| Suzhou Hydal BioTech |
Food Packaging
BiopolymerPrice competitive method of PHA production Production of PHA from non-food resources Production of PHA from waste materials that currently need to be recycled in a costly way /if ever recycled/ Production of bio-based plastics that are bio-degradable and do not harm the environment
Hydal technology is a technological process converting waste cooking oil into PHA biopolymer/ by means of fermentation and subsequent PHA polymer isolation.
Nafigate is an Exclusive Licensee of the initial patent from the Brno University of Technology and has over past months built up its own expertise and additional know-how of the process of PHA production. Nafigate wishes to transfer the technology onto bio-plastic’s production market together with a commercial partner, Jiangsu Clean Environment Technology Co., Ltd., which has well established network of waste cooking oil collection in its territory, in PRC.
PHAs are natural polyesters, water insoluble and formable at higher temperature as most of the synthetic plastics (thermoplastics). PHA is a general term for a wide the group of substances and, therefore, may occur in various forms such as PHB (Polyhydroxybutyrate) or PHBV (polyhydroxy butyrate-valerate), which are predominantly used for bio packaging manufacture. PHA is non-toxic and nature compatible that approved for use in contact with food (EC 10/2011) and also for medicinal use (FDA).
Main production process of Hydal is fermentation, where living organisms (bacteria) produce PHA as energy source, which is stored inside the microbes in the form of grains. The microorganisms are fed by waste, food grade cooking oil to grow. When the limiting level of growth is reached, PHA is produced, consequently isolated and purified by environmentally friendly method. Apart from PHA there is secondary, commercially viable material produced.The process consists of PHA polymer synthesis (PS) steps and PHA polymer isolation steps (PI). Polymer synthesis takes place in fermenters, which are fed with water, air, steam, waste cooking oil and nutrients in the form of inorganic salts. Polymer synthesis output is microbial biomass solution (broth) containing synthesized polymer inside the microbes, which goes to the polymer isolation process.
Polymer isolation process consists of separation of microbes, their disruption and polymer extraction, polymer precipitation, solvent removal and solvent recovery steps.
Upstream process in quarter scale is well matured now and customization of process to adapt to Chinese waste oil is successfully finishing. Following Figure very briefly and in general describes the Hydal Technology principles.
