Comparison of batch-stirred and electro-spray reactors for biodesulfurization of dibenzothiophene in crude oil and hydrocarbon feedstocks

Biological removal of organic sulfur from petroleum feedstocks offers an attractive alternative to conventional thermochemical treatment, because of the mild operating conditions afforded by the biocatalyst. in order for biodesulfurization to realize commercial success, reactors must be designed that allow for sufficient liquid-liquid and gas-liquid mass transfer, while simultaneously reducing operating costs. Electro-spray bioreactors were investigated for use as desulfurization reactors because of their reported operational cost savings relative to mechanically agitated reactors. Unlike batch-stirred reactors, which mix the biocatalyst-containing aqueous phase with the organic feedstock by imparting momentum to the entire bulk solution, electro-spray reactors have the potential for tremendous cost savings, creating an emulsion <5 mu m in diameter, at a cost of only 3 W/L. Power law relationships indicate that mechanically stirred reactors would require 100-1000-fold more energy to create such a fine emulsion, but these relationships generally do not account for the effect of endogenously produced surfactant in the system. Here, the rates dibenzothiophene (DBT) oxidation to 2-hydroxybiphenyl (2-HBP) in hexadecane, by Rhodococcus sp IGTS8 are compared in the two reactor systems. Desulfurization rates ranged from 1.0 to 5.0 mg 2-HBP/(dry g cells.h), independent of the reactor employed. The batch-stirred reactor was capable of forming a very fine emulsion in the presence of the biocatalyst IGTS8, similar to that formed in the emulsion phase contactor (EPC(TM)), presumably because the biocatalyst produces its own Surfactant. Although EPC did not prove to be advantageous for the IGTS8 desulfurization system, it may prove advantageous for systems that do not produce surface-active bioagents, in addition to being mass-transport limited.