An apparatus (100, 700, 8001, 802, 803) for growing biomass, wherein the apparatus comprises: at least one plate (110, 210, 310, 410, 710) comprising at least two plate sections (120, 220, 320, 331, 332, 333, 420, 421, 422) configured to be movable between an opened position and a closed position. In the closed position the at least two plate sections jointly form a first surface for receiving and holding a growth medium for growing biomass and in the opened position the at least two plate sections are pivoted away from the closed position such that the growth medium is slidably released from the at least one plate. The at least one plate is movably supported on at least one first railing (150, 750), wherein the apparatus further comprises a first drive mechanism (715) for independently moving each of the at least one plate along the at least one first railing; and the at least two plate sections are pivotable about a first axis (251) and a second axis (252) respectively.

Apparatus, systems, chips, and methods of performing a large number of simultaneous chemical reactions are provided herein. The chips of the invention comprise addressable units that can be addressed according to the temperature of the reaction to be run. The subject apparatus, systems, and chips are particularly suited for performing polymerase chain reactions on thousands of nucleic acid sequences, up to and including sequences of an entire genuine of an organism of interest.

A target particle transferring device is disclosed, which comprises: (a) a substrate with a thickness of T and a width of W, having top and bottom portions, the top portion having a top surface and the bottom portion having a bottom surface; (b) a notch structure formed in the bottom portion of the substrate, comprising: a groove with a width of W1, located at a distance oft below the top surface of the substrate, wherein the groove is formed in the bottom portion from the bottom surface extending toward the top portion; and (c) a target substrate portion with a width of W2 and a thickness of T, located in the top and bottom portions of the substrate and being surrounded by the groove. Methods of transferring a target particle from one device to another is also disclosed.

A system may include a base assembly having a top and a bottom restable on a surface, with the base assembly comprising at least one trough having an upper opening into a cavity and a trough holder configured to hold the at least one trough. The system may also include a cover assembly mounted on the base assembly and configured to cover the at least one trough in the holder. The cover assembly may comprise a main cover portion including a cover wall extending over the at least one trough, with at least one aperture extending through the main cover portion and being substantially vertically aligned with the cavity of the at least one trough mounted on the base assembly. The cover assembly may also include a disc pressure portion configured to removably insert into the at least one aperture press against a disc positioned at the aperture of the main cover portion to move the disc toward the cavity of the at least one trough.

Systems and methods for producing microbe-based compositions that can be used in the oil and gas industry, environmental cleanup, as well as for other applications are provided. More specifically, a moveable all-in-one system for producing microorganisms and/or metabolites is provided. The system can be delivered to a fermentation site in a ready-to-use state, such that on-site fermentation can be initiated in a short period of time.

A fermentation production process of paecilomyces hepialis Cs-4 including steps of inoculating Cs-4 strains on a slant culture medium, inoculating Cs-4 strains into a first culture medium in a shake flask, inoculating Cs-4 strains into a second culture medium in a seed tank, inoculating Cs-4 strains into a third culture medium in a propagation tank, and inoculating Cs-4 strains into a fourth culture medium in a fermentation tank. Fermentation broth obtained after fermentation is used as Cs-4 strains to be cultivated in the first culture medium in the shake flask. The slant culture medium includes histidine. The first culture medium in the shake flask includes the histidine and vitamin B.sub.1. The second culture medium in the seed tank includes purine. The third culture medium in the propagation tank includes the purine and pyrimidine. The fourth culture medium in the fermentation tank includes purines and the pyrimidine.

A power-generation system having a combined heat and power plant and a fermentation plant has an electrolysis plant, which is connected by lines to both the combined heat and power plant and to the fermentation plant. This arrangement enables a method in which heat from a combined heat and power plant can be used for a fermentation plant and additionally heat from an electrolysis plant can be used for the fermentation plant, whilst the oxygen from the electrolysis plant is used for the combined heat and power plant.

Disclosed is a solid state biological reaction device, comprising a main tank (1), wherein the device further comprises a support (2) supporting the main tank (1), and the support (2) makes the main tank (1) be rotational in the horizontal position, and be statically cultured in the vertical position. The device is relatively simple, in particular, the mixing of materials uses the method of a vehicle-tank in combination with rotation, achieving the tank free conversion between the two different poses of vertical and the horizontal; and the device conducts the work of loading, inoculation, cultivation and transplantation and so on in the upright pose, and completes the work of sterilization and mixing of materials and so on in the horizontal pose. The device is not only quick to use and easy to move, but also omits the stirring system which occupies a lot of manufacturing costs, and is easy to use in large-scale production.

Disclosed is a solid state biological reaction device, comprising a main tank (1), wherein the device further comprises a support (2) supporting the main tank (1), and the support (2) makes the main tank (1) be rotational in the horizontal position, and be statically cultured in the vertical position. The device is relatively simple, in particular, the mixing of materials uses the method of a vehicle-tank in combination with rotation, achieving the tank free conversion between the two different poses of vertical and the horizontal; and the device conducts the work of loading, inoculation, cultivation and transplantation and so on in the upright pose, and completes the work of sterilization and mixing of materials and so on in the horizontal pose. The device is not only quick to use and easy to move, but also omits the stirring system which occupies a lot of manufacturing costs, and is easy to use in large-scale production.

The subject invention provides for continuous production of advantageous microbes and/or by-products using a system capable of submerged fermentation, solid-state fermentation, and combinations thereof. In particular, the systems utilize cassettes or other similar containers as vessels for holding a solid substrate inoculated with a microorganism. The cassettes are aligned inside a tank, and the tank can optionally be filled with a liquid nutrient medium. The cassettes with substrate and growing microorganisms are removed from the tank for harvesting the microorganism, and a new, sterilized cassette with substrate can be replaced into the tank.