US 11,866,690 B2
Upgrading and enrichment of gases through algae photobioreactors
Vinit Choudhary, Cypress, TX (US); Everett J. O'Neal, Asbury, NJ (US); Sarah E. Feicht, Raritan, NJ (US); Patrick L. Hanks, Bridgewater, NJ (US); Samantha J. Reuter, Houston, TX (US); and Rachel G. Munson, Spring, TX (US)
Assigned to ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Company, Annandale, NJ (US)
Filed by ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Company, Annandale, NJ (US)
Filed on Sep. 14, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/019,392.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/899,836, filed on Sep. 13, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0079338 A1, Mar. 18, 2021
Int. Cl. C12N 1/12 (2006.01); C12M 1/00 (2006.01)
CPC C12N 1/12 (2013.01) [C12M 21/02 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
 
1. A method, comprising:
containing an algae media within a contactor;
introducing a stream of natural gas comprising up to 80 wt % carbon dioxide (CO2) and having a fluid pressure in a range of 500 psig to 2000 psig into the contactor;
maintaining the fluid pressure within the contactor in the range;
contacting the natural gas on the algae media and thereby allowing the algae media to consume CO2 from the natural gas; and
discharging a stream of natural gas comprising 2 wt % or less CO2 from the contactor at a fluid pressure in the range into a pressurized pipeline.