A culture container linkage device according to the present disclosure includes a first actuator configured to advance or retract needles 32, an actuator holder rotatably provided on a frame and configured to hold the first actuator, a second actuator, and a washer configured to wash the needles. The second actuator rotates the needles via the actuator holder. The needles are configured to be positioned, by the second actuator, at a container-facing position at which the needles face a culture container and a washing-facing position at which the needles face the washer.

The invention relates to a photobioreactor (1) for cultivating phototrophic microorganisms (such as microalgae for example), comprising a reactor element (2) which has a plurality of rising pipes (3a) and falling pipes (3b) for a liquid culture medium (4) containing the microorganisms and which has a distributing pipe (5). The upper ends (6) of each of the rising pipes (3a) and the falling pipes (3b) are connected to the distributing pipe (5) in a liquid-permeable manner. The invention is characterized in that both the culture medium (4) as well as a gas chamber (9) above the culture medium (4) for receiving gas bubbles (10) rising out of the culture medium (4) are provided in the distributing pipe (5) in the operating state, wherein a boundary surface (11) is arranged between the culture medium (4) and the gas chamber (9) in the distributing pipe (5). By arranging the boundary surface (9) (or the boundary surface region), which is typically susceptible to dirt, in the distributing pipe (5), the aim of the invention to simplify the cleaning process of the photobioreactor or the process of keeping same clean is achieved. In this manner, the yield and service life of the photobioreactor is increased. The invention additionally relates to a method for cultivating phototrophic microorganisms.

The present invention relates to a photobioreactor 1 for cultivating phototrophic microorganisms, comprising a reactor element 2, which has a tube 3, a maintenance device 4, and a drive system 5, which can move the maintenance device 4 in the tube 3. The photobioreactor is designed such that liquid culture medium 6 containing the microorganisms flows through at least some of the tube 3 when the photobioreactor 1 is in the operating state. The invention is characterised in that the photobioreactor 1 is designed such that the maintenance device 4 can be used in the tube 3 when the photobioreactor 1 is in operating state and can be moved in the tube 3 at least counter to the flow of the culture medium 6 by the drive system 5. The invention also provides a method for cultivating phototrophic microorganisms in a photobioreactor having a movable maintenance device, a movable maintenance device for maintaining the inner surface of a tube of a photobioreactor for cultivating phototrophic microorganisms, and the use thereof during operation of the photobioreactor.

The present disclosure relates to methods of processing lignocellulosic feedstock that include grinding lignocellulosic feedstock to provide ground lignocellulosic feedstock; and compressing at least a portion of the ground lignocellulosic feedstock to form at least one discrete unit. In some embodiments, a plurality of discrete units have a bulk density in the range from 4 pounds per cubic foot to 25 pounds per cubic foot. The present disclosure also includes related systems.

A tank receives, mixes, and dispenses input materials including algae feed stock, a micro-nutrients, cleaning solution, a sterile gas, a heating/cooling fluid, carbon dioxide, and raw water with a water treatment system. A plurality of output stations include a vent to atmosphere, a heating/cooling media return, a cleaning disposal, and an algae concentrate/product. The vent to atmosphere is coupled to the tank. The heating/cooling media return is coupled to the heating/cooling media supply through the tank. The cleaning solution disposal station is coupled to the tank with a pump followed by a nano bubbler and an algae growing system. An algae concentrate/product station is coupled to the tank. An algae dewatering system is intermediate the tank and the algae concentrate/product. A water return line couples the algae dewatering system and the water treatment system.

A system to process a waste food includes a housing; at least one drum enclosed in the housing where the waste food is mixed up and digested by microorganisms or dehydrated; and at least one cleaner incorporated in or on the machine to permit a jet of water to be turned on and off to clean the drum.

Provided is a cell culture apparatus including a culture vessel that stores a cell suspension containing cells; a first filter part that has a first filter membrane that performs membrane separation treatment on the cell suspension extracted from the culture vessel; a first circulation flow path that allows components blocked by the first filter membrane to return to the culture vessel; a second filter part that has a second filter membrane that performs membrane separation treatment on components of the cell suspension permeated through the first filter membrane; a second circulation flow path that allows components permeated through the second filter membrane to return to the culture vessel; and a recovery flow path that recovers components blocked by the second filter membrane. In the cell culture apparatus, an average hole diameter of the first filter membrane is 20 ?m or smaller, and 0<B/A?0.5 is satisfied in a case where an average hole diameter of the first filter membrane is A and an average hole diameter of the second filter membrane is B; or an average hole diameter of the first filter membrane is 20 ?m or smaller, and the second filter membrane is an ultrafiltration membrane.

A tank receives, mixes, and dispenses input materials including algae feed stock, a micro-nutrients, cleaning solution, a sterile gas, a heating/cooling fluid, carbon dioxide, and raw water with a water treatment system. A plurality of output stations include a vent to atmosphere, a heating/cooling media return, a cleaning disposal, and an algae concentrate/product. The vent to atmosphere is coupled to the tank. The heating/cooling media return is coupled to the heating/cooling media supply through the tank. The cleaning solution disposal station is coupled to the tank with a pump followed by a nano bubbler and an algae growing system. An algae concentrate/product station is coupled to the tank. An algae dewatering system is intermediate the tank and the algae concentrate/product. A water return line couples the algae dewatering system and the water treatment system.

Provided is a cell adhesion inhibitor which exhibits low cytotoxicity and an excellent cell adhesion prevention effect; a tool and an apparatus each having a surface modified through application of the cell adhesion inhibitor thereto; a method for producing each of the surface-modified tool and apparatus; a biomedical structure and a production method therefor; and a microchannel device and a production method therefor.

The invention provides a cell adhesion inhibitor comprising, as an active ingredient, a polymer comprising a repeating unit having a sulfinyl group in a side chain thereof.

A microalgae culture broth producing system includes a device for culture broth sterilization using a micro bubble generator, an air compression and pressure equalization device for the injection of carbon dioxide and oxygen in the atmosphere into the culture broth. The system also includes an air chilling device to maintain suitable culture broth temperature when water temperature is too high, an automatic carbon dioxide supply device to promote photosynthesis, and a sealed vertical photobioreactor to block out pollutants and increase dissolved carbon dioxide and oxygen concentration. The system further includes a high-efficiency harvesting device using hollow fiber membranes, and a hot air drying device using the waste heat generated by air compression.