A control unit includes a first connector configured to connect a proportional pressure regulator to a positive pressure supply and a second connector configured to connect the proportional pressure regulator to a negative pressure supply. The control unit further includes at least one sensor configured to detect an amount of air flow (volume per unit of time), positive or negative, within an air flow line connected to an output of the proportional pressure regulator, and a third connector configured to connect the air flow line to an air side of a diaphragm. Additionally, the control unit includes a controller programmed to control at least an opening and closing function of the proportional pressure regulator to attain a desired amount of air flow (volume per unit of time), positive or negative, within the air flow line.

A control unit includes a first connector configured to connect a proportional pressure regulator to a positive pressure supply and a second connector configured to connect the proportional pressure regulator to a negative pressure supply. The control unit further includes at least one sensor configured to detect an amount of air flow (volume per unit of time), positive or negative, within an air flow line connected to an output of the proportional pressure regulator, and a third connector configured to connect the air flow line to an air side of a diaphragm. Additionally, the control unit includes a controller programmed to control at least an opening and closing function of the proportional pressure regulator to attain a desired amount of air flow (volume per unit of time), positive or negative, within the air flow line.

A process for purifying washing waters of a production plant of the cosmetics sector includes subjecting the washing waters to an ultrafiltration treatment that produces an ultrafiltration concentrate and ultrafiltration water, and subjecting ultrafiltration water to a biological treatment with separation of sludges to be disposed of or further treated and treated water to be disposed of or to undergo subsequent treatments.

The disclosure provides a filtration system for a cell culture apparatus and a method of cell culture. The filtration system comprises a bioreactor vessel and two or more alternating tangential flow (ATF) filters connected in parallel. A failure in either filter is detected by an in-line sensor, and an automated response system functions to sequester the malfunctioning filter by stopping the flow of liquid media through the filter. Media flow through the remaining operable filters can be increased so that the rate of perfusion through the bioreactor remains relatively unchanged. Such a system may prevent issues that arise from ATF filter failures in conventional perfusion bioreactors, thereby improving the long-term viability of cell cultures.

A process for producing pure lactic acid from a whey by-product rich in lactose and minerals, for example delactosed why permeate or concentrated whey permeate, is described. The method comprises upstream steps of neutralising the whey by-product with a basic metal hydroxide to form a precipitate comprising calcium and phosphate, and separating the precipitate from the whey by-product to provide a clarified whey by-product. The clarified whey by-product is fermentated by a bacterium capable of bioconversion of lactose to lactic acid to provide a fermentation broth containing a lactic acid salt. In the downstream steps, the fermentation broth is acidified to release lactic acid from the lactic acid salt, precipitate from the broth produced by acidification is removed, and the acidified fermentation broth is treated to recover pure lactic acid by removal of residual salts, and water, and optionally protein. The process of the invention produces lactic acid having a purity of 80-98% and an isomeric purity of >98% L-lactic acid using a process that employs upstream removal of divalent salts by chemical precipitation, bacterial fermentation of the demineralised substrate, and minimum downstream processing of the fermentation broth. The methods of the invention may also be employed with milk permeates.

A process for producing pure lactic acid from a whey by-product rich in lactose and minerals, for example delactosed why permeate or concentrated whey permeate, is described. The method comprises upstream steps of neutralising the whey by-product with a basic metal hydroxide to form a precipitate comprising calcium and phosphate, and separating the precipitate from the whey by-product to provide a clarified whey by-product. The clarified whey by-product is fermentated by a bacterium capable of bioconversion of lactose to lactic acid to provide a fermentation broth containing a lactic acid salt. In the downstream steps, the fermentation broth is acidified to release lactic acid from the lactic acid salt, precipitate from the broth produced by acidification is removed, and the acidified fermentation broth is treated to recover pure lactic acid by removal of residual salts, and water, and optionally protein. The process of the invention produces lactic acid having a purity of 80-98% and an isomeric purity of >98% L-lactic acid using a process that employs upstream removal of divalent salts by chemical precipitation, bacterial fermentation of the demineralised substrate, and minimum downstream processing of the fermentation broth. The methods of the invention may also be employed with milk permeates.

An apparatus is provided for the production of biomass or a bioproduct, the apparatus comprising: at least one elongate bioreactor, the bioreactor comprised of at least one outer membrane layer that defines a substantially tubular compartment that is capable of being filled with a liquid or gel, wherein the membrane layer is comprised of a material that is permeable to gas transfer across the membrane layer. A chamber is provided comprising walls that define and enclose a gaseous atmosphere within. At least a part of the bioreactor is located inside the chamber. A control system controls the composition of the atmosphere within the chamber and gas transfer occurs across the membrane layer of the bioreactor between the tubular compartment and the atmosphere comprised within the chamber. Methods of using the apparatus in order to manufacture biomass are also provided.

An electrochemical membrane module for selectively removing pollutants and a preparation method thereof are provided. A Ti/SnO.sub.2—Sb substrate electrode is coated with a MI—TiO.sub.2 sol-gel by means of a dip-coating method, and then sintered to obtain a molecular imprinting type Ti/MI—TiO.sub.2/SnO.sub.2—Sb coated electrode; the coated electrode is adhered to a ceramic micro-filtration membrane using epoxy resin glue to obtain a Ti/MI—TiO.sub.2/SnO.sub.2—Sb MI-anodic conductive composite membrane; the MI-anodic conductive composite membrane is used as an anode, and a titanium mesh is used as a cathode, so that the electrochemical membrane module capable of selectively removing pollutants is obtained. The invention effectively combines an electrochemical micro-filtration membrane and a molecular imprinting technique. When the electrochemical membrane module is used, suspended particles and refractory organics in the sewage are removed, and a highly selective removal of certain refractory pollutants can be achieved.

A biological reactor system treats concentrated contaminated water with a combination of upflow and downflow bioreactors that are downstream from a reverse osmosis or other concentrator. The system may have a fail safe configuration where flush water may be introduced to the reactors in the event of a power failure or when taking the reactors offline. Many reverse osmosis systems introduce antiscalant treatments upstream so that the reverse osmosis filters do not scale. However, such treatments result in superconcentrated conditions of the antiscalants in the contaminated water processed by the bioreactors. A flushing system may deconcentrate the bioreactors to prevent the antiscalants from precipitating and fouling the bioreactors.

The present disclosure provides a cell separation apparatus for a bioreactor. The cell separation apparatus may be disposed outside the bioreactor and in fluid connection with the bioreactor, the cell separation apparatus may be in a shape of a box body, the cell separation apparatus may include a liquid buffer device including a first liquid cavity disposed in the box body; a filter device including a filter channel and a filter membrane disposed in the box body, the filter membrane may be disposed above the filter channel; and a first liquid channel may be configured in the box body to facilitate a fluid communication between the first liquid cavity and the filter channel. A power system for filtering and microfluidic channels are integrated in the cell separation apparatus that is of a box shape, thereby reducing the volume and production cost thereof.