiment. Thirty grams of a 43 wt % lactic acid in triethylamine
mixture was added to a 500 ml round bottom, 3-neck flask equipped
with a dry ice trap, pressure gauge, condenser, thermocouple, and
heating mantle. The triethylamine evaporated initially at
23.degree. C. and 10 mm Hg. The temperature increased to
120.degree. C. and the mixture was held at that temperature for 90
minutes. About 69% of the triethylamine evaporated out. The chiral
purity of the lactic acid was not changed significantly after
heating.
[0244] The triethylamine removal can be dramatically increased in
the presence of a solvent. A 21.5 wt % lactic acid solution in a
mixture of triethylamine and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone was heated at
55.degree. C. and 10 mm Hg pressure for two hours and 48% of the
triethylamine was evaporated from the solution. The remaining
mixture was heated to 110.degree. C. where it was held for 80
minutes. At this point, 96% of the triethylamine was evaporated.
The chiral purity of the material was not significantly
changed.
[0245] This example shows the back extraction of the lactic acid
from the extracting solvent and then the ability to evaporate the
back extraction solvent to obtain a concentrated lactic acid
product.
EXAMPLE 6
[0246] An excess of calcium lactate pentahydrate crystals were
mixed for 2 hours at 30.degree. C. with a solution containing 9%
lactic acid and no ethanol. The resulting aqueous solution was
analyzed for calcium ions to determine the concentration of the
dissolved calcium lactate. It was found to be 7.49% calcium
lactate.
[0247] An excess of calcium lactate pentahydrate crystals were
mixed for 2 hours at 30.degree. C. with a solution containing
11.26% lactic acid and 10% ethanol. The resulting aqueous solution
was analyzed for calcium ions to determine the concentration of the
dissolved calcium lactate. It was found to be 5.13% calcium
lactate.
[0248] An excess of calcium lactate pentahydrate crystals were
mixed for 2 hours at 30.degree. C. with a solution containing
18.94% lactic acid and 24.8% ethanol. The resulting aqueous
solution was analyzed for calcium ions to determine the
concentration of the dissolved calcium lactate. It was found to be
2.99% calcium lactate.
[0249] These solubility measurements show the decrease in calcium
lactate concentration as the amount of ethanol in solution
increases. In a process, the addition of ethanol to the broth
provide an additional driving force for the crystallization of
calcium lactate from the broth.
EXAMPLE 7
[0250] An aqueous feed solution containing 25% sodium lactate and
2.9 mol/Kg lactic acid was counter-currently extracted with hexanol
at 80.degree. C. The aqueous to organic phase ratio was 1:2.3 w/w
and the number of stages was 5. The concentrations of lactic acid
in the extract and in the raffinate were 1.0 mol/Kg and 0.2 mol/Kg
respectively. The extract was back-extracted counter-currently with
water at 30.degree. C. The aqueous to organic phase ratio was 1:1.6
w/w and the number of stages was 6. The concentration of lactic
acid in the regenerated extractant was less than 0.1 mol/Kg and
that was in the resulting aqueous product solution was about 1.6
mol/kg.
[0251] This example shows the efficient recovery of lactic acid
from a lactic acid and lactate salt stream using extraction and
back extraction into water with an alcohol solvent.
EXAMPLE 8
[0252] An aqueous feed solution containing 25% sodium lactate and
3.0 mol/Kg lactic acid was counter-currently extracted with TBP at
30.degree. C. The aqueous to organic phase ratio was 1:2.3 w/w and
the number of stages was 5. The concentrations of lactic acid in
the extract and in the raffinate were 1.3 mol/Kg and 0.2 mol/Kg
respectively. The extract was back-extracted counter-currently with
water at 85.degree. C. The aqueous to organic phase ratio was 1:1.7
w/w and the number of stages was 6. The concentration of lactic
acid in the regenerated extractant was about 0.03 mol/Kg and that
was in the resulting aqueous product solution was about 2.1
mol/kg.
[0253] This example shows the efficient recovery of lactic acid
from a lactic acid and lactate salt stream using extraction and
back extraction into water with an oxygenated phosphorus
compound.
EXAMPLE 9
[0254] An aqueous feed solution containing 0.5 mol/Kg lactic acid
and 0.5 mol/kg sodium lactate was counter-currently extracted with
Alamine 336 at 25.degree. C. The aqueous to organic phase ratio was
5.6:1 w/w and the number of stages was 4. The concentrations of
lactic acid in the extract and in the raffinate were 2.3 mol/Kg and
0.1 mol/Kg respectively. The extract was back-extracted
counter-currently with water at 160.degree. C. The aqueous to
organic phase ratio was 1:1.2 w/w and the number of stages was 4.
The concentration of lactic acid in the regenerated extractant was
about 0.1 mol/Kg and that in the resulting aqueous product solution
was about 2.7 mol/kg.
[0255] This sample shows the efficient recovery of lactic acid from
a lactic acid and lactate salt stream using extraction and back
extraction into water with a trialkylamine. Compared to the initial
solution, the aqueous back extraction product has a higher lactic
acid concentration.
EXAMPLE 10
[0256] An aqueous feed solution containing 4 mol/Kg lactic acid was
counter-currently extracted with hexanol at 80.degree. C. The
aqueous to organic phase ratio was 1:2.3 w/w and the number of
stages was 6. The concentrations of lactic acid in the extract and
in the raffinate were 1.8 mol/Kg and 0.2 mol/Kg respectively. The
extract was back-extracted counter-currently with water at
30.degree. C. The aqueous to organic phase ratio was 1:1.5 w/w and
the number of stages was 7. The concentration of lactic acid in the
regenerated extractant was less than 0.1 mol/Kg and that was in the
resulting aqueous product solution was about 2.7 mol/kg.
[0257] This example shows the recovery of lactic acid from an
aqueous solution with an alcohol solvent.
EXAMPLE 11
[0258] An aqueous feed solution containing 4.5 mol/Kg lactic acid
was counter-currently extracted with tri-butyl-phosphate (TBP) at
25.degree. C. The aqueous to organic phase ratio was 1:2.3 w/w and
the number of stages was 6. The concentrations of lactic acid in
the extract and in the raffinate were 2.0 mol/Kg and 0.2 mol/Kg
respectively. The extract was back-extracted counter-currently with
water at 85.degree. C. The aqueous to organic phase ratio was 1:1.7
w/w and the number of stages was 8. The concentration of lactic
acid in the regenerated extractant was about 0.03 mol/Kg and that
in the resulting aqueous product solution was about 3.5 mol/kg.
[0259] This example shows the recovery of lactic acid from an
aqueous solution with an oxygenated phosphorus compound.
EXAMPLE 12
[0260] An aqueous feed solution containing 0.5 mol/Kg lactic acid
was counter-currently extracted with Alamine 336 at 25.degree. C.
The aqueous to organic phase ratio is 5.6:1 w/w and the number of
stages was 4. The concentrations of lactic acid in the extract and
in the raffinate were 2.3 mol/Kg and 0.1 mol/Kg respectively. The
extract was back-extracted counter-currently with water at
160.degree. C. The aqueous to organic phase ratio was 1:1.2 w/w and
the number of stages was 4. The concentration of lactic acid in the
regenerated extractant was about 0.1 mol/Kg and that in the
resulting aqueous product solution was about 2.7 mol/kg.
[0261] This example shows the efficient recovery of lactic acid
from an aqueous solution using a trialkylamine. Compared to the
initial solution, the aqueous back extraction product has a higher
lactic acid concentration.
EXAMPLE 13
[0262] An aqueous feed solution containing 2 mol/Kg lactic acid was
extracted by Alamine 336 at 25.degree. C. in a single stage. The
aqueous to organic phase ratio was 1:1 w/w. Three phases were
formed; one bottom aqueous phase, and two organic phases. The
concentrations of lactic acid in the. combined organic extract and
in the raffinate were 2.3 mol/Kg and 0.4 mol/Kg respectively. The
combined organic extract was back-extracted counter-currently with
water at 160.degree. C. The aqueous to organic phase ratio was
1:1.2 w/w and the number of stages was 4. The concentration of
lactic acid in the regenerated extractant was about 0.1 mol/Kg and
that in the resulting aqueous product solution was about 2.7
mol/kg.
[0263] This example shows that a significant amount of lactic acid
can be extracted in a single stage using a trialkylamine solvent.
This system takes advantage of the three phase system that is
formed when an extracting solvent has a high amount of Alamine 336
and other nonpolar compounds, like kerosene, and a minimal amount
of oxygenated solvents, like hexanol or methylisobutylketone.
EXAMPLE 14
[0264] An organic phase containing 3.13 mol lactic/Kg in Alamine
336 was added to a beaker. The beaker was heated on a hot plate to
150-160.degree. C. and atmospheric pressure and maintained at those
conditions for 7 hours. A sample of the contents was titrated with
a 0.1N sodium hydroxide and found to contain 0.639 mol acid/Kg. The
drop in acid concentration in the organic phase is a result of
converting lactic acid molecules to lactic acid oligomers. The
efficiency of conversion from lactic acid to the oligomer form was
79%.
[0265] This example shows the ability to make lactic acid oligomers
at atmospheric pressure in a trialkylamine solvent.
EXAMPLE 15
[0266] 17.7 g of a solution containing 1.92 mol/Kg Alamine 336,
1.98 mol/kg Lactic acid and a drop of an antioxidant, was heated in
a beaker, situated in an oil bath, to about 135-150.degree. C. and
kept at that temperature for 42 hours. Nitrogen was bubbled through
the solution during the heating period. The beaker was connected to
a distillation column, which was connected to a trap filled with
water. At the end of the experiment, while still at elevated
temperature there was only one phase in the beaker. After cooling,
two organic phases were observed; 1.59 gram of a viscous bottom
phase and 11.4 gram of a top phase. The amine and the proton
concentrations in the bottom phase were determined by titration
with a 0.1N hydrochloric acid solution and 0.1N sodium hydroxide
solution, respectively. It contained 1 mol/kg amine and 0.957
mol/kg protons. As the heavy organic phase contains only the amine
and a lactic acid oligomer, those figures allow calculating the
molecular weight of the oligomer. It was found to be about 635,
equivalent to that of an oligomer consisting of 8 lactic acid
monomers. IR spectra support the conclusions based on this
calculation. The concentration of the amine and protons were
determined in the top phase to be 2.54 mol/kg and 0.02 mol/kg,
respectively.
[0267] This example shows that the extracted lactic acid can be
converted into lactic acid oligomer while in the extractant. Also,
it shows the ability of the Alamine 336 and lactic acid oligomer
system to spontaneously phase split upon cooling of the reaction
mixture. The analysis of these phases shows the significantly
larger top phase to be virtually all Alamine 336 and the smaller
bottom phase to be the oligomer product and Alamine 336.
EXAMPLE 16
[0268] An organic phase, containing 1.63 mol lactic acid in
Alamine-336, was prepared. It was heated on a hot plate, in an open
glass vessel, to 140-150.degree. C. and kept at that temperature
for 6 hours. Then, one drop Tin 2-Ethylhexanoate was added, the
solution was heated to 180.degree. C. and kept at that temperature
for 3.5 hours. Part of the vapors distilled out during the heating
was condensed on a cold glass (held above the heated vessel). The
condensate was washed off the glass with chloroform and the NMR
spectrum of the chloroform solution was taken. The NMR spectrum
confirmed that the chloroform contained lactide as the main lactic
acid product in the chloroform.
[0269] One drop Tin 2-Ethylhexanoate catalyst was added to a
solution containing 1.02 mol/kg lactic acid oligomer of DP4-5 in
Alamine-336. This mixture was heated on a hot plate, while in a
beaker connected to a trap, to 170-190.degree. C. and kept at that
temperature for 5 hours. The condensate was washed out of the trap
with chloroform and the IR spectrum of the chloroform solution was
taken. Based on these spectra, one can conclude that the condensate
collected in the trap contains a significant amount of lactide.
[0270] These two examples show that lactide can be made from lactic
acid in the presence of a trialkylamine. In this case, the lactide
production was at atmospheric pressure.
EXAMPLE 17
[0271] 16.2 g of octanol and 0.222 g of phosphoric acid were mixed
for 15 minutes at 25.degree. C. with 0.936 g solution containing
1.19 mmol Alamine 336 and 0.74 mmol lactic acid oligomer (DP8-9).
After settling for 4 hours in a refrigerator, two phases were
observed. Acid-base titrations show that 85% of the total amine was
present in the light phase and a significant amount of the oligomer
was present in the heavy phase.
[0272] 16 g of isopropanol and 0.468 g of phosphoric acid were
mixed for 15 minutes at 25.degree. C. with 1.156 g solution
containing 1.66 mmol Alamine 336 and 1.5 mmol lactic acid oligomer
(DP8-9). After settling for 4 hours in a refrigerator, two phases
were observed. Acid-base titrations show that 73% of the total
amine was present in the light phase and a significant amount of
the oligomer was present in the heavy phase.
[0273] 3.06 of isopropanol and 0.324 g of acetic acid were mixed
for 15 min at 25.degree. C. with 0.733 g solution containing 1.04
mmol Alamine 336 and 0.57 mmol lactic acid oligomer (DP8-9). After
settling for 4 hours in a refrigerator, two phases were observed.
Acid-base titrations show that 82% of the total amine was present
in the light phase and a significant amount of the oligomer was
present in the heavy phase.
[0274] These three examples show that the addition of an alcohol
solvent and either a relatively strong acid (phosphoric acid) or a
weak acid (acetic acid) can separate trialkylamines from lactic
acid oligomers via extraction or phase splitting.
EXAMPLE 18
[0275] 4.66 g of a solution containing 1.69 mol/kg lactic acid
oligomer (DP-5) and 1.16 mol/kg Alamine 336 were mixed with 2.618 g
hexane. Then 0.585 g of a concentrated ammonia solution was added
(12.4 mmol ammonia). After mixing and settling, two phases were
observed. The light phase was titrated by HCl and by NaOH to
determine the concentrations of amine+ammonia and of protons (as
lactic acid oligomer) respectively. 0.19 mmol prepolymer and 3.27
mmol amine+ammonia were found in said light phase. Based on the
fact that ammonia solubility in hexane is negligible, the base
concentration in the light phase represents separation about 60% of
the oligomer from the amine in a single stage.
[0276] This example shows that the addition of a base such as
ammonia can force the formation of a second phase and extract
lactic acid oligomer from trialkylamine.
EXAMPLE 19
[0277] 1.79 g of a 8.7 mol/kg phosphoric acid solution was added to
a mixture of 5.48 g of calcium lactate pentahydrate and 20.25 g of
water. The solution was mixed for 2.5 hours at 85.degree. C. A
solid phase and an aqueous liquid phase were found. The solid phase
was filtered, washed with water, and sampled. The solid was found
to be virtually free of lactic material, and contain 80.2% and
77.0% of the total phosphate and calcium respectively. The
remaining aqueous solution contains 77% on the lactate material in
free acid form and 23% of the lactate material as a calcium lactate
salt.
[0278] 2.84 g of 8.7 mol/kg phosphoric acid solution, and 16.46 g
butanol were added to a mixture of 7.83 g calcium lactate
pentahydrate and 20.6 g water. The mixture was mixed for 30 minutes
at 20.degree. C. Three phases, a solid and two liquid, were found.
The phases were separated, with the solid being washed with water.
The solid was found to be virtually free of lactate material, and
contained 68.7% and 72.3% of the total phosphate and calcium
respectively. The bottom aqueous phase contained 66.9% of the
lactate material, 31% of the total phosphate, and 26.7% of the
total calcium. The organic phase contained 33% of the total lactate
material. Thus a significant amount of lactate salt was
simultaneously acidified and extracted into the organic phase.
[0279] These examples show the ability to acidulate with phosphoric
acid and form calcium phosphate salt. The acidulated lactic acid
can then be extracted with an appropriate solvent or isolated from
the aqueous by other means.
EXAMPLE 20
[0280] Fermentation broth with a final pH value of 3.87 and a total
lactate material concentration of 79 g/liter as determined by high
performance liquid chromatography was obtained. A number of
different solvents were contacted with the broth to determine the
lactic acid recovery in a single stage. The amount of free lactic
acid in each phase was determined by titration with an aqueous
sodium hydroxide solution. For the 100% Alamine 336 solvent, two
organic phases were isolated and titrated and both values are
reported. The partition coefficient is not reported for this
system.
2 Lactic Acid Aqueous Lactic Acid Organic Solvent Mixture Phase wt
% Phase wt % Partition Coefficent 30 wt % TOPO 2.24 2.36 1.05 70 wt
% MIBK 82 wt % A336 1.52 5.09 3.35 10 wt % OctOH 8 wt % LPK 100%
A336 2.34 13.8 N.A. 0.84 89 wt % A336 4.76 1.84 2.6 9 wt % DodecOH
2 wt % LPK Key TOPO + trioctylphosphine oxide MIBK = methyl
isobutyl ketone A336 = Alamine 336 OctOH = I octanal IPK = IsoPar K
DodecOH = 1 dodecanol
[0281] This example shows that a number of different extracting
solvents give partition coefficient values that are suitable for
industrial processes.
EXAMPLE 21
[0282] Fermentation broth with a final pH of 3.87 and a total
lactate material concentration of 79 g/liter as determined by high
performance liquid chromatography was obtained. The broth was
contacted three times with fresh extracting solvent consisting of
89 wt % Alamine 336, 9 wt % dodecanol, and 2 wt % IsoPar K with an
aqueous to organic phase ratio of 3.0. The free lactic acid
concentration was determined in each phase by titration with an
aqueous sodium hydroxide solution.
3 Lactic Acid Lactic Acid Stage Aqueous Phase wt % Organic Phase wt
% Partition Coefficient 1 1.55 3.9 2.5 2 1.09 1.36 1.25 3 0.88 0.74
0.84
[0283] This example shows how the partition coefficient, which is a
measure of extraction efficiency, decreases as more lactic acid is
extracted from the broth, i.e. as the pH of the remaining broth
increases.
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