Other Organic Acids

Organic Acids Used in Biofuel Applications

The CBR process will be capable of producing organic acids that have significant “all-natural” market potential.  The CBR process will be flexible to allow products to be quickly switched to address market demand for different organic products.  With appropriate bacteria changes and minor process adjustments, the company would be able to strategically move from production of n-butanol to other organic acids.  When n-butanol or ethanol is added to organic acids, such as butyric and propionic acids, organic esters are formed, e.g., ethyl butyrate and butyl butyrate.  These esters can be sold as alternative fuel to diesel fleets in niche markets.  These new ethyl and butyl esters can improve the fuel qualities of ethanol by reducing its water affinity and RVP so that ethanol could potentially be more easily transported in pipelines and used year-round in hotter climates.  They can also be used to increase the octane of such fuels, e.g. n-butyl butyrate has an octane of 113 making it potentially suitable as an aviation fuel.  (NOTE:  A major US engineering firm tested and confirmed the viability of this form of Avgas.)