A gas sensor assembly includes a housing; an inlet assembly configured to carry a gaseous composition having a volatile organic compound into the housing; and an outlet assembly configured to carry the gaseous composition from the housing. The gas sensor assembly also includes an ultraviolet light source disposed within the housing and a gas sensor disposed within the housing and configured to sense an amount of the volatile organic compound.

A gas sensor assembly includes a housing; an inlet assembly configured to carry a gaseous composition having a volatile organic compound into the housing; and an outlet assembly configured to carry the gaseous composition from the housing. The gas sensor assembly also includes an ultraviolet light source disposed within the housing and a gas sensor disposed within the housing and configured to sense an amount of the volatile organic compound.

Methods of production of edible filamentous fungal biomat formulations are provided as standalone protein sources and/or protein ingredients in foodstuffs as well as a one-time use or repeated use self-contained biomat reactor comprising a container with at least one compartment and placed within the compartment(s), a feedstock, a fungal inoculum, a gas-permeable membrane, and optionally a liquid nutrient medium.

Multi-stage, biological processes and systems for converting a C1 carbon source to desired end products are described. The processes comprise dividing a gaseous C1-containing substrate, in parallel, among multiple bioreactor stages. Liquid products are successively fed, in series, from a first bioreactor stage to downstream bioreactor stages. Operation can be simplified by avoiding the requirement for microorganism separation and recycle at each stage. In addition, overall vapor-liquid mass transfer for the combined stages is very favorable, leading to high end product productivity with comparably low byproduct metabolite productivity.

A bioreactor (1, 2, 3) and its use for the conversion of organic residual and/or waste materials into an organic nutrient solution with a proportion of at least 10% plant-accessible mineralised nitrogen relative to the total nitrogen content of the nutrient solution, with a reaction tank (5), where the reaction tank (5) has an input feed (6) through which suspension (4) can be introduced into the reaction tank (5), and where the reaction tank (5) has an outlet feed (7), through which the suspension (4) can be discharged from the reaction tank (5), where the carrier element (10) has at least one inner and one outer settlement surface (11), on which ammonifying and/or nitrifying bacteria can collect.

A bioreactor (1, 2, 3) and its use for the conversion of organic residual and/or waste materials into an organic nutrient solution with a proportion of at least 10% plant-accessible mineralised nitrogen relative to the total nitrogen content of the nutrient solution, with a reaction tank (5), where the reaction tank (5) has an input feed (6) through which suspension (4) can be introduced into the reaction tank (5), and where the reaction tank (5) has an outlet feed (7), through which the suspension (4) can be discharged from the reaction tank (5), where the carrier element (10) has at least one inner and one outer settlement surface (11), on which ammonifying and/or nitrifying bacteria can collect.

A system for digesting biodigestible feed that preferably includes the steps of comminuting the feed, introducing feed, an oxygen-containing gas, an accelerant, and bacteria into a digestion zone, the bacteria being suitable for digesting the feed under aerobic, anaerobic, and anoxic conditions. The contents of the digestion zone can be changed from aerobic operation to either anoxic or anaerobic operation, or vice versa, without changing the bacteria in the digestion zone.

Methods of production of edible filamentous fungal biomat formulations are provided as standalone protein sources and/or protein ingredients in foodstuffs as well as a one-time use or repeated use self-contained biofilm-biomat reactor comprising a container with at least one compartment and placed within the compartment(s), a feedstock, a fungal inoculum, a gas-permeable membrane, and optionally a liquid nutrient medium.

Manufacturing techniques for fabricating a polymer or other substrate optimized for growing cells is described, which takes the form of a micro-thin bag with gas permeable sides. Sides of the bag can be held at a fixed distance from one another with a multitude of tiny micropillars or other spacers extending between them, keeping the bag at a predetermined thickness and preventing the bag from collapsing and the sides from sticking together. In other embodiments, the sides may be held apart by gas pressure alone. A 0.01 μm to 1000 μm parylene or other biocompatible coating over the bag outsides controls the permeability of the bag material and provides a bio-safe area for cell growth. An alternate configuration uses open-cell foam with skins coated with a biocompatible coating. Tubes going into multiple bags can be connected to a manifold that delivers gaseous oxygen or removes carbon dioxide and other waste gases. Multiple bags can be stacked together tightly, with o-ring spacers in between, and housed within a vessel to form a high-surface area, ultra-compact cell growing system. For cells growing on the bags, liquid nutrients can be fed by way of the tube spacers, and oxygen and waste gases permeated through the bag sides and transported within the bags.

This disclosure describes a biochemical reactor with a lower divider support structure. The biochemical reactor may include a tank configured to house immobilized carriers and fluid. The biochemical reactor may include a circulation conduit at least partially disposed within the tank. The circulation conduit may include a circulation outlet opening. The biochemical reactor may include one or more vanes disposed proximate to the circulation outlet opening. The biochemical reactor may include a tank recirculation port disposed proximate to a second end. The biochemical reactor may include a tank inlet configured for feeding fluid into the tank. The biochemical reactor may include a tank outlet configured for drawing fluid from the tank. The tank outlet may be disposed proximate to a first end. The biochemical reactor may include a first divider and a second divider. The second divider may include a support structure including a grating configured to withstand variable loads.